#48 Gamble Sands
This is a 2014 David McLay Kidd (Bandon Dunes) design. I like it a lot. It has a linksy feel to it, but not nearly as much contour on the fairways as Chambers Bay. The fairways are very wide, although there are forced carries and challenge carries, and the greens are enormous. The longest is 70 yards. One of my playing partners had a number of 100-foot putts, and the short fairways allowed for putting from even further than that.
Situated on top of a hill overlooking the Columbia River, and the snow-covered Cascades in the distance, the views are spectacular, but it is very exposed to the wind.
It was windy all day, but the wind speed increased through the round as the storm approached. This was the 17th green:
The course has an outward 9 and inward 9, with the 10th tee at the furthest point from the clubhouse, and the prediction was for the rain to start in earnest 2 hours after our tee time. The wind from the southeast was mostly against us on the front, and helping on the back.
The combination of wind and downhill tee shots, and a happy mix of stance, grip, and alignment adjustments led to some prodigious drives. On the par-4 2nd hole, 284 yards, I drove it into the back bunker.
On 14, 389 yards, I hit my prettiest drive, a 1-yard draw down the middle, and had a lob wedge approach from 88 yards.
On 17, 406 yards, I pushed my drive to the very edge of the fairway, carrying the longest part of the fairway bunker, and pulled a pitching wedge into the greenside bunker, but got my 2nd sandie.
And on 18, 452 yards par 5, I crushed one down the middle and had pitching wedge from 130 for my 2nd shot. With visions of eagle dancing in my head, I pulled it into the back bunker, and 2-putted for a 7. The middle 3 shots are left as an exercise for the reader.
More pictures.
Situated on top of a hill overlooking the Columbia River, and the snow-covered Cascades in the distance, the views are spectacular, but it is very exposed to the wind.
It was windy all day, but the wind speed increased through the round as the storm approached. This was the 17th green:
The course has an outward 9 and inward 9, with the 10th tee at the furthest point from the clubhouse, and the prediction was for the rain to start in earnest 2 hours after our tee time. The wind from the southeast was mostly against us on the front, and helping on the back.
On 14, 389 yards, I hit my prettiest drive, a 1-yard draw down the middle, and had a lob wedge approach from 88 yards.
On 17, 406 yards, I pushed my drive to the very edge of the fairway, carrying the longest part of the fairway bunker, and pulled a pitching wedge into the greenside bunker, but got my 2nd sandie.
And on 18, 452 yards par 5, I crushed one down the middle and had pitching wedge from 130 for my 2nd shot. With visions of eagle dancing in my head, I pulled it into the back bunker, and 2-putted for a 7. The middle 3 shots are left as an exercise for the reader.
More pictures.
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