Washington National

Situated around a half an hour’s drive south east of downtown Seattle, the Washington National course is a new millennium offering from respected architect John Fought. Featuring bent grass fairways and greens, the course has hosted a number of collegiate competitions since it opened, including several NCAA regional championships.

Toughest hole on the card is the long par four 6th, which plays all of 473 yards from the “Husky” back markers. Tee shots are afforded a generous landing area but from that point in the fairway to the pin there’s trouble all the way with water to the left of the green and a bunker positioned to the front right of a monstrous putting surface that measures 50 yards from back to front.

On the back nine, few birdies are ever made on the slightly doglegged 10th, and for a very good reason; it’s a beast of a hole. Tee shots that steer clear of trees flanking the right side of the fairway must also avoid a large waste area on the left which then encroaches onto the fairway as it swings right towards a long, back-to-front tilted green.