Gamble Sands

Brewster, WA, United States • Public

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Brian Oar

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Photo by Stephen Szurlej

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Stephen Szurlej

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Stephen Szurlej

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Stephen Szurlej

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Stephen Szurlej

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Stephen Szurlej

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Stephen Szurlej

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Stephen Szurlej

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Stephen Szurlej

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Stephen Szurlej

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Stephen Szurlej

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Stephen Szurlej

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Stephen Szurlej

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Stephen Szurlej

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Stephen Szurlej

Overview

The winner of Golf Digest’s Best New Course of 2014 award, Gamble Sands sits atop a sprawling, treeless plateau of sandy desert overlooking Washington’s Columbia River Valley. The extremely playable layout is oversized in every respect, with enormously wide fairways, gigantic greens, no rough and some of the most panoramic vistas around. In using “friendly contours” that divert shots away from bunkers and toward targets, designer David Kidd wants everybody to have fun. He hopes good players will relish opportunities to score low and high handicappers will post their best round ever. With three reachable par 4s on the 18, that’s a possibility. Of course, Gamble Sands was Kidd’s inspiration for Mammoth Dunes.

About

Holes 18

Length 7226

Slope 120

Price $328

Facility Type Public

Designer David McLay Kidd

Awards

Ranking history:

Second 100 Greatest: Ranked 180th, 2019-'20. Ranked 183rd, 2021-'22.
2023-'24 ranking (and previously): 183rd.
Highest ranking: No. 180 in 2019-'20.

100 Greatest Public: Ranked since 2017.
2023-'24 ranking: 30th.
Previous ranking: 38th.
Highest ranking: Current.

Best in State: Ranked fourth, 2015 to current.

Panelists

Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists

4.5

100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES

Shot Options

7.3218

Character

7.3149

Challenge

6.7204

Layout Variety

7.415

Fun

7.8091

Aesthetics

7.4791

Conditioning

7.4759

Reviews

1 / 10

Review

“Now this is golf. This beautifully located golf course is filled with challenge and very playable holes. The scenery is terrific along the Columbia River Valley with orchards and hills in every direction. The fairways are as good as some courses greens and it's difficult to tell where the fairway ends and the green starts. There are a lot of shot options on most every hole. This is a FUN course with a high level of challenge."

2024

2 / 10

Review

“Hard to get to and well worth the drive to this one of a few style of golf course. Everyone from low to high handicappers can play and enjoy it."

2023

3 / 10

Review

“Cool place. A few birdie holes."

2023

4 / 10

Review

“An incredible site and a unique course that is fun for all levels of golfers"

2023

5 / 10

Review

“fairways were firm and fast, and made the course play shorter than it normally would. Fun golf course and layout."

2022

6 / 10

Review

“David McLay Kidd’s most enjoyable design. This course was designed to be fun and it succeeded. The fairways are forgiving and you have a number of options going into most greens. There are many slopes that funnel your ball toward the greens and several greens are punch bowls that make your ball bounce toward the hole. You can see the Columbia River from most holes which adds to the experience. It’s an interesting and fun layout that is worth the trouble of getting there."

2022

7 / 10

Review

“The most quiet course you will ever play. Loads of fun — links golf in the orchards. Very good conditioning and interesting design."

2022

8 / 10

Review

“One of the most scenic, inland courses you could play. Many think this course is easy, and one could quite well shoot their career low round here. There is plenty of challenge for the person that hits crooked off the tee in spots. Great conditioning, and all around fun course that is enjoyable for all levels of golfers."

2022

9 / 10

Review

“Very fun, expansive high-desert layout with lots of variety and high playability."

2022

10 / 10

Review

“Gamble Sands was designed with fun in mind -- consider it a success! The lodging, food, and course are all top notch. Gamble does have a lot of width for scoring, but it still has teeth if you get away from the playing corridors. There's plenty of strategy!"

2021