Gamble Sands / Washington

The take

Gamble Sands opened in Brewster in 2014 and gave Washington something it badly needed: a public-access, Top 100-caliber destination course with width, firm turf, match-play energy, and Columbia River Plateau views that make the drive feel less ridiculous. David McLay Kidd built the original course, then returned with Nick Schaan for Scarecrow, which opened for public/resort play in 2025 and turns Gamble from a one-course pilgrimage into a legitimate multi-round stay.

The broader Washington build is powerful but geographically dangerous. Wine Valley in Walla Walla is an excellent wine-country add-on. Suncadia's Prospector can work as a Seattle-to-Brewster positioning round. Chambers Bay is the U.S. Open pilgrimage. But none of these are casual little side trips. Washington is a big state with big drives and no mercy for optimistic itineraries.

Read the full take

The best version is simple: stay at Gamble Sands, play Gamble Sands and Scarecrow, use Quicksands for the social round, and only add Wine Valley or Chambers if the trip is long enough. Walla Walla can be excellent if you treat it as wine-country extension. Chambers Bay is a Seattle/Tacoma bookend, not a Brewster day trip. If you try to do all of Washington in three nights, the map wins.

Best version

Use Gamble Sands as the base for two or three nights. Play Gamble Sands, Scarecrow, and Quicksands. If the group has four or five nights, add Wine Valley as a wine-and-golf extension or Chambers Bay as a separate pilgrimage round near Seattle/Tacoma. Suncadia only belongs if you need a comfortable mid-route stop between Seattle and Brewster. Do not pretend Brewster, Walla Walla, Cle Elum, and University Place are one neat little loop.

Skip if

Groups that need nightlife
Travelers who dislike remote drives
Luxury-first groups that want spa depth and room-service polish
Anyone trying to cover all Washington anchors in a short weekend

Insider notes

Use Gamble Sands as the base for two or three nights.
Play Gamble Sands, Scarecrow, and Quicksands.
If the group has four or five nights, add Wine Valley as a wine-and-golf extension or Chambers Bay as a separate pilgrimage round near Seattle/Tacoma.
Suncadia only belongs if you need a comfortable mid-route stop between Seattle and Brewster.

The courses

6 core rounds. Scan first, then click into the course detail when you want the full read.

Full destination course detailsExpand this section for the deeper course reads, then click again to hide it.Expand

#31GD Public

4.6(648)

200 Sands Trail Rd, Brewster, WA 98812, USA

(509) 436-8323

Strong play

Gamble Sands

Designer: David McLay Kidd
Year: 2014
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,169
Difficulty: Medium
Green fees: 2026 published rates: $200 in April/October, $295 May-September; second 18 is $150 in April/October and $195 May-September. Cart included.

Gamble Sands is generous without being dumb. The fairways are wide because the architect wants you choosing angles, not apologizing from desert scrub. The course is fun first, strategic second, and that order is exactly why people want to replay it.

Strengths

Width with decisions
Firm ground game
Huge views
Outstanding replay value

Weaknesses

Remote travel
Subtle difficulty
Limited nightlife

The anchor. Play it early and probably play it again.

0/5

Signature holes: 2, 7, 14, 18

Must play

Scarecrow

Designer: David McLay Kidd
Year: 2025
Par: 71
Yardage: About 6,900
Difficulty: Medium-high
Green fees: 2026 published rates mirror Gamble Sands: $200 in April/October, $295 May-September; second 18 is $150-$195.

Scarecrow is the course that changes the destination. The original Gamble Sands could always justify a detour. Scarecrow makes the resort easier to justify as the trip. Expect a bolder, more elevated, slightly more demanding companion to the original rather than a duplicate with a different logo.

Strengths

Gives Gamble a true second regulation anchor
Bolder contour
Strong visual identity

Weaknesses

Still maturing
Fewer long-term data points
Can be more demanding than the original

Must play now, with upside as it matures.

0/5

Signature holes: 4, 9, 15, 18

Image coming soon

Strong play

Quicksands

Designer: David McLay Kidd
Year: 2021
Par: Short course
Yardage: 14 par-3 holes, roughly 60-180 yards
Difficulty: Low-medium
Green fees: 2026 published rate: $75. Walking pull cart included.

Quicksands is not there to prove anything. It is there to loosen the group, settle bets, and remind everyone that golf is allowed to be stupidly fun.

Strengths

Group energy
Creative short-game shots
Fast pace
Great after a full round

Weaknesses

Not a regulation round
Wind can make it goofy
Easy to overdo with drinks

Mandatory if you stay on property.

0/5

Signature holes: Plinko, Crater, Donut

#96GD Public

4.7(371)

176 Wine Valley Road, Walla Walla, WA 99362, USA

(509) 525-4653

Strong play

Wine Valley

Designer: Dan Hixson
Year: 2009
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,360
Difficulty: Medium-high
Green fees: 2026 peak-season published rates: $175-$198 Monday-Thursday and $198-$221 Friday-Sunday before tax; cart and range balls included.

Wine Valley is good enough to deserve its own respect, not just a throwaway add-on. Pair it with Walla Walla food and wine, or skip it. The weak play is wedging it into a Gamble itinerary and spending the whole day in a car while pretending the tasting room at 8:30 p.m. will fix everything.

Strengths

Big scale
Firm turf
Wine-country setting
Strong value against trophy resorts

Weaknesses

Three-plus hours from Gamble
Separate lodging base
Weaker fit for a short Gamble trip

Excellent extension. Bad forced detour.

0/5

Signature holes: 3, 7, 13, 18

4.6(184)

3320 Suncadia Trail, Cle Elum, WA 98922, USA

(844) 817-5870

Strong play

Suncadia - Prospector

Designer: Arnold Palmer Design Company
Year: 2005
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,100
Difficulty: Medium
Green fees: Dynamic resort/public pricing; confirm direct with Suncadia before booking.

Prospector is useful. That is a compliment. It gives Seattle-area groups a sensible mid-route resort stop, especially if the trip needs lodging, restaurants, and easier golf before the big drive.

Strengths

Logical route stop
Resort lodging
Playable Palmer design
Easier companion fit

Weaknesses

Not a destination anchor
Lower architectural ceiling
Can become itinerary padding

Good route piece. Do not let it crowd out the anchors.

0/5

Signature holes: 2, 10, 14, 18

#19GD Public

4.7(806)

6320 Grandview Dr W, University Place, WA 98467, USA

(253) 460-4653

Strong play

Chambers Bay

Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Year: 2007
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,585
Difficulty: High
Green fees: 2026 published non-resident starting rates run roughly $149-$325 by month, with advanced booking rates up to $425 in July/August; taxes/fees vary.

Chambers Bay is worth playing. It is not worth pretending it is next door. Use it as the Seattle/Tacoma bookend if flights and time support it. If the trip is really Gamble Sands, keep Chambers out unless the group has a genuine pilgrimage appetite.

Strengths

Major-championship venue
Puget Sound setting
Public access
Massive scale

Weaknesses

Long detour from Brewster
Exposed walk
Not a quick add-on

Worth the detour only when the trip has enough days.

0/5

Signature holes: 7, 9, 15, 18

Full course library

Where to stay, eat, and stray

Lodging

Where to stay

The Inn at Gamble Sands

The Inn is the obvious answer because this is not the destination to outsmart. Stay there, walk to golf, eat on property, play again.

Walla Walla hotels

If Wine Valley is part of the trip, Walla Walla should be a real night, not a gas-station sandwich between drives.

Marcus Whitman Hotel

This is the most sensible Walla Walla anchor if Wine Valley is not just a drive-by. Stay in town, eat properly, and make the extension worth the miles.

Dining

Where groups actually eat

Danny Boy Bar & Grill

Danny Boy is the default. After 36 holes in Brewster, default is not an insult.

The Barn

The Barn is the pressure-release meal. Use it when the group wants food fast and another drink before someone starts proposing terrible bets.

Walla Walla restaurants and wine rooms

If the group cares about dining, this is the route extension that makes sense. If it does not, stay at Gamble and play more golf.

Things to do

Beyond the golf

Wine tasting in Walla Walla

The best true off-course add-on in the itinerary, but only if Wine Valley is part of the plan.

Columbia River downtime

At Gamble, do less. The quiet is part of the product.

Cascade mountain resort time

At Suncadia, use the resort if the group has non-golfers or needs a softer day.

Planning mechanics

Logistics

Flights, driving, walking

Flights

Pangborn Memorial / Wenatchee (EAT): closest useful commercial airport to Gamble if flights work. Spokane (GEG): common option for Gamble, with a long but straightforward drive. Seattle-Tacoma (SEA): best for Chambers or Suncadia routing, less ideal for a Gamble-only trip. Walla Walla (ALW): useful for Wine Valley extension if flights cooperate.

Ground transportation

Rent cars. For Gamble-only, drive in and stay put. For Washington-route versions, plan drive blocks like tee times: specific, realistic, and not left to group optimism.

Walking

Gamble is cart-included but walkable in spirit. Quicksands is walking-only. Chambers Bay is walking-only and one of the tougher public walks in America. Caddies are useful at Chambers and less central at Gamble.

Weather

When the trip works best

Best window

May through October.

Inland heat

Brewster and Walla Walla can get hot in summer.

Shoulder season

Better value, more condition/weather risk.

Planning ranges

Cost and value levers

Gamble Sands / Scarecrow

$200-$295 in 2026 - Published seasonal rates; second 18 is $150-$195.

Quicksands

$75 - High-value social round.

Gamble lodging

$300-$550 per room/night in 2026 - Taxes/fees not included.

Itinerary builder

Build your itinerary

The sample on the right is an illustrative Streamsong example.

It is meant to show the depth and shape of a real plan. Build your own around your group, dates, rounds, lodging, dining, and travel timing.

Build my itinerary

Illustrative sample output

Streamsong in 3 Days: 4 Rounds, Mixed Group

3 nights at Streamsong Lodge covering all 3 courses plus a repeat of whichever lands best with the group. With a mixed-skill group and a social thread running through the trip, the sequencing matters: start approachable, build toward bold, and protect evenings for the group to decompress together.

Recommendation

Start with Red to set the right tone for mixed players, not Black. Black's scale can deflate weaker players early and that poisons the rest of the trip.

Day 1

Morning: Arrive, check in to Streamsong Lodge, and get settled without rushing. Arrival timing is unknown, so do not force a same-day round.

Afternoon: If arriving early-to-midday, use the practice facilities to shake off travel; skip forcing an afternoon round on an unknown schedule.

Evening: Make this the nicer dinner night. Gather the group, debrief the plan, and use the evening to build energy for the heavy golf days ahead.

Insider note: Day 1 is the setup day, not a golf day. Burning a round here on travel legs is the most common mistake groups make at Streamsong.

Day 2

Morning: Tee off on Streamsong Red first thing. It is the most balanced course and the right anchor for a mixed-skill group on fresh legs.

Afternoon: Afternoon round on Streamsong Blue. It is more open and wind-affected, which rewards better players while staying manageable enough for the group.

Evening: Keep dinner casual and on property. Two rounds is a full day and the group needs to recover, not power through a production.

Insider note: Red in the morning lets the group settle in before Blue asks harder questions in the afternoon wind.

Day 3

Morning: Play Streamsong Black. Use it as the bold contrast round the guide describes, not as the centerpiece, and set expectations accordingly for higher-handicap players.

Afternoon: Replay the course that resonated most with the group. Red is the likely call for mixed groups, Blue for stronger players who want another look.

Evening: Final evening on property. Keep it relaxed since departure timing is unknown and no one should be grinding through dinner logistics.

Insider note: Black is the experience round, not the best round. Frame it that way for the group before the first tee so no one is quietly disappointed by the rougher edges.

Tradeoffs

Four rounds in two full golf days is aggressive but workable at a comfortable pace. The plan keeps Day 1 golf-free to protect legs and group cohesion rather than chasing a fifth round nobody would enjoy.

Black is scheduled for Day 3 morning rather than being skipped. It adds useful contrast and a memorable moment, but it was deliberately placed after the group already has two courses under its belt rather than as an opener.

The nicer dinner was placed on Day 1 rather than a golf day. This protects energy on the days that matter and gives the group something to build toward without splitting a long golf day around a formal meal.

Book first

Book all four tee times at Streamsong before lodging fills. The property manages its own tee sheet and availability tightens fast in peak season.

Confirm Streamsong Lodge rooms for all three nights in a single block. A small group of 3-4 makes this manageable, but winter weekends can still book out early.

Arrange caddies for at least Red and Blue if the group is open to walking. First-time looks benefit significantly from local knowledge on both courses.

Watchouts

Two rounds on Day 2 is the heaviest ask of the trip. If anyone in the mixed group is a high-handicapper or infrequent player, build in flexibility to skip the afternoon Blue round rather than grinding through it.

Streamsong is genuinely remote and there is no nightlife option off property. Groups expecting energy beyond the lodge bar will be disappointed, and that expectation gap kills trip morale faster than a bad round.

Black's scale and difficulty can frustrate less experienced players, especially after already playing 36 holes the day before. If the group's weakest player struggled on Day 2, consider swapping Black for a Red replay.

LodgingExpand

For the core trip, stay at Gamble Sands. Off-property savings are not worth much when the whole point is waking up near the first tee and not driving after dinner. For the broader Washington route, use Walla Walla or Suncadia as deliberate bases, not random hotel stops.

Resort inn

The Inn at Gamble Sands

0/5

Best for: most Gamble-based groups

Cost: 2026 published lodging rates: $300 per night in April, $450 per night May-October for standard rooms; king suites $400/$550 before taxes and fees.

4.8(84)(509) 436-8323

200 Sands Trail Rd, Brewster, WA 98812, USA

The Inn is the obvious answer because this is not the destination to outsmart. Stay there, walk to golf, eat on property, play again.

Pros

easiest logistics, golf-first setting, river/golf views, direct access to Gamble/Scarecrow/Quicksands

Cons

limited lodging depth, remote, not luxury-resort plush

Wine-country hotels / inns

Walla Walla hotels

0/5

Best for: Wine Valley extension

Cost: Variable by season and event calendar; expect wine-weekend premiums.

If Wine Valley is part of the trip, Walla Walla should be a real night, not a gas-station sandwich between drives.

Pros

best dining and wine scene in the Washington build, strongest off-course evening

Cons

far from Gamble Sands, requires separate base, can distract from the golf mission

Historic wine-country hotel

Marcus Whitman Hotel

0/5

Best for: Wine Valley extension with real dinner/wine access

Cost: Variable by wine weekends, events, and season.

4.5(1,050)(509) 525-2200

6 W Rose St, Walla Walla, WA 99362, USA

Monday: Open 24 hours

This is the most sensible Walla Walla anchor if Wine Valley is not just a drive-by. Stay in town, eat properly, and make the extension worth the miles.

Pros

Central Walla Walla location, classic hotel feel, easy tasting-room and restaurant access

Cons

Not connected to Gamble, separate base required, event weekends can price up

Mountain resort

Suncadia Resort

0/5

Best for: Seattle-to-Brewster positioning or mixed groups

Cost: Dynamic resort rates; verify direct.

Suncadia works when the group needs comfort, families, or a staged route. It is not the soul of the trip.

Pros

lodging depth, resort amenities, logical Cle Elum location, companion-friendly

Cons

not the core golf reason to go, can add cost without adding enough golf quality

Airport / city hotel

Tacoma / Seattle airport hotel

0/5

Best for: Chambers Bay bookend

Cost: Variable by location and season.

Use this only if Chambers Bay is a planned bookend. Do not sleep near Sea-Tac just because someone got a deal.

Pros

practical for Chambers and flights, more dining options, easier commercial access

Cons

urban logistics, traffic, not a resort-golf feel

Tacoma city hotel

Hotel Murano / Tacoma base

0/5

Best for: Chambers Bay bookend without staying at the airport

Cost: Dynamic city-hotel pricing.

If Chambers Bay is the opener or closer, Tacoma makes more sense than forcing the group back to Seattle after a demanding walk.

Pros

Better than an airport box, closer to Chambers Bay, downtown Tacoma dining access

Cons

Only relevant if Chambers is in the plan

DiningExpand

At Gamble, dining is functional and improving, not a culinary thesis. The broader Washington route changes that: Walla Walla can carry a real dinner, Suncadia can handle resort meals, and Seattle/Tacoma can solve anything. The trick is matching the meal to the route.

Main Gamble Sands dinner

Danny Boy Bar & Grill

0/5

Best for: post-round group meals

3.6(38)(509) 436-8323 ext. 3

200 Sands Trail Rd, Brewster, WA 98812, USA

Monday: 5:00 – 9:00 PM

Danny Boy is the default. After 36 holes in Brewster, default is not an insult.

Pros

on-property, easy, built for the trip

Cons

limited menu depth, not a food-destination meal

Casual Gamble Sands dining

The Barn

0/5

Best for: lunch, pizza, casual group hang

The Barn is the pressure-release meal. Use it when the group wants food fast and another drink before someone starts proposing terrible bets.

Pros

easy, casual, good between golf windows

Cons

not a special-occasion dinner

Wine-country dinner

Walla Walla restaurants and wine rooms

0/5

Best for: Wine Valley extension

If the group cares about dining, this is the route extension that makes sense. If it does not, stay at Gamble and play more golf.

Pros

best off-course food/wine upside in the Washington route

Cons

only works if you actually base in Walla Walla

Walla Walla dinner

The Marc at Marcus Whitman

0/5

Best for: Wine Valley extension

This is the grown-up Walla Walla night. Pair it with Wine Valley and stop pretending Brewster has a fine-dining scene.

Pros

Easy if staying at Marcus Whitman, proper wine-country dinner, good for a planned group meal

Cons

Not useful for Gamble-only trips

Walla Walla casual

Public House on Main

0/5

Best for: Lower-friction wine-country dinner

Good for the night when everyone wants food and local wine without turning dinner into a ceremony.

Pros

Casual, group-friendly, useful after travel

Cons

Less special-occasion energy than the best Walla Walla rooms

Ellensburg beer stop

Iron Horse Brewery

0/5

Best for: Seattle-to-Brewster road-trip break

This is a route tool, not a culinary recommendation. Sometimes a good route tool is exactly what saves the day.

Pros

Practical route stop, beer, low pressure

Cons

Not a destination dinner

Resort dining

Suncadia resort dining

0/5

Best for: Cle Elum stopover

Useful if you are already there. Not a reason to go.

Pros

convenient, resort-friendly, useful for mixed groups

Cons

not destination dining, can feel expensive for what it is