Warm Days, Snack Bars, and New Leagues

Spring has officially sprung in the Northwest, and especially here at Gold Mountain!

We’ve seen a major boost in play from our new Annual Membership Package that includes access to both of our Championship Courses and generous discounts with our partners at the Columbia Hospitality Golf Clubs.

These memberships are offered year round, so even if your golf clubs have not been dusted off yet, you still have the opportunity for exceptional value at multiple venues in your local area.

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Hole 15 of the Olympic Course at Gold Mountain

The Cascade and Olympic Courses are in ideal playing conditions despite the typical Kitsap winter, and we have a new addition for the Olympic Course: the Olympic Snack Den is up and ready for business, located beneath the Restaurant facing the golf course.

No more running all the way up to the Restaurant midway through your round just to get a beverage or food at the turn. We now have your amenities ready before you ever get to the 10th tee!

Beginning next month our Couples League returns for another year of social, non-competitive outings that are perfect for partners who are just beginning to play, or who are looking to meet new friends who share the love of the game.

The first Couples League tee times will begin on Friday, May 27th at 1pm on the Cascade Golf Course.  For those who are looking for a more competitive angle, we are working on dates for Couples to play in teams against Couples from our other member facilities.  Inquire with the golf shop for more details.

If you find yourself in Bremerton this season, swing by Gold Mountain to say hello, grab a meal, and most importantly, feel some sunshine on your face while swinging the clubs.

Happy golfing,
John Sitton
Golf Operations Manager, Gold Mountain Golf Club

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Spring Means New Projects at Gold Mountain

The sun is shining, the pollen is flying and we have 350 golfers out on the course today so it must be spring. And if it’s spring at Gold Mountain, that means one thing: new projects!

The dry weather could not have come at a better time; everyone needs to feel a little sunshine after the long and wet winter we’ve all endured this year, and the grounds crew is chomping at the bit to get out there make the courses at Gold Mountain even more feature-rich than last year.

The first order of business is always taking care of the greens. We completed greens aerification on both courses last week on schedule even though the weather was, shall we say, less than ideal.

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Greens aerification: good for the course, and good for our lungs!

A little-known fact about golf courses is that not only do we aerify them, they purify our air as well. Golf courses in the United States alone filtered an estimated 13 million tons of dust from the atmosphere (source). To breathe cleaner air, we’ll be cutting the greens next week so that they’ll be all good to go for the start of the season. I’ve called in all our seasonal team members to start next week so we are ready to roll into the season.

Our next project is to build a new tee area for Cascade #5.  We have wanted to return the Cascade Course back to a Par 72 for some time. With the addition of the new tee’s on #5 we will convert it to a par 5 from a par 4, making it the same Par 72 as The Masters’ course at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.

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The start of a beautiful forest wedding grotto. It may not look like much now, but stay tuned.

Spring is the start of wedding season, and I would be remiss if I didn’t give an update from the weddings team as well. We’re currently building a massive outdoor wedding venue and have cleared an area on the left side of Cascade #1 big enough to seat 200 guests. The next step is to build an altar for ceremonies, then spread fine crushed rock over the entire area. Trista tells me she has two potential weddings already interested for next year, so book well in advance!

My role has changed a bit since last year as I am now the Superintendent at McCormick Woods as well as Gold Mountain. I’m very lucky to have Paul DeVinney in charge at McCormick Woods as he provides me with insight into the course at McCormick Woods as well as running the crew on a daily basis.

Learning a golf course is a lot like learning about a new person you’ve just met; each has their own quirks, characteristics, and temperaments that require time to learn. When you do learn them though, you’re all the better for it.

This season will be an interesting one both for me with my new role and with all the exciting new features coming down the pipeline. Change is a good thing though, right?

Happy spring and happy golfing,
Ed Faulk
Superintendent, Gold Mountain Golf Club

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New Golf Season, New Golf Equipment

The sun is out and so are the golfers!

Time to start thinking about new golf equipment. This promises to be an exciting year for golfers and new equipment.

At Gold Mountain we are fortunate enough to have a wide selection of demo clubs. You are more than welcome to take them on the range or test drive them on the course. We have expert club fitters who would love to spend time with you on the range making sure that the clubs you purchase are made especially for you and will work with your game and skill level.

We will also throw in a free golf lesson. If you purchase the clubs from us there will be no charge for these extra services.

But if you would like to come out and demo what 2016 has in store for you in new equipment, drop into our demo day on April 2nd and spend the day talking to Manufacturer’s Reps and Demo all that’s new. How about the New Callaway XR16 that was designed with the help of Boeing! Or the New Ping G line that promises to be the best Ping product to date. But if you come out make sure to bring your appetite. We will also have our famous BBQ going along with our favorite Silver City Beer.

Also new merchandise in our Golf Shop are the new 2016 shoe lines, Footjoy, Nike, Adidas, Skechers. How about a new golf bag from Ping, Sun Mountain or Ogio. And of course, the new golf balls from Titleist, Callaway and the new B series from Bridgestone.

So hope to see you out here on April 2nd so we can show off our new merchandise. Make sure to enter the drawing for FREE Merchandise at the demo day also.

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Get Golf Ready at Gold Mountain

After a long, wet winter, the occasional sunny day acts as a ray of hope for golfers anticipating the upcoming season. Now is a good time to break the clubs out, knock the rust off, and start tuning up! Here’s a laundry list of the things you’ll want to do before the golf season is upon us.

Equipment Tune-Up

This is a great time of year to go through your set, assess any needs, and give them a deep clean from top to bottom. We have a wedge clinic the first Friday in April, and a great Demo Day the day after on Saturday that will give you a great chance to address any club needs.

When you clean your clubs you always want to include cleaning the grips. Depending on the type of grip a bucket of hot soapy water will do the trick.

I recommend replacing your grips every other year, a procedure that usually takes a couple of hours for us to complete and we have a wide range of grips to choose from.

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Golf season is right around the corner!

Outerwear/Shoes

If you like to play spring golf you need to be prepared for the occasional rain shower. I like to keep rain gear in my bag so I am prepared, but layering up is always a good idea.

Most of the golf shoes made now are waterproof to some extent, just make sure you clean them after every round to keep them that way. You also want to store them and your clubs in a dry area when not in use, trunk, garage, or even the house is a good spot.

Another item that’s always handy to have in your bag is a beanie, you never know when the temperature is going to drop, and wearing a beanie will keep that heat in.

Lessons

Now is also a great time to get a refresher lesson or two to make sure you’re in your best spring season shape possible. If a golf lesson is not your gig then a bit of practice could be up your alley. It’s always a good idea to get out a couple times for practice at the beginning of the season just to make sure you can still get the ball airborne.

So make sure you break out your clubs, knock the rust off, and we will see you out here on the links!

Golfingly yours,

Daryl

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Love is in the Air

Love is in the air! The day of Love is upon us, and with it, wedding season officially begins.

It is no secret I am in love with all things weddings, and I’m so blessed to be doing a job I look forward to every day. From long term planning to the last minute wedding, I enjoy them all, but I must admit that I have a special place in my heart for the couples that have a tight time frame and enjoy rocking out an amazing wedding in as little as a few weeks. Working with couples to create their vision of a once in a lifetime memorable event for their guests, planning the day they become one is quite simply an honor.

Thankfully, a venue as beautiful as Gold Mountain lends itself easily to planning on the fly, and offers the perfect backdrop for a quintessential Pacific Northwest wedding experience. One of my favorite venue spaces is our Olympic Room. With its open, high ceilings, beautiful wood beams, floor to ceiling stone fireplace, 360-degree ’round-the-room view showcasing forest and golf course vistas, it’s a fabulous locale for almost any look.

The Cascade Course at Gold Mountain.

The Cascade Course at Gold Mountain

Wedding trends are ever evolving, but my personal favorite look out here this year is the Rustic Chic Woodland themed event. I adore seeing it evolve with couples personal touches from country chic, Bohemian, whimsical, to vintage/antique elements, the possibilities are stunning and limitless!

Gold Mountain has so many locations onsite to take outdoor pictures with looks from moss covered trees to manicured on course pics with water features. If an outdoor arrangement is more to your fancy, then look no further than the Cascade Course, with its stunning views of the valley and nearby Olympic Mountains.

From all of us at Gold Mountain, we wish you a wonderful and romantic Valentine’s Day, from those couples who just said “I love you” for the first time, to those who just sent out their wedding invitations.

Sincerely,

Trista Ortiz

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The Importance of Fresh Ground Burgers

“We all need to make time for a burger once in a while.” — Erica Durance

Hello burger fanatics,

Chef Jon at Gold Mountain Golf Club here. Allow me to take a minute to talk about our house-made burgers, which I believe are the best in the county. Bold statement? Sure. But we’ve got the chops to back it up. Here’s how:

We’ve made it our commitment to provide the juiciest, tastiest hamburger you’ll ever have, and the strongest commitment has to start with the best ingredients.

We start by using a 75% lean neck chuck roll meat, and add to that 25% fat to produce a rich, succulent, juicy burger. The fresh prime meat is cut into strips that are two inches wide by two inches thick and 24 inches long, then marinated in Worcestershire sauce, fresh garlic, salt, and pepper. We then refrigerate the meat (never freeze it!) for 24 hours so the marinade can penetrate the meat for maximum flavor. Finally, after the marinating process, we grind the meat with a medium gauge extruder.  The meat is then carefully weighed out at 8 ounces, pattied by hand, and voila! Premium, hand-crafted, succulent hamburger.

Our stacked, signature Mountain Burger enjoying sunnier days.

Amongst all the hot debates (no pun intended) in the world of food, one seems to come up just as often as any – fresh versus frozen meat.

I would like to think that those who prefer frozen would change their mind after tasting our delicious, fresh, charbroiled burger.

The juiciness and tenderness and full flavor of our burgers make them the most popular item on the menu, and are the most talked about item by our guests for good reason.

But don’t just rely on our description: see for yourself! Pictured above is our signature Mountain Burger which consists of  two 8 ounce patties, sautéed mushrooms, peppers, onions, spicy jalapeños, smoky Swiss, cheddar cheese, ripe lettuce, tomatoes, two strips of perfectly crispy bacon and hot, fresh French fries.

Come on out and visit us at Gold Mountain for the best burger you’ll ever have.

Sincerely,

Chef Jon Forcier

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Happy Holidays & Thank You!

As this is the last blog installment of 2015, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people that made this year such a great success. Ed Faulk and the entire maintenance team, Trista Ortiz, Jon Forcier and the food and beverage team, Mark Knowles, Liz Ogle, Sue Skjonsby, John Sitton and the entire golf shop, outside service and starter marshal team.  I’d also like to thank all of YOU for your support of Gold Mountain. Our amazing guests and loyal team members make working and playing at Gold Mountain a joy!

I would also like to let everyone know that we have some exciting changes in 2016 in regards to our memberships. Here is a summary of the new options and benefits we are excited to offer members of Gold Mountain:

Memberships at Gold Mountain Golf Club
Individual Cascade Membership – $149/month
Includes unlimited daily golf privileges on the Cascade Course.
-Gold Upgrade – $21/month ($170/month total)
Includes unlimited daily golf privileges on both the Cascade Course and Olympic Course.

Individual Cascade Weekday Membership – $109/month
Includes unlimited golf privileges Monday through Friday on the Cascade Course.
-Weekday Gold Upgrade – $20/month ($129/month total)
Includes unlimited golf privileges Monday through Friday on both the Cascade Course and Olympic Course.

Cascade Twilight Membership – $65/month
Includes unlimited daily golf privileges on the Cascade Course at posted twilight times.
-Twilight Gold Upgrade – $10/month ($75/month total)
Includes unlimited daily golf privileges on both the Cascade Course and Olympic Course at posted twilight times.

Individual Junior Membership – $39/month
Includes unlimited daily golf privileges on both the Cascade Course and Olympic Course. Must be 18 or younger.

Family Add On – $80/month
Add a spouse and dependent children to your Individual, Weekday or Twilight membership.

Driving Range Add On – $40/month
Includes unlimited use of the driving range and practice area.

Contact The Golf Shop at 360.415.5432 today to learn more about memberships at Gold Mountain Golf Club! All memberships are for a 12 month renewable term. Prices shown do not include sales tax.

In addition to unlimited golf, unique and fun programming, and junior golf programs and instruction, members of Gold Mountain Golf Club also enjoy the benefits of Columbia Hospitality Golf:

  • 30% off the Best Available Rate at participating Columbia Hospitality hotels
  • 25% to 50% off green fees at McCormick Woods Golf Club, Oakbook Golf Club, and The Classic Golf Club (discount based on season)
  • 20% off dining Sunday through Thursday at The Bluff at Friday Harbor House and The Dining Room at Salish Lodge & Spa
  • 30% off Stay and Play Packages with TPC Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Club and Salish Lodge & Spa
  • 20% off spa treatments Sunday through Thursday at Kenwood Inn and Spa and Salish Lodge & Spa (Salish Signature treatments only)
  • Access to the World Trade Center Seattle, where you can enjoy lunches, meeting space, a member’s only lounge, and educational and social programs and events.

Happy holidays to you and yours. We hope to see you on the greens soon!
Daryl

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Winter Time Golf

Now that the season has turned from fall to winter, most golfers are looking to move indoors for their recreational sport fix. Bowling, poker, re-acquainting themselves with the family; whatever it is I urge you not to turn your back so fast on golf. Sure, winter brings some lower temps and some rain, but if you are prepared for the occasional drizzle or frost delay there is some great golf to be had.

 

Here are some tips when it comes to being a year around golfer:

  • Clothing: Always be sure to dress with multiple layers. Start with a microfiber or dri-fit material underneath a golf shirt that is breathable and moves sweat away from the body. On top, add a sleeveless or half sleeve waterproof pullover or vest, and a rain jacket. I prefer a half zip on the rain jacket but I will leave that one up to you. I also like to have a beanie in my bag and will wear it even if it’s raining or a little cooler. Keeping your head warm and covered is important since that’s where you lose most of your body heat.
  • Shoes: Invest in a good pair of comfortable, waterproof golf shoes! There are a lot of different types to go with but I have found the athletic boot style to be the best. You can also wear a couple pairs of socks or a single pair of wool socks. The main focus here is to keep your feet comfortable AND dry.
  • Gloves: There are several different styles of rain gloves on the market now and all of them seem to work pretty well. The advantage you have with the rain gloves is they work better the wetter they get.
  • Equipment: The golf ball doesn’t fly or roll as far in the winter, so carry yards are important. I would recommend going with a little higher lofted driver to help off the tee, and also adding more hybrids to take the place of your longer irons. Hybrids tend to go higher but are easier to hit out of all types of lies, and in winter golf you tend to get ALL types of lies!
  • Umbrella: These have gotten bigger and bigger over the years, and most on the market now have a layered effect to them so they don’t turn inside out when the wind gusts. An umbrella is a great way to keep yourself and your equipment dry when it’s not really windy. A good alternative when the wind picks up is a zip up bag cover. A trick I have learned over the years is to hang a towel on the inside of the umbrella between the supports and the umbrella itself. This way you keep the towel dry and can use it to wipe off grips or whatever you need to out of the rain.
  • Towels: Make sure you have plenty of towels to use during your round. I prefer a larger one around my clubs to use on them during the round, and a smaller hand towel to use on the green for my ball or hands.

If you follow some of these tips it will make your winter golf more enjoyable and hopefully more successful. Remember – the weatherman might say 50% chance of rain but what you never hear is there is also a 50% chance of sun!

Good luck and hope to see you out on the links!
-Daryl

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Maintenance at Gold Mountain

The Gold Mountain Golf Club team keeping the greens in top quality.

The Gold Mountain Golf Club team keeping the greens in top quality.

This picture is of Patrick McKenzie and Liam Sanchez aerating the 18th green on the Olympic Course using our new Toro Procore aerators. We were able to complete aerating, core harvesting, cleaning up and sanding all 19 greens on Olympic in just 6 hours. The next day we completed 19 greens on the Cascade Course in just 6 hours also. We had no mechanical failures thanks to my mechanics Andrew Goodell and Jim Gregoire and their excellent preparations of the equipment. The entire crew did an excellent job of aerating, core harvesting, clean up, sanding, loading sand, spreading lime and dragging and brushing the sand in. The weather cooperated with sunny dry days which we need to dry the sand so when we drag it in it falls into the aerifier holes. All said I think this was one of the smoothest greens aerifications we have ever done here. I have heard nothing but positive comments from our guests about how good they turned out. There are still plenty of fall days perfect for a round of Pacific Northwest golf; we hope to see you out here soon.

Ed

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Enjoy Winter Season at Gold Mountain

Most Northwest golfers are probably saying to themselves, “Well, all the courses are punching and sanding their greens, must be time to stow away the clubs for another season.”  It is true; most courses in the area are beginning their fall and winter maintenance preparations.  Summer golfers should not fear the shorter days and cooler temperatures, but instead, embrace in the knowledge that our courses will now be MORE available to play and MORE economical as well.  The fall and winter season at Gold Mountain is your chance to experience the driest courses in the Pacific Northwest!

Gold Mountain offers two distinctly different tournament series throughout the winter season that golfers can take part in:

The Captain’s Cup:  Four teams captained by our golf professionals lead their teams of 12 against one another once a month in a Ryder Cup style format.  Prizes are awarded at the end of the competition in February.  Participants in this tournament can win prize money in both team and individual competition.  Maybe the best part is that all competitors are matched up with golfers of similar abilities, so there isn’t the usual tournament pressure that keeps some from playing events.  The dates for the Captain’s Cup are 11/14, 12/19, 1/23/2016, and 2/27/2016.

Winter golf in the Pacific Northwest shouldn't be missed - join one of our golf tournaments!

Winter golf in the Pacific Northwest shouldn’t be missed – join one of our tournaments!

Winter Tour Events:  Each month we will offer a different team event played at Gold Mountain that is not affiliated with our Men’s Club.  Visit our website for more information on the first Winter Tour event!

All of our tournaments during the winter are backed up by our wonderful food and beverage team.  From chili feeds to wine tastings and more…after the best winter golf experience around the sound, we will warm your bellies with our magnificent cuisine.

We can’t wait to see all of you here for all of our winter events!

– John S., Assistant Golf Professional

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