Apple Tree Golf Course
ISLAND GREEN IS THE SIGNATURE HOLE AT YAKIMA’S
APPLE TREE
WRITTEN BY Rick Stedman
Open to the public seventeen years ago, Yakima’s Apple Tree Golf Course showcases great golf and promotes the agricultural identity for which the region is known. Carved from the rolling terrain of 100-year-old orchards, the course features ubiquitous apple trees that still line many of the fairways. The picturesque, apple-shaped island green on the 17th hole tempts golfers and photographers alike. According to head golf professional and LPGA Class A member Cindy MacNider, apple trees come into play on five different holes.
With Central Washington boasting more than three hundred days of sunshine annually, Yakima is a popular year-round destination, not only for golf, but for other activities as well. Yakima is the state’s tenth largest city with just over eighty thousand residents, and its weather is ideal for growing grapes. With the explosion of the wine industry in the Yakima Valley, Washington is now the nation’s second largest wine-producing state, next to California. This is another reason for Apple Tree’s popularity — the blending of wine tasting and golf. What better combination is there?
Those magnetic appeals draw many visitors from the Puget Sound region who seek the warmer climes of Central and Eastern Washington. To assist visitors seeking accommodations, MacNider says that Apple Tree has several stay-and-play package agreements with local hotels, including Best Western Ahtanum Inn (800-348-9701), Clarion Hotel (800-896-7966), Holiday Inn Express (800-465-4329), Howard Johnson Plaza (800-446-4656), and the Red Lion Hotel (800-733-5466).
Apple Tree has proven to be one of the more popular courses for golfers from near and far. In recent years, distinguished guests have included President George H.W. Bush, basketball coach and TV analyst Bobby Knight, singer Clint Black, boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, and several members of the Seattle Mariners baseball club. “This is one of the state’s best golf courses,” claims Jeff Kokita, who grew up on the west side of the state but now calls the Yakima area home.
Designed by John Steidel, the Apple Tree Golf Course is challenging at 6,961 yards. It includes fifty sand traps and water hazards coming into play on nine holes, most of those on the back nine. The gem of the course is its signature hole, the par three, 180-yard, apple-shaped island green. This hole has garnered numerous accolades, including being named the state’s best par three, as well as one of Washington’s top 18 holes. MacNider reports that the island green is the world’s largest Red Delicious apple. “It’s 12,000 square-feet in size, and from the tee to green, it drops 30 feet in elevation.”
Speaking of elevated tee boxes, the first hole offers just that. The 414-yard, par four features a fairway bunker on the left, then two more bunkers that protect a two-tiered green.
Number four is the most difficult hole on the course. The fairway is narrow, sloping down and then back up to a steep, elevated green. A large bunker protects the right side of the front end of the green. Be prepared for a challenging putting green on this 461-yard, par four.
If there is one complaint about Apple Tree, it is the lack of yardage markers on the course. Although SkyCaddie rentals are available and 150-yard pole markers present, most golfers would appreciate an occasional sprinkler head with yardage numbers.
In addition to the well-maintained golf course and friendly staff, Apple Tree features other amenities you would expect at a quality establishment. There’s a pro shop with all the offerings, a large driving range, a variety of lesson options, and an excellent restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. One specialty is applewood smoked prime rib. There’s also a killer brunch on Sundays.
During spring and summer, Apple Tree is a popular venue for wedding ceremonies, with one of the most spectacular outdoor settings. Nestled among green fairways and surrounded by colorful flowers and lush greenery, the course is a picture perfect setting. For wedding receptions, Apple Tree features a banquet room with panoramic views overlooking the golf course.
Whether for golfing, wine tasting, or enjoying the sun, the state’s agricultural bull’s-eye region of Yakima is worth a visit. In the fall, there’s the added incentive of picking your own apple while playing Apple Tree Golf Course. For more information, visit the Web site appletreeresort.com.
