True Links Golf
The Sands Course is a true links course set in the high desert of Washington with sandy soil, traditional fine fescue grasses, firm playing surfaces, wide fairways, and massive greens.
The Sands Course offers a very playable experience that weighs in at 7,169 yards from the back tees and plays to a par 72. It’s more akin to some of Kidd’s earlier work at Bandon with an emphasis on having fun. This is illustrated throughout the golf course, especially on the reachable par-4 2nd hole with its breathtaking view of the Columbia River, or perhaps on the split fairway of the par-4 14th
“This is the once-in-a-lifetime site every golf designer dreams of, rolling sand dunes overlooking a large body of water, a developer willing to build golf just for the love of the game, no homes, no other development around, just golf on sand – golf as it was truly meant to be.” – David McLay Kidd
The Right Guy for the Job
As the Sands Course project moved forward, the Gebbers family took great care in choosing the best designer for the particular task at hand – David McLay Kidd was selected. The Scotsman came with a prestigious list of accomplishments in the world of links golf that included the famed Bandon Dunes, The Castle Course in St. Andrews, and Tetherow.
Testimonials
“The first — and perhaps lasting — impression of Gamble Sands is its playability for golfers of all abilities. It’s neither a pushover nor frustratingly hard. It finds a pleasing middle ground.”
– Jim Meehan, The Spokesman-Review
“But mostly what makes Gamble Sands distinctive is its celebration of fun.”
– Ron Whitten Golf Digest
“What he [David McLay Kidd] created for the Gebbers family, one of the nation’s largest apple and cherry growers, is appropriately sweet. In fact, it’s the most enjoyable, player-friendly course to open since, well, maybe ever.”
– Joe Passov Golf Magazine
Awards & Accolades
- Golfweek
- 2022 “Top 200 Resort Golf Courses in the U.S.” – No. 18
- 2021 “Best Public Golf Courses You Can Play, State by State” – No. 1
- 2021 “Top 100 Public Golf Courses Across the U.S.” – No. 19
- 2021 “Top 200 Golf Courses that were Built After 1960” – No. 40
- 2020 “Best 200 Resort Courses” – No. 16
- 2019 & 2020 “Best Courses You Can Play, state by state” – No. 1
- 2019 “Best 200 Resort Courses” – No. 17
- 2015 & 2016 “Best Courses You Can Play, state by state” – No. 2
- 2016 “Best 200 Resort Courses” – No. 18
- 2015 “Best Modern Courses” – No. 73
- Golf Magazine
- 2021-2022 “Top 100 Courses You Can Play” – No. 14
- 2020-2021“Best Course in Washington State” – No. 1
- 2020-2021 “Top 100 Courses in the US” – No. 61
- 2019-2020 “Top 100 Resorts in North America”
- Golf Digest
- 2023-2024 “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” – No. 30
- 2020 “America’s Best 18 Holes Since 2000” – No. 2
- 2019–2020 “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” – No. 35
- 2017–2018 “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” – No. 37
- 2014 “Best New Course of 2014” – No. 1
- Additional Accolades
- 2021 NGCOA Jemsek National Course of the Year Award
- 2017 Cascade Golfer “Washington’s Top-10 Public Golf Courses” – No. 1