Gamble Sands Resort’s second 18-hole course receives one of golf design’s highest honors — Best New Public from Golf Digest.

We had a clear plan for Scarecrow from the start. Build a second collection of 18 holes that could stand on their own, complement the original Gamble Sands course and deepen the overall experience of visiting the resort.

It started with the land. Epic and majestic, set high on a plateau overlooking the Columbia River. It continued with bringing back David McLay Kidd, a visionary architect who allows the land to lead and is known for pairing big-picture drama with everyday playability — and a feel for how golfers actually like to play.

Still, you never really know what you have until a course leaves your hands and enters the public realm. Until people walk it, play it, argue about it — and decide for themselves.

We didn’t have to wait long for a verdict on Scarecrow.

Golf Digest has named Scarecrow “Best New Public Course” for 2025. And that carries a little extra meaning here. The original Gamble Sands course also earned Best New honors when it opened when it opened back in 2014. Now we’re two-for-two.

Two courses at the same resort, both recognized as the Best New Public Course of their year. That’s exceptionally rare company — and we’re proud to be part of it.

The Golf Digest news comes on the heels of Sports Illustrated naming Scarecrow its Best New Resort Course of 2025. And the message is clear: Scarecrow isn’t riding coattails. It’s being evaluated on its own terms and is earning its place in the conversation of today’s greatest modern architecture.

Then there’s Golfweek, which launched Scarecrow straight into the Top 75 on its list of the 200 Best Resort Courses in the United States. Scarecrow debuts in a tie for No. 73 while the original Gamble Sands layout continues to sit comfortably tied for No. 20. Two courses. One property. Both inside the Top 75. That says a lot about what we’re trying to do here: build Washington’s leading golf resort — a destination that draws golf connoisseurs from near and far and gives them reason to stay multiple days and nights for an unforgettable golf experience.

These honors tell us we’re on the right track.

“In the past I have always shied away from sequels,” McLay Kidd said upon hearing the latest news. “But Scarecrow had a ‘script’ that was so strong, I believed it could truly rival the original course. Seems the fans of Gamble Sands agree.”

What makes it especially satisfying is the timing. Scarecrow was open for roughly 80 days in 2025. Not a full season. Not years of tweaks and second looks. Just enough time for people to see the land, feel the contrast with the original course and understand where Scarecrow fits in the landscape of Gamble Sands Resort.

That contrast is intentional. The original Gamble Sands course is wide, open and welcoming. Scarecrow shares the same foundation but leans into more movement and lives a touch more on the edge. Same family, different personalities.

The bulk of credit goes to McLay Kidd and his team, including lead designer Nick Schaan, for striking that balance.

“I knew that when I first visited Gamble Sands, the best land was under what is now Scarecrow, but for one reason or another we couldn’t build there first,” McLay Kidd says. “A decade later it became possible, and we knew it was an incredible site with at least as much potential as the original course. We wanted to create something different and yet the same, a conundrum we chewed at length. What should we carry from the first course to the second and what should we leave behind? The tight fescue and prominent ground game are the core of the resort’s identity, but the strategy could be unique to Scarecrow, which included tighter scoring lines and more testing recovery play.

And a lot of gratitude goes to the players, golf writers, photographers, content creators and course raters who made the trip early and took the time to form an opinion — and tell others.

We’re proud of the recognition, energized by the momentum and excited to see what comes next as Scarecrow settles into its first full year in operation — which is already filling up quickly. If you played Scarecrow last year, we look forward to welcoming you back in 2026. If you haven’t, now is the time to make plans — and say hello to Scarecrow.

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