Chelan is located in beautiful Eastern Washington and is an amazing destination for golfers. With five extremely good golf courses within a short drive from the city it’s the perfect place for your next golf getaway. Whether you decide to take a trip with friends, family, or even by yourself you will surely have a great time both on and off the golf course here in Chelan.

The city of Chelan sits at the southeastern corner of a massive lake known as Lake Chelan. The narrow but impressively long (fifty-five mile) lake is a popular vacation destination and one of the most beautiful lakes in Eastern Washington.

There are two golf courses that are routed right next to the lake and offer scenic golf its best. A very short drive from downtown Chelan are even more awesome golf courses, some of which even have on-site lodging so you can spend a night or two. One of these golf courses in particular is ranked as the number one golf course in Washington State. If this doesn’t get you excited for a golf trip to Chelan then we don’t know what will.

Hopefully this article will help you with planning a golf trip to Chelan or at least get those golf juices flowing. Eastern Washington has some great golfing opportunities and Chelan is no exception. Take a look below at our impressive list of the best golf courses in Chelan.

Best Golf Courses In Chelan Washington

Bear Mountain Ranch

Bear Mountain Ranch Golf Course offers golfers an eighteen-hole championship layout with upscale services and amenities.

The routing of the golf course utilizes the rolling terrain and natural plateaus allowing for spectacular panoramic views. The lush bentgrass fairways and greens just add to the awesome golfing experience here at Bear Mountain. It’s also not uncommon to see various types of wildlife such as deer, hawks, eagles, and more out on the course.

This golf course is great for all experience levels as it offers five sets of tees on every hole. If you’re wanting to experience a round of golf here it is open from April to the end of October.

Desert Canyon Golf Resort

Desert Canyon Golf Resort consists of an eighteen-hole golf course that is made up of two distinct sides, the Desert nine and Lake nine. Both of which offer a variety of different holes and challenges.

The fairways are generous, the greens are large and have plenty of slope to play through. If you’re able to stay in the fairways, hit greens in regulation, and avoid the high desert rough then you should be able to score reasonably low here.

Desert Canyon Golf Resort offers excellent views of the Columbia River and its surrounding desert landscape. A trip to the Chelan area isn’t complete without teeing up a round here. 

Stay At Desert Canyon Golf Resort

The Lodge At Desert Canyon gives golfers the option to stay right on the golf course.

The three story lodge offers condo-style one bedrooms with stunning views of the Columbia River Valley. Each condo features a complete kitchen, separate bedroom, living room with a hide a bed and washer and dryer.

The two story casitas offer both two and four bedroom condo units. Each unit has a complete kitchen, washer/dryer and common living area. Additionally, there are two full bathrooms in each unit.

Alta Lake Golf Resort

Alta Lake Golf Resort’s eighteen-holes are uniquely routed between the Columbia River and Alta Lake State Park. The mountain surroundings and lush green fairways make it a beautiful setting for playing golf.

The front-nine is shorter and tighter then the back-nine which opens up and offers more freedom with a driver. The greens have huge undulations and are very fast which can definitely be a challenge. The fairways have unique elevation changes and for a golf course with no bunkers it can still be very tough to play.

However with three sets of tees this golf course is suited for all ages and abilities. It is open for play April 1st and remains open through the month of October if the weather cooperates.

Stay At Alta Lake Golf Resort

Alta Lake Golf Resort offers motel rooms and RV spaces.

• Motel Rooms: $85 – $200
• RV Spaces: $45

Lake Chelan Golf Course

Lake Chelan Golf Course sits on a small plateau overlooking the city and lower end of Lake Chelan. Talk about a great location to route a golf course! The views from this course are really awesome and sometimes it makes it hard to stay focused on playing golf.

This golf course is kept in great condition thanks to the attention to detail by the superintendent and grounds crew. Even in the hot summer months they are able to keep the grass very green. The elevated tee boxes are a nice feature, the fairways are well-manicured, and the raised greens are lightning fast posing a challenge for even experienced players.

If golfers are looking for a great course to play at a decent rate it’s hard to pass up on Lake Chelan Golf Course.

Gamble Sands Golf Course

Gamble Sands Golf Course is located in Brewster which is about a forty-minute drive from the city of Chelan. It is comprised of the Sands Course and QuickSands short course, both of which were designed by architect David McLay Kidd.

Gamble Sands consists of fine fescue grass offering true links conditions matched with panoramic vistas and views of the Columbia River and Cascade Mountains. It’s a very beautiful and relaxing scene that any golfer will appreciate.

With firm fairways that offer plenty of roll-out, large greens, gentle contours, and undulations that divert away from bunkers and toward landing areas and greens gives good players a chance to score low and high handicap players a good chance at shooting their best round. Kidd wanted to design a golf course that was fun for all to play and he definitely achieved this.

Gamble Sands is rated as the number one golf course in Washington by Golfweek and number 38 in the country by Golf Digest. It is a must play for any golfer visiting Eastern Washington.

Stay At The Inn At Gamble Sands

The Inn’s large rooms perfectly match the wide-open nature of Gamble Sands. Rooms offer amazing views that sweep across the Columbia River Valley. Their 1000 and 500 square foot rooms come with a variety of amenities that include walk in showers, 55″ TV’s, Wi-Fi, mini fridge, coffee makers, and more. See room rates and booking options.

Off The Course Activities To Do In Chelan

Layla’s Bar + Kitchen

Layla’s is a great spot to grab a cocktail and some grub. The interior has a really cool ambience and modern feel. They have great cocktails, local wines, cold beer on tap, and some tasty dishes such as Bahn Mi Tacos and Crab Rangoon Dip.

Steelhead Cider

It only seems fitting that in an apple region like Chelan that you can find tasty alcoholic cider! Steelhead Cider only use fruit from their family orchard or other local farms in the surrounding region. Apples are picked and pressed locally and fermented with very little intervention, with a hard “NO” on concentrates, colorings or artificial flavor additives. If you’re looking to have a drink in a cool bar this is it. For non-cider lovers they also serve beers.

Shoreline Watercraft Rental

The best way to explore Lake Chelan is to do it by boat. Shoreline offer a variety of watercraft that include speed boats, pontoon boats, jet skis, and paddleboards. This is definitely a fun way to experience Lake Chelan to the fullest.

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