Golfing Paradise

For those visiting Redmond, Oregon, for the 2005 Great North American RV Rally this month, there’s a new golf course in Redmond that you just have to see, if not play. The “New” Juniper Golf Club replaces a course that was built in the 1940s, but is being closed to make way for expansion of an airport.

Bruce Wattenburger, PGA professional at Juniper Golf Club, said opening of the new course is set for the July 4th weekend, and the annual Great North American RV Rally golf tournament is scheduled for July 11.

Redmond officials broke ground on the golf course in August 2003, and have been anxiously awaiting this moment. “We’ve been putting in a lot of extra hours lately to ensure everything runs smoothly during the transition from one course to the other,” said Wattenburger.

Designed by John Harbottle III, the new course is adjacent to the fairgrounds two and a half miles down the road from the old course. This semi-private Redmond golf club averages 38,000 rounds of golf annually, and boasts a membership of nearly 450.

When it opens, Juniper Golf Club will increase green fees slightly from $35 during the week to $40, and from $40 to $45 on the weekend. Monthly membership dues are $195.

Wattenburger proudly describes the new 7,186-yard course as a high desert experience. “There are great views from most areas of the course,” said the head pro. The 3,000-foot elevation affords scenic views of Mt. Bachelor and Mt. Hood, while desert rocks and juniper trees are omnipresent.

Later in the year, around October 1, a full-service clubhouse will open. Amenities will include a pro shop, restaurant, bar and meeting rooms. A temporary clubhouse will serve patrons for the first three months of operation.

For more information on the “New” Juniper Golf Club, visit the Web site at www.junipergolf.com, or call (800) 600-3121.

Bear Mountain Ranch
Chelan’s Bear Mountain Ranch Golf Course in central Washington opened its doors to the public April 1—and that’s no joke. According to club officials, the course actually opened a month earlier than planned. The beauty of this course is, well, the beauty. Every hole at Bear Mountain capitalizes on Mother Nature’s offerings, which include carved plateaus and scenic Lake Chelan.

Five sets of tees range from 7,231 yards to 5,063 yards on this par 72. And if you plan to walk the course, you’re out of luck. Bear Mountain is a cart-only course. However, rates include green fees and a cart with a state-of-the-art GPS system.

Besides, you really wouldn’t want to walk Bear Mountain Ranch Golf Course. There are three holes greater than 500 yards each: #5 at 596 yards; #8 at 551 yards, and #14 at 586 yards. But the coup de grace is hole 18: a 643-yard, par 5.

Green fees are $65; they drop to $45 after 3 p.m. In the off-season—October through April—green fees are $45; $30 after 3 p.m.

A dress code is in effect. Slacks, Bermuda-length shorts, and modest length skirts or shorts for women are required. Men must wear a collared or mock turtleneck golf shirt. Blue jeans, cut-offs, tennis shorts, T-shirts, halter or tank tops and the like are not allowed. And, soft spikes are the only golf shoes permissible on the course.

For more information, visit online at www.bearmt.com, or call toll free (877) 917-8200.

Idaho’s Tamarack Resort
The Tamarack Resort Golf Course in Donnelly, Idaho, is driving for a Labor Day weekend opening. Officials expect a soft opening in July for the Robert Trent Jones II signature course adjacent to Lake Cascade.

The championship layout will cater to all levels of play. The par 72 ranges from 7,340 yards to 5,400 yards. Greens will offer an average of 7,000 square feet. Other amenities include a clubhouse, practice facility and nine-hole par 3 golf academy. A second 18-hole course is planned for future development.

Tamarack Resort is the first all-season resort to be built in the U.S. in 22 years. Its trio of offerings include the world-class ski mountain, which opened last December, the soon-to-open golf course, and nearby Lake Cascade. The resort is 100 miles north of Boise on State Highway 55.

For more information about Tamarack Resort, visit the Web site at www.tamarackidaho.com, or call (208) 325-1000.

The 19th Hole (and a few chip shots)
Every year at this time, newspaper headlines report golfers being struck or killed by lightning. This year is no exception. Recently in Malaysia, two golfers were killed on the spot when lightning struck them at a rain shelter during a thunderstorm. Two other golfers and four caddies were also injured in the incident.

Here are some thunderstorm and lightning safety tips from safety officials. You might want to cut them out and stick them in your golf bag for later reference.

When a thunderstorm threatens, get inside a home or large building, or inside an all-metal (not convertible) vehicle.

Practice the flash-to-bang measurement of lightning distance. This is the time from seeing the stroke to hearing the thunder. For each five-second count, lightning is one mile away. Thus, 20 seconds equals four miles away; 15 seconds equals three miles away, etc.

At a count of 10 seconds, two miles, take immediate defensive actions. If outdoors, avoid water. Avoid metal objects such as golf clubs, fences, electric wires, motors and railroad tracks. Unsafe places include golf carts, tents, small open-sided rain shelters and underneath isolated trees. Avoid hilltops and open spaces.

Where possible, find shelter in a building or in a fully enclosed metal vehicle such as a car, truck, or van with the windows completely shut. If lightning is striking nearby, you should:

• Avoid direct contact with other people.
• Get into a ditch or a shallow depression.
• Remove all metal objects. Crouch down, feet together and hands on your knees.

If you are hopelessly isolated in a level golf course or field and you feel your hair stand on end indicating lightning is about to strike—squat low to the ground on the balls of your feel. Place your hands on your knees with your head between them. Make yourself the smallest target possible and minimize your contact with the ground. Do not lie flat on the ground.

If indoors, avoid water. Stay away from open doors and windows. Hang up the telephone and take off headsets during lightning storms. Lightning may strike electric and phone lines and induce shocks. Turn off and stay away from appliances, computers, television sets, power tools, etc. Stay inside until the storm is over.

If a nearby person is injured by lightning, give first-aid procedures if you are qualified to do so. An injured person does not carry an electrical charge and can be safely touched. If it is safe to use you the phone, call 9-1-1.

Rick Stedman is an avid RVer, golfer and writer who lives in Yakima, Washington. He can be reached at rick.stedman@charter.net