Sahalee Country Club

The East Course at Sahalee Country Club occupies a densely forested property in Sammamish, Washington, carved through stands of Douglas fir, cedar, and hemlock that define the Pacific Northwest landscape. Ted Robinson designed the original layout in 1969, creating a routing that winds through the natural terrain with minimal clearing, leaving narrow, tree-lined corridors that demand accuracy from tee to green. Keith Evans later contributed refinements, and Rees Jones undertook a significant renovation ahead of the 1998 PGA Championship, which Tiger Woods won in challenging conditions that showcased the course's resistance to scoring. The layout plays through rolling terrain with elevation changes that add dimension to approach shots and create natural amphitheaters around several greens. Water comes into play on multiple holes, and the dense forest canopy creates a sense of isolation and intimacy uncommon among major championship venues. The course measures over 7,000 yards from the championship tees, but length alone does not define the challenge—positioning off the tee is critical, as errant shots into the trees often leave no recovery option. Sahalee has also hosted the 2010 U.S. Senior Open and the 2016 KPMG Women's PGA Championship, establishing its credentials across different levels of professional golf. The club maintains a private, traditional membership culture, and the East Course remains the primary championship layout among Sahalee's facilities. The combination of mature forest, strategic design, and major championship pedigree gives the course a distinctive identity within the region.