South at Sahalee Country Club

Sahalee Country Club's South Course occupies heavily forested terrain in Sammamish, Washington, approximately twenty miles east of Seattle. The original twenty-seven holes were designed by Ted Robinson and opened in 1969, carved through dense stands of Douglas fir, cedar, and hemlock that create narrow, tree-lined corridors throughout the property. The course sits on rolling topography characteristic of the Cascade foothills, with significant elevation changes and minimal views beyond the immediate playing corridors.

The South Course routing incorporates eighteen holes from Robinson's original design, with subsequent modifications by Keith Evans and later by Rees Jones in preparation for the 1998 PGA Championship. Jones's work focused on lengthening the course, repositioning bunkers, and adjusting green complexes to meet modern championship standards. The layout demands accuracy over distance, as the tight tree-lined fairways severely penalize errant shots. The dense canopy creates a cathedral-like atmosphere and keeps the understory relatively clear, though the lack of sunlight produces playing surfaces that can remain damp even in dry weather.

Sahalee hosted the 1998 PGA Championship, won by Vijay Singh, and the 2010 U.S. Senior Open. The course has also served as a venue for the LPGA's Safeco Classic. The club maintains a private membership and operates both the South Course and a separate North Course on the property. The name "Sahalee" derives from a Chinook word meaning "high heavenly ground," reflecting the property's elevated, forested setting above the surrounding lowlands.