Tide/Trail at Port Ludlow Resort

Port Ludlow Resort offers two nine-hole layouts—the Tide and Trail nines—designed by Robert Muir Graves and opened in the early 1970s as part of a planned resort community on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. The property occupies forested terrain along Ludlow Bay, roughly thirty miles northwest of Seattle via ferry and highway, where the course takes advantage of both wooded inland corridors and glimpses of Puget Sound waters. Graves, a prolific West Coast architect who worked extensively in the Pacific Northwest during this period, routed the holes through stands of Douglas fir and cedar with moderate elevation changes characteristic of the region's glacially shaped topography.

The Tide nine plays closer to the water and incorporates views of the bay and surrounding mountains, while the Trail nine moves through denser forest with a more secluded, parkland character. The layout features typical Graves elements from this era: strategic bunkering, greens with subtle contours, and fairways that reward positioning over distance. The course serves both resort guests and a local membership, functioning as the recreational centerpiece of the Port Ludlow community.

The facility has undergone periodic updates to maintain playability and accommodate modern equipment, though the fundamental routing and design philosophy remain intact. The combination of Pacific Northwest scenery, mature tree-lined fairways, and accessible resort golf makes the Tide and Trail nines a representative example of 1970s destination course design in the region.