NORTHERN MASON COUNTY is beautiful this time of year. I learned this after some time at Lake Cushman Golf Course and a night camping at the lake resort itself in Hoodsport over the Labor Day weekend.
Most of my trips through Mason County are of the passing-through variety, hoping to make my way as quickly as I can to Portland or other exciting points south.
When it rains, which is often, the Mason County spotted through a car windshield seems to be particularly dreary and moss-covered.
This is, of course, the same area where Seattle TV news stations send “intrepid” reporters to get prime footage of salmon swimming over flooded roadways.
Imagine my confusion upon hearing various friends and acquaintances sing the praises of “Cushman” over the years.
I’d never turned off of U.S. Highway 101 until Sunday morning.
I dropped off a crockpot full of biscuits and gravy at the campsite — my penance for arriving late after watching 17 hours of college football on Saturday.
The campsite was quiet at 9 a.m., so I headed over to the course to play nine holes before lunch.
I enjoyed a fog-shrouded round (fog staying up in the foothills and away from the course), lost no balls and hit no houses along the course, both small victories that make a bad scoring round feel positive.
Despite being up in the foothills of the Olympics, the nine-hole Lake Cushman course is relatively flat (two gradual slopes on two holes) and an easy walk.
The course has a collection of old tree stumps incorporated into the layout, which reminded me of Port Ludlow Golf Club.
Having been cut out of the surrounding forest, the course is tree-lined and there are homes on most holes but it never plays claustrophobic.
There’s plenty of room for errant shots of all makes and models.
My favorite hole was the wide open and straight 479-yard par-5 No. 8, which should yield eagle/birdie opportunities even for high handicappers (I missed my birdie shot).
After my round, the fog lifted and my friends and I were able to partake of a warm, sunny day on the lake.
For the value ($14 for nine holes on the weekend), sterling course conditions and ease of use, I would recommend the course for any late-summer Lake Cushman vacation.
SkyRidge tourney
SkyRidge Golf Course in Sequim will say goodbye to summer with a three-person scramble on Saturday, Sept. 15.
The event has a 9:30 a.m. shotgun start and is $30 per player ($90 per team).
A honey pot is an extra $20 per player.
Lunch will be served after the round.
Three drives from each player must be used during play.
There will be gross and net prizes, team KP’s and team long putt.
For more information, phone 360-683-3673.
Three events in PT
Port Townsend Golf Club will hold a trio of events this month with the first — the 16th annual Port Townsend Elks Scholarship Golf Tournament — set for Saturday.
This tourney will provide scholarships for high school graduates.
A 10 a.m. shotgun start will kickoff the two-person best-ball event.
There will be gross and net prizes and individual champions for Elks and non-members.
Green fees are $40 per player, plus $5 green fees for non-members.
Port Townsend will also host a Team Port Townsend Golf Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 22.
This tourney will raise money to support Blue Heron Middle School sports.
Sports are back this year at Blue Heron after community fundraising rallied to plug a budget gap.
Finally, Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary’s annual Night Time Glow Ball Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, Sept. 29.
For details on all these events, phone the course at 360-385-4547.
Humane Society event
The Olympic Peninsula Humane Society will hold its annual Claws and Paws Golf Tournament at Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course in Sequim on Friday, Sept. 21.
Proceeds from the tournament go toward the nearly 2,000 animals that come to the shelter each year.
Registration for the two-person scramble tournament starts at 7 a.m. with an 8 a.m. shotgun start.
Cost is $100 per player, which includes golf, cart, range balls, tee prizes, long drive, KPs, raffle tickets and a lunch ticket.
A prize field of $1,150 will be available based on a full field of 100 players.
Koenig Chevrolet/Subaru will feature a car for a hole-in-one.
There is an additional $20,000 prize to be split between player and the Humane Society for a hole-in-one.
Mulligans will be available for purchase at time of registration.
Guest tickets for luncheon by itself are available for $17.
For more information, call Garrett Smithson of Dungeness at 360-477-2718; Bill Dole, tournament chair, at 360-452-5983 or 360-912-1824; Donna Halsaver at 360-683-3994; or Kandace Pierce at 360-461-2810.
Ryder Cup teams set
U.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III tapped Steve Stricker, Brandt Snedeker, Dustin Johnson and Jim Furyk as his captain’s picks for the 12-man U.S. team on Tuesday.
Love’s picks join fellow US Ryder Cup members Tiger Woods, Bubba Watson, Jason Dufner, Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar and Phil Mickelson.
The European team, with 10 automatic berths and two captain’s picks, was completed last month when captain Jose Maria Olazabal added Ian Poulter and Nicolas Colsaerts.
Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Peter Hanson, Martin Kaymer, Paul Lawrie, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, Francesco Molinari, Justin Rose and Lee Westwood earned automatic spots on the European team.
Ryder Cup rounds will begin Sept. 28 at Medinah Country Club in Illinois.
The European team is the defending champion, and has won four of the last five contests.
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Golf columnist Michael Carman can be reached at 360-417-3527 or pdngolf@gmail.com.