THE NEW SNOW dusting the tops of the Olympic Mountains triggered my annual fight-or-flight response to winter weather.
Evidence of the inevitable, another La Nina influenced Pacific Northwest winter, has been piling up in more ways than just the colored maple leaves that have fallen for more than a month.
Crisp temperatures, diminished sunlight and increased precipitation all herald our annual trudge toward a potential Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) diagnosis.
Seeing these signs always makes me wonder if I should pack it all up and head down the coast to warmer climes.
To use a song title from The Clash, “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”
California does seem pleasant (so long as you are near the beach) but all that traffic and all those people would surely outweigh the benefits of year-round access to warm weather golf and year-round In-N-Out Burger.
Who am I kidding? I don’t plan a move anytime soon.
After all, we have Frugals and we have seven fantastic golf courses that stay open during our cold weather months and provide opportunities for winter play.
Things could be worse, our “winter play” conditions are downright balmy for folks who live in say, Minnesota or Montana.
Here are the winter rates for North Olympic Peninsula golf courses (all rates are general adult rates unless specified):
■ Peninsula Golf Club (Port Angeles): No frost delays here for the general public.
The public can play on Mondays and Fridays starting at 11 a.m. and on Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday starting at noon.
Rates are $13 for nine holes and $26 for 18 holes.
Peninsula is closed for member play on Thursdays.
■ SunLand Golf & Country Club (Sequim): The public can play this semi-private course on Saturdays and Sundays.
Winter rates are $25 for 18 holes.
Tee Time reservations are available a week in advance by phoning 360-683-6800, ext. 13.
■ Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course (Sequim): From Monday through Thursday from now through February golfers can play 18 holes for $28 or nine holes for $17.
On weekends from Friday through Sunday, greens fees are $30 and $18, respectively.
For more information, phone Cedars at 360-683-6344.
■ SkyRidge Golf Course (Sequim): Winter rates will begin on Nov. 15 at the Peninsula’s links-style golf course.
Nine holes will be available for $15 and 18 holes for $20 seven days a week beginning on Tuesday.
Senior rates do not apply during the winter rates season.
Players can play with a partner and use a cart on Tuesdays for $60 (18 holes) or $44 (nine holes).
For more information, phone 360-683-3673.
■ Port Townsend Golf Club: Golfers can play Port Townsend for $17 for 18 holes or $13 for nine holes seven days a week.
For more information, phone the course at 360-385-4547.
■ Port Ludlow Golf Club: Through the end of December golfers can play 18 holes for $30 on weekdays and $35 on weekends.
Nine holes are available every day for $20.
■ Discovery Bay Golf Club (Port Townsend): Golfers can play 18 holes for $22 and seniors can play for $17.
Nine holes are available for $12.
Discovery Bay is also running a “Two For Tuesday” promotion with two golfers playing for a total of $22.
On weekends two players can play as much golf as they can with use of a cart for $48.
These are all some solid deals on some great golf courses.
Let’s do our part and help see these folks through to another year of golf.
Work off that meal
SkyRidge Golf Course will hold a Post-Turkey Day Scramble and Best Ball Tournament on Friday, Nov. 25.
Players will tee off from the green tees in the scramble portion on the front nine before switching to the silver tees for nine holes of best ball play.
Tourney tee-off is set for 8:30 a.m. (barring frost.)
Cost is $60 per team and there is a $20 team honey pot.
An optional horse race scramble will be held after the tourney for $5.
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Golf columnist Michael Carman can be reached at 360-417-3527 or at pdngolf@gmail.com.