Few public courses in the Pacific Northwest carry the reputation that Washington National does. Designed by John Fought and opened in 1999, it consistently ranks among the top public-access layouts in Washington State — a serious, tournament-caliber track that plays firm and fast when the Seattle-area weather cooperates, and demands genuine shot-making throughout. The club has served as host to significant amateur and collegiate events, reinforcing its standing as a course locals take seriously and visitors make a point of seeking out.
The setting in Auburn places you squarely in the Green River Valley, with the Cascade foothills framing the horizon and the kind of mature tree corridors that give Pacific Northwest golf its distinctive, cathedral-like atmosphere. Fought's design moves through varied terrain with a strategic routing that rewards course management over raw power.
This is public golf without apology for its difficulty. Expect water, elevation change, and enough length to stretch any handicap — a course that asks you to plan, not just swing.
