Useless Bay Golf & Country Club

The name alone — borrowed from the bay it overlooks — signals that this is a place with character and a sense of humor about itself. As a private members' club, it serves the close-knit community of island residents and those willing to make the ferry crossing a regular ritual, lending rounds here an unhurried, away-from-it-all quality that's increasingly rare.

Whidbey Island's cool, damp climate keeps the turf green through much of the year, and the terrain typical of the island — rolling glacial topography, tree-lined corridors, occasional sound views — makes for a layout that rewards local knowledge and patience over raw power.