7 Golf Courses in Spokane Every Golfer Should Hit
Offering incredible scenery and first-rate golf, Spokane is one of the hottest golfing destinations in the Pacific Northwest. With pristine fairways and smoothly rolled greens, Spokane golf courses are highly regarded for their challenging layouts and exceptional conditions. You’ll find the perfect course in Spokane that promises to delight and engage you. Spokane’s golf courses are divided into city and county courses so, look at our map and review each course to find your next match location.
Golf Courses Spokane
1. Esmeralda Golf Course
Esmerelda Golf Course is another well-manicured golf course on the outskirts of Spokane that has entertained local golfers for several decades. Fairly straightforward in design, Esmeralda’s layout is cut through over 2,000 trees. The course’s tree-laden design is one of its hallmarks as the view of each tee is postcard-worthy.
Measuring just over 6,300 yards, Esmerelda is very accommodating to golfers of all ages, especially senior and beginning golfers looking for a course that won’t punish every mistake. The course plays as a par 70 and offers one moderately sized par five on each 9-hole side.
One of the best holes at Esmerelda is the dogleg-right 11th hole. Playing at 395 yards from the tips, the curved design of the hole makes it one of the tougher challenges at the course as golfers must keep the ball to the left side of the fairway to see a clear path to the hole on the small green.
The pro shop has club rentals if you are traveling through the area but don’t want to bring your clubs along. As with all Spokane city courses, the Esmerelda clubhouse has a simulator that can be rented during the winter months to keep up on your swing.
If you want to update your swing, there is golf- professionals on staff that offer lessons for an affordable rate. After your round, there is a tasty restaurant at the course to replay your greatest shots with friends.
The Esmeralda Golf Course offers an entertaining day of golf inside the heart of Spokane.
2. Downriver Golf Course
If you are looking for a layout that offers a true Spokane golf experience, then the Downriver Golf Course provides golfers a scenic yet challenging course. The course is Spokane’s oldest golf facility, at over 100 years old, but that doesn’t mean it feels old fashioned or out of date. Instead, the course offers immaculate fairways and greens for a day at the wonderfully entertaining links.
From the Championship (Blue) tees, Downriver stretches out to 6,152 yards, a moderately sized layout that certainly values accuracy over distance, creating an engaging round for you and your playing partners. Crafted through the heart of a forest of pine trees, Downriver is compact, forcing you to lean on your golfing wits. But rather than feeling frustrated, you’ll be delighted by the stunning landscape and the mysteries provided by each hole.
If you are looking for a great hole at Downriver, then the finishing 18th hole is one to anticipate with great interest. A reachable par 4, the 18th hole plays around 325 yards from the Blue tees, making it a risk versus rewarding hole for the long hitters as the pines and a long bunker offer protection for the last 50 yards into the green.
The clubhouse is a one-stop-shop for everything you need to hit the course. You can rent clubs, carts, and purchase branded attire. If you have time, get there early and take in a lesson from the course’s excellent professional staff or make your way to the impressive driving range to hit a bucket of balls. During the winter, the course also offers rental times for their on-site simulator to keep your swing in shape.
With a rich history, Downriver is a must-play course if you are looking for one of the best-golfing adventures inside the city limits of Spokane.
3. Indian Canyon Golf Course
Another absolute gem of a golf course in Spokane is Indian Canyon Golf Course. A city staple since 1935, Indian Canyon has been long regarded as one of the best public courses in the United States. What locals adore about the course is that it sits on the elevated west side of the city, allowing golfers to play their entire round with a birds’ eye view of Spokane.
Indian Canyon continues to host several large USGA events throughout the summer, and once you see the par 71 course, you’ll immediately understand why the course is sought after for tournaments. Playing at 6,255 yards, the course is heavily wooded with trees that create a natural boundary for fairways.
The course is built on a 240-foot canyon wall, giving golfers a perspective that no other course in Spokane can provide. Even with the sky-scraping pines that line the fairways, the views of the city below are breathtaking.
If you are looking for the highlight of the course, then look no further than the 7th hole. The 287-yard par-four hole forces the golfer to choose if they want to play it safe or go for the glory with a shot at eagle.
The course features a sizable driving range for your pre-round warm-up as well as a pro shop that offers plenty of apparel and accessories for your day at Indian Canyon. After your round, stick around and enjoy a meal overlooking the course’s first tee from the deck attached to the club’s restaurant.
If you are in the mood for gorgeous scenery coupled with five-star golf, then Indian Canyon checks all the boxes for one of the best-golfing experiences you could have in Spokane.
4. The Creek at Qualchan Golf Course
The city’s newest golf facility is a marvel, featuring a pristine golf course built alongside some of the most jaw-dropping views that Spokane can offer. If you are a fan of walking during your rounds, Qualchan offers the ideal layout with beautiful scenery strewn throughout the entire 18 holes. Very affordable, Qualchan provides golfers a terrific day at the course without punching a hole in their wallet.
Qualchan measures around 6,600 yards from the tips, making it one of the longer layouts in the Spokane area. The par 72 18-hole course doesn’t have as many trees lining the fairways leaving golfers with tee shots that have a wide-open landing area. The extra acreage makes Qualchan a driver-first course that gives long hitters more room for error.
Qualchan has a few details that truly set it apart from other courses in the area. For example, the first hole features a tee shot off a cliff, the 13th hole gives you a live look at the green via video to navigate your blind tee shot, and the finishing par-five 18th hole has so many elevation changes that you’ll end your round with the one of a kind golfing experience.
Pre-round amenities include a large putting green with practice bunker, a driving range that can accommodate dozens of visitors, and a pro shop that is stocked with accessories that can make your day at Qualchan much easier if you forgot to bring extra tees or golf balls.With incredible views and an open layout, Qualchan is a favorite course for both local and visiting golfers.
5. Liberty Lake Golf Course
East of downtown Spokane, in the town of Liberty Lake, is one of the most spectacular public golf courses in the Pacific Northwest. Newly renovated, the Liberty Lake Golf Course is a stunner of a championship 18-hole course featuring white sand bunkers, spacious greens, and strategic bodies of water that add a playful element to this first-rate layout.
The par-70 layout runs around 6,600 yards from the Championship Blue tees with a sliding scale for women and senior tees that measure around 5,700 yards in length. The course isn’t as heavily wooded as some of the other courses in the area, allowing golfers to hit their tee shots into large landing areas for an easier approach into the green.
Local golfers have a variety of opinions on the best hole at Liberty Lake, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more fun golfing experience than the 18th hole. The 330-yard par-four hole has a large pond that stretches over the latter half of the hole, forcing the golfer to play with accuracy up the left side.
Before you make your way to the course, the facilities at Liberty Lake are worth stopping by as there’s a large driving range and putting green that will give you plenty of room to get your swing sharp before the first tee. Once you’re done with your day on the course, there’s a full-service restaurant that can take care of any hunger pains you develop on the final nine holes.
Incredibly accommodating, Liberty Lake Golf Course is well worth the short drive from Spokane, providing visitors and locals the opportunity to play one of the best public courses in Washington.
6. Latah Creek Golf Course
Another recently redesigned course worth visiting in the Spokane area is Latah Creek Golf Course. The 18-hole par-72 championship course plays alongside the Latah Creek and winds itself through the layout. Latah Creek also acts as a hazard on several holes. Golfers who like an open design will love Latah Creek as it plays open across the property’s 194 acres.
Measuring 6,865 from the Blue tees, Latah Creek can run long, but there are several other options if you are looking for a more moderate length to play the course. The layout features plenty of water to avoid with trees offering a natural barrier off a few of the tee boxes and along fairways.
Much like MeadowWood nearby, Latah Creek features an aquatic driving range that golfers love to use. The golf balls used on the range fly at roughly 95 percent of the distance of a common golf ball but are made to float so they can be easily retrieved periodically throughout the day.
Other amenities at Latah Creek include club and cart rental plus a full array of services such as club fitting and personalized lessons from the club’s PGA-certified professionals. And if the mood should strike you before or after your round, Latah Creek has an on-site restaurant that can satisfy any craving you may have.
With carved through majestic scenery, the golfing experience at Latah Creek is unrivaled, making it a must-play if you are making your way through the Spokane area for a round.
7. MeadowWood Golf Course
An adored local public course with immaculate fairways and greens, MeadowWood Golf Course, is a treasure. The open course offers plenty of space to let your driver fly and features thick, fairway rough that can wreak havoc on your final score. Regardless of how the course treats you, you’ll find yourself having an absolute blast throughout your day at MeadowWood as the layout is inviting and always entertaining.
The links-style course plays at 6,874 yards from the Blue tees and 6,429 from the more moderate White tees. The par 72 course is one of the best-kept secrets in the Spokane area as the pristine condition of the course during the playing season leaves visitors raving and vowing to return soon.
Playing completely uphill with a front green bunker, the par-five, 607-yard 16th hole is a golfing treasure at MeadowWood. Not only does it present one of the toughest golfing challenges you’ll face on a course in Spokane, but the condition of the hole rivals the best you’ll find from a public course anywhere in the region.
Another cool feature that you can’t miss at MeadowWood is their aquatic driving range that allows you to hit your practice shots into a nearby lake. Don’t worry about harm to the local environment as the specially made golf balls float and are easy to retrieve for the staff.
Featuring a design that you’ll find completely satisfying as you leave the 18th green, MeadowWood Golf Course is easily worth the trip.
What’s truly wonderful about golf in Spokane is there are plenty of accessible courses, that are incredibly affordable and a blast to play. Whether you are looking for a challenge or want the best course to take a group of friends, the courses in and near Spokane all offer something well suited to create an enjoyable day on the links.
About the Author
Jordan Fuller
Jordan Fuller is a retired golfer and businessman. When he’s not on the course working on his own game or mentoring young golfers, he writes in-depth articles for his website, Golf Influence.