Newaukum Valley Golf Club Review

This week, Kathy and I are in Washington State. As the week cruised by, we didn’t think we’d get our desired two rounds of golf in for the week. As a matter of fact, with our summer travel plans having us caravaning to Alaska, I don’t think we will be getting in even a single round of golf a week, let alone two in one week, for a bit.

That does make me a little sad.

But yesterday Kathy said, “Why don’t you make a tee time somewhere tomorrow?” Of course, I got right on it and found Newaukum Valley Golf Club just under 30 minutes away. One quick phone call and we were playing golf in less than 24 hours. 

Somehow, neither of us slept well. Or, more truthfully, we both woke up in a cranky mood. Not like us when golf is the day’s agenda. It seemed to hang on as we got ready for the day and lasted until about the end of the first hole.

But then, Golf seemed to have fixed the issue.

And I am sure Newaukum Valley Golf Club helped too.

The course was beautiful everywhere from the very first glance as we drove up. The medicine just needed a few minutes and a couple of good swings to take effect.

But first, we got to the clubhouse, and Matthew helped us right away. Randy, the manager, was close by. We chatted with him for a minute or two. But as I said, we were a little cranky, so we didn’t push the conversation in any direction. 

We headed to the driving range. It was a little small, but it could easily handle the volume of players and people practicing that were there. There is also a nice chipping and putting area. They both were the same quality and speed as the course. Always nice when you are trying to see how the greens might be rolling.

As I said earlier, the course is beautiful. Part of that beauty is the condition. Newaukum Valley Golf Club is in near-perfect condition. Kathy said there was one green that had a little brown. I must have missed it because I landed near the pin! (Insert snicker here) 

Newaukum Valley Golf Club is a 27-hole course divided into three nines.

South, East, and West.

We played the East and the West. The East is a little narrow with OB on some holes. I found myself measuring up trees, OB, and doglegs to make my shots more precise to score well.

The West is open with straight, short holes. It begged me to grip it and rip it. Just enticing me to go for it to shave off a stroke or two.

The mixture of the sides kept us on our toes. It made us pay attention to the course. Reminding us that there are different facets and strategies to golf. 

Newaukum Valley Golf Club was a joy to play.

The only thing I would like to have changed is the length of the course.

The two nines we played were 2965 yards and 2652 yards from the blues. But I did like going for the green a few times. It did give me two birdies and one of them was a missed eagle on a par 5.

The only person who is upset with a tap-in birdie is the one who missed the eagle. In this case – Me. (Insert another snicker here).

It was a great day and a beautiful course. 

Newaukum Valley Golf Club chased away our blues, and we are better for it. 

Based on our scorecard, Newaukum Valley Golf Club is a birdie course for sure.

If you are anywhere near Newaukum Valley Golf Club and want to play a round of golf, don’t hesitate. Your day will improve; ours did.

Fairways and Greens – We are 18 Holes and Counting

Written By:  Marc Festa

COURSE REVIEW SCORECARD

Course:  Newaukum Valley Golf Club

Type:  Public

Date Played: 01 May 2026

HOLE	PAR	SCORE	COMMENTS
1 – Tee Time Availability	4	4	We booked the day before, and had no problems getting the tee time we requested.
2 – Cost of Green Fees	4	4	Within the median range for the area.
3 – Condition of Tee Boxes	4	4	The tee boxes were well-groomed and in great condition. However, a few were small or on uneven ground. We played the East and West Nine courses. East Nine: Offered a slightly more forgiving layout from the box, though water hazards and out-of-bounds areas remained a threat. West Nine: The shortest of the three, but tree-lined fairways demanded accurate shot-making right from the start.
4 – Condition of Fairways	5	4	The fairways were well-groomed and “immaculate”. We played the East and West Nine courses. East Nine: Offered wider, more forgiving fairways but brings more water hazards into play. West Nine: The tight, tree-lined fairways demand high accuracy.
5 – Condition of Greens	4	3	Every green was in great shape and rolling well, smooth and fast. A couple of greens are smallish and tough to hit, and occasionally “diabolical” in their placement.
6 – Length of Course	5	6	The layout of the East and West Nine included several 90-degree doglegs that made the pin visibility difficult until after our first shot. This demanded strategic placement over raw distances. Having never played the course before, we weren’t always sure if our hits were on the right target line. We noticed the East Nine had an abundance of water hazards and numerous out-of-bounds threats that required precise club selection. On the West Nine, large trees lined almost every fairway, leaving no room for error for wayward tee shots.
7 – Hazards	4	4	The layout of the East and West Nines included several 90-degree doglegs that made the pin visibility difficult until after our first shot. This demanded strategic placement over raw distances. Having never played the course before, we weren’t always sure our hits were on the right target line. We noticed the East Nine had an abundance of water hazards and numerous out-of-bounds threats that required precise club selection. On the West Nine, large trees lined almost every fairway, leaving no room for error for wayward tee shots.
8 – Starter/Marshal	3	2	Matthew was welcoming and Randy offered some perfect hints on what to do during our round to ensure our play was enjoyable.
9 – High Handicap Friendly	3	3	Four sets of tee boxes that offer terrific views and challenging play for golfers at every skill level.
OUT	36	34
10 – Practice Area	5	4	The practice facilities include a full-sized driving range, two putting and chipping greens.
11 – Locker Rooms	3	3	Spacious restrooms, no locker rooms.
12 – Pro Shop	4	3	Pro shop had everything you would need for your round.
13 – Location	4	4	Located in Chehalis, WA, just 30 minutes from our RV park, halfway between Seattle and Portland.
14 – Rental Equipment	4	4	Clubs available for rental. Golf carts in great shape with USB plug-ins.
15 – Food Cart	4	3	Mikayla was the cart vendor, and she did a wonderful job covering the course during our round.
16 – Restaurant/Club House	4	3	The Grill has great views of the course. The staff did a great job serving us. We were served fast, and the food was delicious.
17 – Parking	3	3	Plenty of parking available.
18 – Customer Service	5	4	Matthew was welcoming, and Randy offered some perfect hints on what to do during our round to ensure our play was enjoyable.
IN	36	31
TOTAL	72	65	PLAYER: Marc F.  ATTESTED BY: Kathy F.