If you haven’t played Desert Canyon in a while, it’s time to come back.
The desert-style course just outside of Wenatchee has been around for nearly 25 years, but it endured a rough financial patch in the 2000s with a bankruptcy filing and an ownership change.
Rock Island opened in the 1970s but it doubled in size with the debut of nine new holes in 2011.
The new side stretched the course to 7,153 yards from the tips, 6,639 yards from the blue tees, and added variety to the layout.
At first glance, one might jump to the conclusion Alta Lake is a pushover.
The first hole quickly changes that perception. The tree-lined, 543-yard par 5 is flat-out tough. The last 150 yards ascend sharply uphill, creating a challenging approach.
There is a 150-foot elevation drop on No. 4 and another 100-foot plunge on No. 16.
In all, the differential from the lowest point on the golf course to the highest is 700 feet.
