Valley Of The Dolls Spectacular Scenery, Challenging Courses Await Montana Visitors

Golf in Montana’s Flathead Valley just keeps getting bigger and better.

And Northern Pines Golf Club, a spectacular 18-hole championship course located just north of Kalispell on Highway 93, is the latest reason why.

This newest jewel in the valley’s ring of glittering courses was designed by two-time U.S. Open champion Andy North. It opened late last summer to sparkling reviews. The 7,100-yard, par-72 layout utilizes the surrounding natural beauty and treacherous nature of the Stillwater River to present golfing challenges unique to the area.

In designing the course, North reshaped a relatively flat and treeless piece of property with huge mounds that guard both sides of the course’s wide, winding fairways. A 20-acre man-made lake comes into play on three holes.

The effect is similar to that of many links-style courses in Scotland, with the Stillwater floating in on several holes to serve as a watery grave for ill-struck tee shots.

Despite the name, only a handful of towering Ponderosa pines dot the green and glorious landscape.

“I don’t think it needs (trees),” North said. “Basically, we wanted to have that open, natural look to it. We tried very hard to use the piece of property that’s there.”

A recent weekend golf outing to the Flathead Valley gave me a chance to play Northern Pines and a couple of the region’s other fine public courses. I came away impressed by the quality, diversity, availability and affordability of golf in a part of the country better known for hunting, fishing, whitewater rafting and skiing.

Northern Pines, with at least three sets of tee boxes on every hole and as many as six on some, was unique among the three courses I played - and, once mature, will undoubtedly rank among my favorites.

From the white tees it plays only about 6,200 yards, but still offers plenty of challenges, like trying to drive the ball to proper spots - sometimes hidden behind one of the countless mounds - on lush fairways that aren’t always as wide and receptive as they appear from the tee.

Or trying to concoct an approach shot that would afford some semblance of a straight putt on the huge, undulating greens.

If you’re looking for a signature hole, forget it.

“We’re not into signature holes,” North said. “We put 18 holes together and we’ll let the player decide which ones are signature holes.”

That is pretty much the case on the other two courses I played. Both Whitefish Lake Golf Course and Meadow Lake Golf Course, in Columbia Falls, boast an abundance of tough, scenic holes that would qualify as signature holes on many public courses.

But when linked, they become mere pieces in a glorious golfing experience.

Whitefish Lake is the state’s only 36-hole layout. It has a more traditional North Course and the recently completed South Course, both ranked by Golf Digest among the top 10 public courses in Montana.

For the second year in a row, flooding has forced closure of several holes on the South Course, which opened just three years ago. But the tight, tree-lined North Course was in spectacular condition when I played it two weeks ago.

The once-flat greens on the North Course were redesigned in 1984 and 1985, said head pro Mike Dowaliby. They now feature tricky contours and protective bunkers that make them among the best in the region.

Dowaliby is convinced his two courses deserve their Golf Digest rankings, and he has no qualms about the addition of Northern Pines to the competitive mix of area courses.

“The more the merrier,” Dowaliby said. “I think the variety of the golf courses we have here gives everyone an opportunity to play different types of courses, and that’s what makes golf in the Flathead Valley so much fun.”

Dowaliby’s North Course, like Meadow Lake, requires accuracy - rather than length - off the tee and offers plenty of opportunity for disaster. Trees line most of the fairways, water comes into play on three holes, and since the remodeling work was completed, the number of strategically placed bunkers has increased from three to almost 40.

The South Course plays along the shore of Lost Coon Lake and features water hazards on seven holes. The 18th fairway runs along the back side of the Grouse Mountain Lodge, a 144-unit resort hotel that caters to golfers and skiers alike, and features a gourmet restaurant and lounge, along with meeting facilities for groups as large as 300.

Meadow Lake, another tight and testy layout that plays to 6,714 yards and a par of 72 from the back tees, makes golfers feel like they’re the only players on the course. Most holes are tree-lined and some of the elevation changes are dramatic.

The course is part of Meadow Lake Golf Resort, the only traditional, fullservice golf resort in the area. It affords some stunning views of nearby Glacier National Park.

Along with golf, the resort offers a central inn, on-course condominiums, a full-service lounge and restaurant and a fitness center.

Adding to the golfing allure of the region are five other public courses, including Big Fork’s Eagle Bend Golf Club, which is rated by Golf Digest as Montana’s best. Other good courses include Buffalo Hills Golf Club and Village Greens in Kalispell, Polson Country Club and Mission Mountain Country Club, just 15 minutes south of Polson.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: PLAN AHEAD Advance tee times and lodging referrals for all eight Flathead Valley courses can be made by calling Flathead Valley Golf Reservations at (800) 392-9795.