Travel: Semiahmoo an extraordinary destination

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So near, yet so far.

"People in downtown Seattle could tell you that Sunriver is in Oregon," said Dave Shelton, "but they likely had no idea where Semiahmoo was.

"I'm not sure people in Blaine knew where Semiahmoo was. Frankly, we hadn't done a very good job of marketing."

Sunriver Resort is a seven-hour drive from Seattle; Semiahmoo is two hours.

Fueled by money from new co-owners, The Skagit Casino, Semiahmoo is trying to make its mark on the golf mentality, promoting the opportunity to play both Semiahmoo and nearby Loomis Trail.

"The promotion has helped, we've had a great spring," said Shelton, the director of golf at Semiahmoo. "Play is up 28 percent."

Advertising aside, the argument can be made that there might not be a better golf experience in the Northwest, dollar for dollar, tree for tree, than the reorganized courses of Loomis Trail and Semiahmoo.

Fold in the courses in Bellingham — Shuksan, North Bellingham, Lake Padden and Sudden Valley — and this is a golf destination worth considering.

All winter, it was possible to play Loomis and Semiahmoo for $30 during the week, and $40 on the weekend.

The argument can be made that these are the two best public courses in the state of Washington, as Golf Digest has, rating Semiahmoo No. 1 and Loomis No. 2.

The golf course at Semiahmoo, the resort on the spit of land near Blaine and the Canadian border, was designed by Arnold Palmer. Loomis Trail was finished by Canadian Graham Cooke for a Japanese group that wanted it to be ultra-exclusive.

There were times when you had to pay $100 in the summer to play Semiahmoo and you had no chance to play Loomis Trail.

All that changed a few years ago when the Trillium Corporation bought the courses. Things have changed even more with the involvement of The Skagit, which operates The Skagit Casino some 40 miles south along I-5.

"They understand marketing," said Shelton.

There is money now to promote the courses, to paint the Tudor clubhouse/hotel at Loomis Trail, to improve the drainage and expand the spa at Semiahmoo.

"We started out calling ourselves an inn," Shelton said of Semiahmoo, "when we are a 200-room hotel and seaside golf resort."

While both courses have private members, they are open to the public on alternate days; Loomis Trail available on odd days, Semiahmoo on even days.

This month the weekday greens fee at both courses is $40, and $49 on the weekend. Beginning in June, rates jump to $59 during the week and $69 on the weekend. There are early-bird and twilight rates of $39 and $49.

This isn't cheap golf, but these aren't ordinary golf courses.

Loomis Trail winds peacefully through an old equestrian property, basically free of homes, and almost every hole is bordered or crossed by water.

The greens are quick, the fairways firm — Loomis Trail is difficult, but doesn't require a lot of heroic shots. The course is very walkable.

A true resort course, Semiahmoo tumbles through a housing development with large fairways and testing greens. Both are quality courses.

The relatively low rates at Semiahmoo and Loomis Trail have helped keep a cap on the prices charged at other Bellingham-area courses. North Bellingham is a very playable links-style course that is $34 during the week in the summer. The more traditional and hilly Shuksan course costs $29 during the week. Sudden Valley, the Ted Robinson-designed course, is $28. Lake Padden, the fine municipal course, is $19.

It all adds up to good golf at a good price.

Want to go across the border? There are two high-end courses (approximately $75) in Surrey, Northview — where they played the Air Canada PGA tour event — and Morgan Creek. More moderately priced are Peace Portal, Guildford, Surrey and Nico Wynd.