I know golf isn’t on many people’s bucket list when visiting Alaska. However, Alaska represented the final state my friend and I needed to golf in to claim that we’ve played a round of golf in all 50 states. We decided this would be the year we would accomplish that milestone together.
We flew into Anchorage, stayed there for a few days, and ultimately played four courses. I don’t think there are more than ten 18-hole courses in the state, so not a lot to pick from. And, if I’m honest, the courses just weren’t all that exciting. Not a complete surprise though. After the golf we spent a couple days in Seward and visited Kenai Fjords National Park. Wonderful. I certainly wouldn’t mind getting back to Alaska one day as the scenery is stunning.
The first course we played was Anchorage Golf Course. I had high(ish) hopes for the course, and while it turned out to be a solid layout, I walked away a bit disappointed overall. The course had the highest green fee – about $80 to walk – and the least impressive conditions of the four courses we played. Oh well, still memorable because we golfed in Alaska!
The course is about fifteen minutes from downtown Anchorage and has a pretty traditional Pacific Northwest feel to it. We played on a cloudy day, but on a clear day you can see the nearby Chugach Mountains. The course is located in the foothills so there is some elevation change. From the clubhouse and driving range area you can see the modest skyline of downtown Anchorage. Probably like most places in Alaska, the course sits on a nice piece of property.
Bill Newcomb designed Anchorage GC, which opened in 1987. The course has a number of modern design elements, without the feeling that things were overdone. From tee to green, everything presents well visually. Most holes are separated by thick woods, but the course can be somewhat easily walked. The greens have unique shapes and an interesting amount of contour. Most bunkers are near the greens and present a challenge, without ruining the scorecard. There are a couple cool rock outcrops near the greens on the 5th and 17th holes. The slope from the nearby mountains requires some thought to keep the ball playable.
We played the black tees which are 72.6/134/6601. I thought the toughest elements about Anchorage GC were a handful of tee shots and trying to putt the greens. The course didn’t set up well for my fade/cut. The tree line pinches some tee shots (e.g.: the 4th and 14th holes) which makes a left to right ball flight a bit awkward. Thankfully, the fairways are pretty generous. Putts tended to break away from the mountains. I wouldn’t say there is a signature hole, but the long par-5 14th – 586 yards – is memorable. The land slopes from left to right while the hole doglegs slightly left near the green.
As I mentioned earlier, the conditions weren’t great. I understand it is late June in Alaska, so I didn’t expect a lot. However, the other courses we played were in better shape. The tees and fairways here had many patchy sections that were sanded. The greens were slow and bumpy. You can get the idea from my pictures, so I won’t go on about it.
Anchorage Golf Course is a convenient pick if you want to squeeze in a round of golf on a trip to Alaska. The course has a great design, a strong collection of par-4’s, and a nice setting. It is probably the most traditional course of the four we played. Although personally, I’d give the edge to the Creek Course at Moose Run. That layout gets closer to the mountains and the conditions there were better.
Course Pictures (click any picture to scroll through the gallery):