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My first putt of the day traveled a few feet past the hole. I made a mental note to myself to slow it down. It dawned on me quickly that these greens weren’t the slow, bumpy surfaces I’ve encountered at most local public courses.
The condition of the course — that’s what stood out to me most about playing The Classic Golf Club in Spanaway on Monday morning with my friend and playing partner Greg Semerdjian.
It was the second stop of my Pierce County golf tour, in which I’m playing and reviewing every 18-hole public golf course in the county, rating courses based on two main criteria: the quality of the course and the value.
From tee to green, mostly everything was in good shape on this track. The tee boxes and fairways are well-maintained, and I found myself raving about the greens throughout the round. They’re some of the best greens I’ve played at any public course in the area, hands down.
I liked this course. It wasn’t too far of a drive outside of Tacoma, situated a couple miles from Bethel High School in Spanaway. It was easily walkable, and the holes were a solid challenge with a bunch of doglegs, some legitimate-distance Par 5’s and some playable Par 4’s.
For the most part, it was pretty open, too. On most of the holes, golfers can swing freely with their driver without finding too much trouble. The openness meant seeing golfers regularly on other holes, as the course zig-zagged through itself.
The scenery was fine, lined by houses around the perimeter, notably on the 18th hole and near the clubhouse, with what appeared to be a fairly new housing development. It didn’t feel like a course where you were transported somewhere serene, but it was quiet enough.
I played poorly on the front nine but pulled it together on the back nine. The layout was a little funky, with a decent walk to the first tee from the clubhouse and ending with another walk back to the clubhouse from the 18th green. Most courses are a little more thoughtfully laid out, but it was fine.
Also worth noting: The Classic (along with Lakewood’s Oakbrook, owned by the same group) has one of the best unlimited golf membership values around. An individual membership to The Classic runs $230/month, while a membership for both The Classic and Oakbrook costs $322 per month. A family membership to The Classic is $420, while the family membership for both courses runs $490 per month. Compared to the $20k+ joining fees and $700+ monthly dues for some local private courses, that’s a steal for the avid golfer.
Would I return? Absolutely. At $55 for a morning round, I thought the value was fair, the course was in great shape and it was a fun challenge.
Pros: Fantastic, quick, nearly-perfectly manicured greens. Well maintained course from tee to green. Spongy enough fairways, even in late July. Walkable. Good value. Good length Par 5’s and good variety of hole designs. Open enough to swing freely with your driver.
Cons: Bunkers weren’t in good shape. Quirky layout. At times feels squished by the surrounding housing developments. No driving range (just a net). No “wow” or memorable holes. Water features feel like an afterthought. A little flat (but that could be considered a positive, depending on your perspective).
QUALITY: 7
VALUE: 7
OVERALL: 7
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The condition of the course — that’s what stood out to me most about playing The Classic Golf Club in Spanaway on Monday morning with my friend and playing partner Greg Semerdjian.
It was the second stop of my Pierce County golf tour, in which I’m playing and reviewing every 18-hole public golf course in the county, rating courses based on two main criteria: the quality of the course and the value.
From tee to green, mostly everything was in good shape on this track. The tee boxes and fairways are well-maintained, and I found myself raving about the greens throughout the round. They’re some of the best greens I’ve played at any public course in the area, hands down.
I liked this course. It wasn’t too far of a drive outside of Tacoma, situated a couple miles from Bethel High School in Spanaway. It was easily walkable, and the holes were a solid challenge with a bunch of doglegs, some legitimate-distance Par 5’s and some playable Par 4’s.
For the most part, it was pretty open, too. On most of the holes, golfers can swing freely with their driver without finding too much trouble. The openness meant seeing golfers regularly on other holes, as the course zig-zagged through itself.
The scenery was fine, lined by houses around the perimeter, notably on the 18th hole and near the clubhouse, with what appeared to be a fairly new housing development. It didn’t feel like a course where you were transported somewhere serene, but it was quiet enough.
I played poorly on the front nine but pulled it together on the back nine. The layout was a little funky, with a decent walk to the first tee from the clubhouse and ending with another walk back to the clubhouse from the 18th green. Most courses are a little more thoughtfully laid out, but it was fine.
Also worth noting: The Classic (along with Lakewood’s Oakbrook, owned by the same group) has one of the best unlimited golf membership values around. An individual membership to The Classic runs $230/month, while a membership for both The Classic and Oakbrook costs $322 per month. A family membership to The Classic is $420, while the family membership for both courses runs $490 per month. Compared to the $20k+ joining fees and $700+ monthly dues for some local private courses, that’s a steal for the avid golfer.
Would I return? Absolutely. At $55 for a morning round, I thought the value was fair, the course was in great shape and it was a fun challenge.
THE REVIEW
Pros: Fantastic, quick, nearly-perfectly manicured greens. Well maintained course from tee to green. Spongy enough fairways, even in late July. Walkable. Good value. Good length Par 5’s and good variety of hole designs. Open enough to swing freely with your driver.
Cons: Bunkers weren’t in good shape. Quirky layout. At times feels squished by the surrounding housing developments. No driving range (just a net). No “wow” or memorable holes. Water features feel like an afterthought. A little flat (but that could be considered a positive, depending on your perspective).
MANLEY’S SCORE
QUALITY: 7
VALUE: 7
OVERALL: 7
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