Washington National Golf Club

About This Course: the Huskies’ home course in Auburn

Washington National Golf Club is a public championship course in Auburn and the home course of the University of Washington men’s and women’s golf teams. John Fought designed it, it opened in 2000, and from the back tees it stretches to 7,304 yards with a slope of 145. The club notes a USGA ranking as the fifth most challenging course in Washington in 2004 and 2005.

Six sets of tees run from 5,117 to 7,304 yards, the practice facility is open to the public, and the Varsity Grill patio looks up the 18th fairway. Prices move with demand: in the week we checked, a round with the included cart ran from $41.25 for 9 holes to $134.40 for 18.

Washington National Golf Club Fast Facts

Course Overview

The club’s history page says the course was built in 2000 and was nominated for Best New Public Golf Course in 2001. It hosted the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship and the NCAA Men’s West Regional in 2003 and the NCAA Women’s West Regional in 2006 and 2011. The University of Washington’s athletics site places the Huskies’ training course, The Playground, here too, and the theme runs throughout: purple and gold carts and a purple “W” on the 18th. It is one of the Oki Golf group’s public courses.

Fought paired bent grass fairways and greens with native fescue and white sand bunkers. The par 72 has four par 5s, ten par 4s and four par 3s, and from the Husky tees the par 5s on 4 and 14 both pass 630 yards. Water and long waste areas shape much of the back nine. The scorecard says the Husky tees need permission, and even the Junior tees carry a slope of 132.

Hole by Hole Highlights

Yardages are from the Husky tees; handicap ranks and notes come from the club.

• Hole 1, 560 yards, par 5: A straightaway opener that bigger hitters can reach in two, with a fairway bunker right and trees left.
• Hole 3, 372 yards, par 4: A short par 4 with a lake on the right and woods on the left, to a green that slopes toward you in front and away at the back.
• Hole 6, 473 yards, par 4: The number one handicap hole. The landing area is generous, but the 47 yard green has water left and a deep bunker front right.
• Hole 7, 320 yards, par 4: Risk and reward. Long hitters can challenge the water and go at the green; the safer line down the left leaves a short pitch.
• Hole 10, 453 yards, par 4: The second handicap hole and, by the club’s account, the hardest tee shot on the course, with trees right, a waste area left and another waste area crossing the fairway 100 to 130 yards from the green.
• Hole 14, 635 yards, par 5: The second shot has to carry a waste area about 40 yards long and as wide as the fairway.
• Hole 15, 342 yards, par 4: Short but exacting, with a moat across the front of the green and a lake on the left.
• Hole 17, 543 yards, par 5: Water left, trees right and three fairway bunkers off the tee, then a choice: go for the green over the lake and creek or take one of two layups.

Amenities and Practice

The public practice center has ryegrass tees for 30 players, synthetic mats for wet weather, a practice bunker, a bent grass chipping green and an 11,000 square foot putting green. Small buckets are $8 and large buckets $14. Posted hours start at 6:30 a.m. most days (8 a.m. Monday and Thursday) and end at 5 or 6 p.m.; the club says they can change.

PGA professionals led by Head Golf Professional Kekoa Mark teach individual lessons, groups and clinics; call the golf shop, open 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., for prices. TaylorMade rental sets are $65 with two sleeves of balls.

Food and Drink

The club’s own Varsity Grill serves hearty food and has a full bar, multiple TVs and a patio where you can watch groups finish on the 18th fairway. It is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The club also hosts banquets, corporate events and tournaments with full service catering.

Plan Your Visit

Rates, Tee Times and Local Tips

Washington National uses dynamic pricing, so there is no fixed rate card, and the cart is part of every rate, shown as its own line at checkout. On September 30, 2026 we read every public tee time on the club’s booking system for September 30 through October 7. With the cart, 18 holes ran $64.80 to $131.30 Monday to Thursday and $80.75 to $134.40 Friday to Sunday; 9 holes ran $41.25 to $57 Monday to Thursday and $48.75 to $64.50 Friday and Sunday, with no 9 hole times on Saturday. The cart portion was $20 for 18 holes and $15 for 9. Expect different numbers when you book.

Book on the club’s online tee time page, in the Oki Golf app or at 253-333-5000; the club says the best price is always online. Tee times open seven days ahead and need a credit card, and a no show or late cancellation costs $15 per golfer. Senior and junior rates are only for Players Cardholders, and military members get Players Card rates. Wear a collared shirt with sleeves, no denim, Bermuda length shorts and soft spikes.

The course sits east of downtown Auburn, so a round pairs well with a stop at Flaming Geyser State Park on the Green River or our Enumclaw guide. For a gentler second round, Auburn Golf Course is about three miles away.

How to Score Here

• Play the right tees. The scorecard suggests Senior for handicaps 0 to 6, Junior for 7 to 18, Sophomore for 19 to 24 and Freshman for 25 and up.
• Miss long on the 5th and 9th, where deep bunkers guard the front of the greens.
• Take at least one club less on the 11th, where the tee is elevated.
• Play later in the day. The lowest 18 hole prices in our check were afternoon tee times.

Final Word

Washington National is a championship test with a college pedigree, a full practice center and prices that drop with demand.