Overlake Golf and Country Club

About This Course: A. Vernon Macan’s Private 18 in Medina

Overlake Golf and Country Club is a private club in Medina, on the east side of Lake Washington between Bellevue and Kirkland, and its golf course is an 18 hole, par 71 layout credited to A. Vernon Macan, the designer behind Northwest classics such as Inglewood, Broadmoor and Fircrest. The club describes the course as “a classic, walkable gem” and a “challenging yet fair test of golf for all skill levels.”

Overlake is a members only club. There are no public green fees or public tee times, and guests play when they come with the member who is sponsoring them.

Overlake Golf and Country Club Fast Facts

Course Overview

The first Overlake Golf Club opened in 1927 on a course designed by Frank James, whose other work includes Sand Point Country Club and Jackson Park Golf Course. The Great Depression closed it in 1935, and the land became pasture for horses and Hereford cattle. Norton Clapp later acquired the property, and in 1952 he agreed to lease the 132 acre site to a newly formed Overlake Golf and Country Club, which officially opened on June 27, 1953. Top 100 Golf Courses credits A. V. Macan with designing the new course, and architect Jeff Mingay describes it as a 1951 Macan design. Since 2010, Mingay has led a phased improvement of the course and practice areas; Cybergolf reported in the mid 2010s that the plan covered tree removal, drainage and renovated, reshaped bunkers meant to bring back the strategy Macan intended.

From the Blue tees the course plays 6,678 yards, with a 3,177 yard front nine at par 35 and a 3,501 yard back nine at par 36. The mix is eleven par 4s, four par 3s and three par 5s. Seven of the par 4s measure 400 yards or more, two of the par 3s run past 200 yards, and two of the par 5s come on the back nine, which is why the inward half plays more than 300 yards longer. In 1994 Overlake hosted the Ernst Championship with Fred Couples, who won it, and his photo still hangs on the club’s history wall.

Hole by Hole Highlights

Yardages are from the Blue tees on the published scorecard (Offcourse and Golfify agree, and both match the 6,678 yard total on GolfPass). Handicaps are listed only where the published cards agree.

• Hole 1, 405 yards, par 4: The number 5 handicap hole opens the round. The clock tower here was dedicated in 2012 to the club’s longtime head professionals.
• Hole 3, 146 yards, par 3: The shortest hole on the course and the number 17 handicap.
• Hole 4, 417 yards, par 4: The number 3 handicap hole.
• Hole 5, 220 yards, par 3: The longest par 3. Expect a fairway wood or long iron from the back tee.
• Hole 7, 435 yards, par 4: The longest par 4 and the number 1 handicap, the hardest hole on the card.
• Hole 8, 484 yards, par 5: The only par 5 on the front nine and the shortest of the three. A birdie chance.
• Hole 14, 406 yards, par 4: The number 2 handicap hole.
• Hole 17, 570 yards, par 5: The longest hole on the course. Plan it as three shots.

Amenities and Practice

The practice setup is a driving range with heated hitting bays and a Learning Center that offers virtual golf and lessons with Trackman, where you can hit into the screen or out to the range. The club also lists a fully stocked pro shop and an instruction program, and its Director of Golf, Mark Sursely, has served for more than 15 years.

Beyond golf, the club covers about 130 acres with a six lane pool, two outdoor courts for tennis and pickleball, and youth programs and summer camps. The club says it has more than 900 member families.

Food and Drink

Dining is led by Chef Alex Nemeth, and the club lists the Overlake Bar and Grill and the Overlake Café among its facilities, with weekly live music and events in the clubhouse. The clubhouse was last fully renovated in the fall of 2017.

Plan Your Visit

Guest Play, Membership and Local Tips

Overlake has no public rates or online tee times. The club’s guest information page says guests accompanying their sponsoring members are welcome, and that guest conduct is the responsibility of the member. Golf privileges come with Proprietary and Intermediate memberships; Intermediate Membership is for ages 21 to 42 and carries reduced initiation fees in three age tiers. A Social Membership covers the pool, racquet courts, dining and programs, and its listed benefits do not include golf. The club’s site does not list fees; you request information through its membership page, which takes inquiries through a form.

Know the dress code before you go. On the course: no blue jeans, no cargo pants or cargo shorts, and no athletic shorts or sweatpants; men need shirts with sleeves and a collar and slacks or shorts with a zipper, and women need shirts with a collar, sleeves or both. Golf attire is fine in the clubhouse, but no metal spikes, and no hats or visors in the dining room. When you arrive, turn right and park in the area marked Guest Parking.

Medina has no EWS town page yet, so start with our Bellevue guide next door. For a public round on a course from Overlake’s original designer, Frank James, book Jackson Park Golf Course in Seattle, and for another private club Frank James built, see Sand Point Country Club.

How to Score Here

• Bring your long irons. Seven par 4s are 400 yards or more, and holes 5 and 12 are par 3s over 200 yards from the Blue tees.
• Score on the front. Hole 8 is the shortest par 5, and hole 3 is the shortest hole on the course.
• Play holes 7 and 14 for par. They carry the number 1 and 2 handicaps.
• Pick the right tee. The White tees at 6,290 yards take almost 400 yards off the course.

Final Word

Overlake pairs a classic Macan course and nearly a century of club history with a heated range and family amenities. If a member invites you, say yes, and follow the dress code.