Sudden Valley Golf Course

About This Course: Two Different Nines on Lake Whatcom

Sudden Valley Golf Course sits in the Sudden Valley community on the shore of Lake Whatcom, with a Bellingham mailing address. The reason to make the drive is the contrast: the front nine runs flat and open beside the lake, then the back nine climbs a ridge through tall evergreens on narrower fairways. It is an 18 hole, par 72 Ted Robinson design that plays 6,464 yards from the back tees, with water on 14 holes and 47 bunkers.

The course is open to the public all year, with four sets of tees plus two combination tees, an all grass practice range and a Mexican restaurant in the clubhouse. In May 2026 it hosted the Washington Women’s Four Ball for the first time.

Sudden Valley Golf Course Fast Facts

Course Overview

WA Golf dates the course to 1971. It was designed by Ted Robinson, a former president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects whose Northwest work includes Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish. In December 1976 control of Sudden Valley passed to the new Sudden Valley Community Association. The course has hosted the Washington Men’s Amateur five times, most recently in 2001, plus the 2019 Washington Women’s Amateur and a 2019 U.S. Senior Open qualifier.

The two nines play like different courses. The front nine is relatively open and flat along Lake Whatcom, with generous landing areas and large greens, so it rewards long, straight driving. The back nine follows a ridge uphill on narrow fairways lined with evergreens, and its greens are smaller, so accuracy and course management take over. The par 4s run 328 to 420 yards, the four par 5s 464 to 508, and the four par 3s sit between 171 and 177 yards. The front nine plays 3,321 yards and the back nine 3,143, and the pace of play policy is 2 hours and 10 minutes per nine.

Hole by Hole Highlights

Yardages are from the Black tees, from the course’s own scorecard.

• Hole 1, 508 yards, par 5: The longest hole on the course opens the round, so a solid start can bank a stroke.
• Hole 5, 420 yards, par 4: The longest par 4 and the number 3 handicap hole for men. Expect a long iron in.
• Hole 9, 393 yards, par 4: The number 1 handicap hole for men and women, the hardest on the card, just before the turn.
• Hole 10, 464 yards, par 5: The shortest par 5 starts the back nine and is a real birdie chance.
• Hole 11, 328 yards, par 4: The shortest par 4. A fairway club and a wedge is a sensible plan.
• Hole 14, 359 yards, par 4: The number 2 handicap hole for men, despite its modest length.
• Hole 16, 171 yards, par 3: The shortest hole and the number 18 handicap.
• Hole 18, 380 yards, par 4: The finisher. A local rule gives free relief from the pump house and the vegetation around it.

Amenities and Practice

The practice range is all grass, and the hitting area moves often to keep fresh turf. Buckets are $6 for 25 balls, $8 for 45 and $10 for 75. The range opens at 7:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday (9 a.m. on Mondays, after maintenance) and at 7 a.m. on Sunday, and closes early on Sundays. A chipping green and practice bunker cover the short game.

Lessons are $60 for 30 minutes and $95 for an hour, with three and five lesson packages and junior lessons (17 and under) at $40 and $65. Coaches are Director of Golf Kevin LeDuc, Head Golf Professional Darren Chapman and Teaching Professional Emily Tubert, a former LPGA and Symetra Tour player who won the 2010 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links. The golf shop also handles regripping and club fitting.

Food and Drink

El Agave, upstairs in the clubhouse, is a family owned Mexican restaurant serving fajitas, enchiladas and taco salads, with indoor seating and outdoor seating overlooking the course. It has live music on Fridays and a daily happy hour; call 360-393-3853. The Sudden Valley Community Association also lists a 19th Hole Café downstairs that opens early.

Plan Your Visit

Rates, Tee Times and Local Tips

These are the October rates on the course’s own rate page, checked October 4, 2026. Monday through Thursday, 18 holes are $53 and 9 holes are $34, with twilight rates of $40 and $33. Friday through Sunday, 18 holes are $64 and 9 holes are $41, with twilight at $45 and $40. Seniors pay $47 for 18 and $30 for 9 Monday through Thursday. Riding carts are $17 per rider for 18 holes and $12 for 9, pull carts are $7 and $5, and a premium rental set is $35 or $20. All prices include tax.

From November through February, 18 holes drop to $43 on weekdays and $53 on weekends; from May through September they run $62 and $75. Online tee times use dynamic pricing, so rates move with demand, and the dynamic rate is only available online. Book on the Sudden Valley tee times page or call 360-734-6435. Hours are 6:30 a.m. to dusk from April to October and 7 a.m. to dusk the rest of the year.

The course map shows the entrance at Gate 2 on Lake Whatcom Boulevard, with the clubhouse just inside. Our Bellingham city guide covers the rest of your day, and the Bellingham coffee shops roundup sorts out an early cup before your tee time. For a second round in town, try Lake Padden Golf Course.

How to Score Here

• Score on the front nine. It is longer on the card but flatter and more open, with larger greens.
• Club for position on the back nine. Narrow, tree lined fairways and smaller greens punish a wide miss more than a short one.
• Take the par 5 chances at holes 1 and 10, the longest and shortest of the four.
• Treat holes 9 and 14, the two hardest on the card, as par holes and accept a bogey.

Final Word

Sudden Valley gives you a lakeside front nine and a wooded ridge back nine in one round, a Ted Robinson design with real tournament history, and October green fees under $65.