Yakima Country Club

About This Course: Central Washington’s First Country Club

Yakima Country Club is a private club three miles east of downtown Yakima, and the club calls itself the first country club in all of Central Washington. Its 18 hole course sits on 117 acres overlooking the Yakima Valley, with views of Mount Adams and Mount Rainier and fairways framed by apple orchards, vineyards, ponds and trees the club says are 100 years old.

Play is for members and their guests. The club keeps its membership small by design and runs a no tee time policy, so members play when they like and nobody gets pushed from behind. From the Black tees the par 72 course is rated at 6,647 yards with a 131 slope.

Yakima Country Club Fast Facts

Course Overview

The club traces its start to 1915, when a group of Yakima business and professional men set out to build a social center and a place to play golf while the First World War raged overseas. Julius Harrah, the namesake of the town of Harrah, led the crew that cleared rocks and sagebrush for the original nine holes and advanced the money for the first clubhouse. That building burned in 1931, a second clubhouse burned in 1943, and the current clubhouse went up in 1949. The second nine came in 1953, and a 2016 project expanded the bar and added the East and West wings and the North patio. The club says it has hosted the Ladies Trans National championship (2015) and multiple Yakima City Championships, and WA Golf brought its Senior and Super Senior Men’s Amateur Championships here in June 2024.

The card rewards length and patience. The round opens with back to back par 5s, every par 3 is 162 yards or longer from the Black tees, and the 13th is a 481 yard par 4. Six rated tee sets, plus two junior sets, let every player find a fair version of the course.

Hole by Hole Highlights

Yardages are from the Black tees.

• Hole 1, 475 yards, par 5: A reachable opener for long hitters and a real birdie chance.
• Hole 2, 530 yards, par 5: The longest hole on the card and a true three shot hole for most players.
• Hole 5, 423 yards, par 4: A long par 4 on the front side that asks for a solid drive.
• Hole 6, 162 yards, par 3: The shortest hole from the back tees.
• Hole 13, 481 yards, par 4: The longest par 4 on the course; Stymie and GolfPass both list it as the No. 2 handicap hole.
• Hole 14, 506 yards, par 5: A back nine scoring chance right after the 13th.
• Hole 16, 449 yards, par 4: Another long par 4 late in the round.
• Hole 17, 188 yards, par 3: The longest par 3 on the card, just before the finish at the 18th green, which the clubhouse patio overlooks.

Amenities and Practice

Practice space is a strength. The club describes a full driving range with grass tees, full flight balls and target greens; a separate short game facility with grass and sand bunkers and three practice greens for shots up to 75 yard pitches; a practice putting green; and an extra grass tee for short and mid irons. The professional staff gives lessons with and without video, fits clubs and runs a full service pro shop.

The calendar is busy: Wednesday night horse races, Friday night Sundowners for couples, club championships and the Appleknocker Invitational, a three day member guest the club calls the highlight of the season. Women play 9 and 18 hole groups on Thursdays, followed by lunch. Off the course there are tennis and pickleball courts and a renovated pool with a splash pad and snack bar, open Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Food and Drink

The clubhouse dining rooms range from a casual patio overlooking the 18th green to the family friendly East Wing and a formal Dining Room, with IPAs on tap and a cocktail list. The September 2026 menus run from a Wapato Harvest Salad and Rainier fish and chips at lunch to a Washington apple pork ribeye, stuffed salmon and Royal Ranch steaks at dinner. Lunch is served Tuesday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with weekend breakfast, and dinner and happy hour run Thursday through Sunday.

Plan Your Visit

Rates, Tee Times and Local Tips

Yakima Country Club is private, so there are no public green fees or tee times, and the club publishes no guest fee. Play is for members and their guests, and guests follow the members’ dress code: collared shirts with sleeves for men, and no T shirts, tank tops, cutoffs or workout wear. If a member invites you, confirm the details with your host. Outside groups can also book a tournament through the club, and charity events such as the St. Joseph’s and Molly Davis Rotary tournaments were played here in 2025. For membership, events or tournaments, call 509-453-0363 or use the club’s contact form.

Our Yakima city guide covers the rest of town, and Spending a Weekend in Yakima for Food and Wine Lovers fills in the evening. The Yakima Area Arboretum makes an easy stop on the way in. For a round you can book yourself, try Apple Tree Golf Course or Fisher Park Golf Course, both in Yakima.

How to Score Here

• Start fast. Holes 1 and 2 are par 5s at 475 and 530 yards, the best birdie window of the day.
• Respect the 13th. At 481 yards it plays like a short par 5, so a bogey is no disaster.
• Bring your long irons. Every par 3 runs 162 to 188 yards from the Black tees.
• Pick your tees honestly. The Blue/White combination at 5,930 yards is plenty for most players, and the slope climbs quickly from there.

Final Word

More than a century after members cleared sagebrush for nine holes, Yakima Country Club pairs a long, demanding 18 with valley views and a full clubhouse. If a member invites you, take the tee time and stay for dinner on the patio.