Sunday Night Football is coming to Seattle, and the scriptwriters went full soap opera. The undefeated Chiefs roll into Lumen Field with Kenneth Walker III, the ex-Seahawk currently leading the NFL in rushing, back to face the team that let him walk. If you're looking for golf near Seattle Washington, the schedule just did you a favor: the game is Sunday night, so Friday and Saturday are all yours.
Lumen Field and the Seattle skyline at golden hour.
The game
Kansas City (5-0) visits Seattle (3-3) on Sunday, October 25. Kickoff is 8:20 PM ET (5:20 PM PT) on NBC and Peacock from Lumen Field.
The Chiefs are coming off a 22-6 dismantling of the Chargers, and Walker did most of the dismantling: 128 yards and two touchdowns. He's at 665 rushing yards on the season, tops in the league, and he was a big reason Seattle won Super Bowl LX last year. Now he gets to do it against his old team, in front of the 12s. No pressure.
Vegas noticed too. The Seahawks opened as 1.5-point home favorites, the first time all season the Chiefs haven't opened as the favorite. Seattle has dropped two straight but gets a rest edge after playing Thursday night last week.
Then there's the real wild card: the weather. Late October in Seattle is doing late October in Seattle things, and the models can't agree. As of Wednesday, forecasts range from showers Saturday and Sunday (mid-50s, 40 to 50 percent chance of rain) to a dry, clear stretch. Check again before you pack. Either way, it's Lumen Field in October, so dress like someone who's been rained on before.
Best public golf courses near Seattle
Chambers Bay Golf Course (University Place) is the anchor. It's Robert Trent Jones Jr.'s walking-only links on Puget Sound, the 2015 U.S. Open venue, and it's owned by Pierce County, which makes it one of the great municipal rounds on the planet. From the tips it's 7,585 yards of fescue, dunes, and humiliation. October rates start at $229 for non-residents ($189 for Washington residents, $159 for Pierce County residents, plus tax). There are no carts, so bring your legs. It's about 50 to 60 minutes south of Lumen Field.
The Golf Club at Newcastle (Newcastle) gives you 36 public holes, Coal Creek and China Creek, on a hilltop looking out at Lake Washington, the Seattle skyline, and Mt. Rainier when the clouds allow it. It's about 20 minutes east of Lumen Field. Prices move with demand: Coal Creek usually runs $116 to $199 and China Creek $86 to $149 for 18 holes with a cart.
Washington National Golf Club (Auburn) is John Fought's 7,305-yard, par 72 championship layout (141 slope) and the home course of the University of Washington men's and women's golf teams. It's about 30 to 35 minutes south of Lumen Field. There's no fixed weekend rate posted, but directories land around $90 to $147 for 18. If you've ever wondered how your game stacks up against the Huskies, here's your chance to find out. Gently.
Gold Mountain Golf Club (Bremerton) is a municipally owned 36 with two courses, the Olympic and the Cascade, about 60 to 75 minutes west of Lumen Field by ferry or by driving around. The Olympic hosted the 2006 U.S. Amateur Public Links, and a teenage Jordan Spieth won the 2011 U.S. Junior Amateur here. Weekend 18 on the Olympic is $99 ($72 on weekdays). It's also your rain plan: tall trees and real forest golf for when the Sound is doing Sound things.
Druids Glen Golf Club (Covington) is Keith Foster's 7,102-yard, par 72 forest layout with Mt. Rainier views and a 137 slope that will remind you trees are, in fact, hazards. It's about 30 to 40 minutes southeast of Lumen Field. Weekend 18 was listed at $100 ($80 weekdays), with twilight from $55 and carts at $25 per rider, but those posted rates ran through October 18, so confirm before you book.
West Seattle Golf Course (Seattle) is the City of Seattle muni designed by H. Chandler Egan: 6,805 yards, par 72, with views of downtown and Elliott Bay. It's 15 to 20 minutes from Lumen Field, which makes it the perfect Sunday morning round before kickoff. Weekend 18 is $53.50 for adults ($47.50 weekdays), and twilight is $39. Best deal on the list. Not close.
Links golf above Puget Sound near Seattle.
The play
Friday: land and play the anchor. Chambers Bay is walking only, so hit it with fresh legs. Friday also looks like the driest day of the weekend right now, with highs in the mid-50s. Fescue, Puget Sound, and one of the great walks in American golf.
Saturday: the whole day is yours. Newcastle for the views, Washington National for the championship test, or Druids Glen for the forest. Saturday's forecast is murky, so check the morning models, and if rain is coming, Gold Mountain's tree cover is your best shelter. Pack the rain gear either way. This is the Pacific Northwest. It's not a surprise.
Sunday: West Seattle in the morning. You're 15 minutes from downtown, and an 8 AM tee time leaves plenty of room before the 5:20 PM PT kickoff. Then it's Lumen Field for the main event: the league's rushing leader against the team that raised him, under the lights on NBC. Same formula as our GameDay in Provo weekend. Golf by day, big football by night.
Quick answers
Can I play golf Sunday and still make kickoff?
Yes, and Sunday is the best day for it. Kickoff isn't until 5:20 PM PT, so an early round at West Seattle Golf Course, 15 minutes from downtown, gets you back with hours to spare. Book the first tee time and keep an eye on the rain.
What's the best public course near Seattle?
Chambers Bay Golf Course (University Place). The 2015 U.S. Open venue is a walking-only Robert Trent Jones Jr. links on Puget Sound (about 7,585 yards, par 72), owned by Pierce County. It's a bucket-list round at muni pricing, and it's the anchor of the weekend.
What's the rain plan?
Forecasts disagree this far out. One model has showers Saturday and Sunday (mid-50s, 40 to 50 percent chance of rain) while others keep it dry, so check before you pack. If it's wet, Gold Mountain Golf Club (Bremerton) is your rain plan: 36 holes of forest golf under tall trees, including the Olympic course that hosted the 2006 U.S. Amateur Public Links.
Artwork generated for this post.