Washington
Bellingham & Skagit Valley Golf Courses & Tee Times
Golf in Whatcom and Skagit counties runs from forest golf in Bellingham to links-style ground at North Bellingham and three nines above the Skagit Valley at Avalon. Most of it is open to the public. The best-known resort layout, Arnold Palmer's Semiahmoo, opened in 1987.
Can't get a tee time in Bellingham & Skagit Valley? Yoink watches 8 public courses, from Deming, Bellingham, Burlington, Blaine and Point Roberts. Pick your courses, set the day and time you want, and get a notification when a tee time opens, cancellations included.
The longest layout here is Avalon Golf Links at 6,837 yards.
Who runs public golf in Bellingham & Skagit Valley
The City of Bellingham's golf course is Lake Padden, run by Premier Golf Centers with city approval. It plays 6,575 yards through second-growth forest with trees up to 150 feet tall, and an 18-hole disc golf course shares its front nine. Most other golf here is privately owned and open to the public: North Bellingham, built by Caitac USA in 1995, Shuksan in Bellingham, Loomis Trail in Blaine and Avalon in Burlington.
Public courses worth knowing in Bellingham & Skagit Valley
- Lake Padden Golf Course: Bellingham's city course, 6,575 yards through second-growth forest; 2026 green fees from $48 on weekdays.
- North Bellingham Golf Course: Ted Locke links-style design on the old Wilder Ranch, opened 1995, with views of Mt. Baker and plenty of wind.
- Loomis Trail Golf Course: Public 18 in Blaine with water in play on every hole and one of the highest slope ratings in Washington.
- Avalon Golf Links: Robert Muir Graves design with three nines on a hill above the Skagit Valley.
- Shuksan Golf Club: Public 18 in Bellingham with big elevation changes and Ten Mile Creek in play.
8 courses in Bellingham & Skagit Valley
Bellingham
North Bellingham Golf Course
Ted Locke laid it over the open fields of the old Wilder Ranch in 1995: a Scottish-style links with Mt. Baker on the skyline and prevailing gale winds.
Shuksan Golf Club
Rick Dvorak's 1994 layout has dramatic elevation changes, Ten Mile Creek winding through and wide views of the North Cascades.
Point Roberts
Why tee times in Bellingham & Skagit Valley are hard to get
Golf in Bellingham & Skagit Valley follows the seasons: spring openers and fall weekends are the busiest stretches, and summer mornings fill before afternoons.
Each course releases its tee times on its own schedule, commonly a week or two out, with residents of town and county courses often booking first. Leagues, outings and members claim chunks of the sheet in advance, and whatever prime weekend times are left tend to go on release day.
When tee time cancellations happen
Booked-up doesn't mean gone. Plans change: groups cancel ahead of the course's cancellation deadline (often 24 to 48 hours out), players drop when the forecast turns, and a group that shrinks leaves an open spot. Those times quietly come back on the booking page, usually for minutes, not hours.
How to get a tee time in Bellingham & Skagit Valley
Yoink
Every course in Bellingham & Skagit Valley on one watchlist: all 8 of them
Pick the courses you'd play and Yoink keeps an eye on all 8 courses in Bellingham & Skagit Valley. You see what's open in one place, and you hear about it the moment a time that fits your day, window and group turns up, cancellations included.
Doing it by hand? Here's what works.
- Know the booking window. Find out how many days ahead each course releases times, and whether residents get an earlier window. Be ready the morning it opens.
- Look again 24 to 48 hours out. That's when most cancellation deadlines pass and spots come back.
- Be flexible on group size. Singles and twosomes fit into gaps a foursome can't.
- Try twilight and weekday afternoons. They're the last to fill and often cheaper.
- Widen the map. If your first choice is full, check the next town over. Deming has 2 courses on Yoink and Bellingham has 2.
Read the full guide to getting a tee time when everything's booked
Tee times in Bellingham & Skagit Valley: questions
How do I get notified when a tee time opens up in Bellingham & Skagit Valley?
Set a watch in Yoink for the courses you want, the days you can play, a time window and the number of players. Yoink checks those tee sheets every few minutes and sends a notification as soon as a matching time appears, cancellations included. You book it directly with the course.
When do tee time cancellations usually show up?
Mostly in the 24 to 48 hours before the tee time, as golfers cancel ahead of the course's cancellation deadline, and whenever the weather forecast changes. They appear without notice and tend to be rebooked quickly.
How far in advance can you book a tee time in Bellingham & Skagit Valley?
It depends on the course. Many public courses open bookings 7 to 14 days ahead, and town or county courses often give residents an earlier window. Each course's own booking page has its policy.
When is golf busiest in Bellingham & Skagit Valley?
Demand is highest on spring and fall weekends. Weekend mornings are always the hardest tee times to get.
Does Yoink book the tee time for me?
No. Yoink tells you when a time opens; you book it with the course on its own booking page, at the course's price, with no extra fee.
More golf in Washington
- Seattle · 71 courses
- Wenatchee, Chelan & Central Washington · 12 courses
- Portland · 9 courses
- Spokane & Eastern Washington · 9 courses
- Tri-Cities & Walla Walla · 5 courses
Sources
Facts on this page come from these pages, checked 2026-09-28. Rates and booking rules change, so confirm with the course.
- cob.org · official
- cob.org · official
- lakepaddengolf.com · official
- lakepaddengolf.com · official
- northbellinghamgolf.com · official
- shuksangolf.com · official
- avalonlinks.com · official
- bellingham.org · media
- historylink.org · media
Tee times in Bellingham & Skagit Valley, without the refreshing
Watch as many courses as you like. When a time opens that fits your day, window and group, Yoink tells you first.