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		From Teeing Ground To Green Reprinted from July 2006 Issue -by JOE MADAY Course Review: Columbia Point Golf Course, Richland I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - for me, playing Columbia Point is like coming home. It carries some of the remnants of its predecessor – Sham-Na-Pum. I always enjoyed the old course with its trees and wildlife. When construction of Columbia Point began in 1996, course architect, James Engh, had the foresight to keep most of the old trees, but lightening and Tri-Cities winds continue to take their toll on the older trees. Recent plantings of new saplings, some 100, are in evidence and they will continue to provide welcome shade during the hot Tri-Cities summer and add a buffer from the constant hum of nearby freeway traffic. Columbia Point is considered an upscale, daily fee facility. Built 1997, owned by the City of Richland and managed by I.R.I. Golf Group, L.L.C., this course is challenging for all levels of golfers. The Engh design features mounded, rolling fairways and large, undulating greens. It boasts a variety of tee boxes and measures 6,571 yards from the tips. The greens and tees are bent grass while the fairways are a mix of blue grass and rye. Columbia Point has a fully stocked golf shop; cafe, covered patio and driving range complete with extra amenities. The first hole at Columbia Point can give the golfer a false sense of confidence. It is relatively straightaway and I’ve seen the long hitters drive the green and walk away with birdie. I’ve also seen them drive through the green and walk away with bogey. Number two will give you that same feeling, but #3 is where the reality begins. You will want to keep your drive to the right of the fairway. Anything short and left will find the water. Flag location on the two tiered green can also present some problems. Walking away with par is a gift. The signature 14th hole at Columbia Point presents a classic risk-reward challenge. The par 4, measuring 309 yards from the black tee, gives you two options to play the hole. A mid iron placed down the down the fairway leaves you a wedge to the green, but is well guarded by grass and sand bunkers. The more aggressive golfer will take the fairway out of play and aim directly at the green with a driver. Hit the green and you have a great chance to get an eagle 2. Miss the green and your apt to make bogey or higher by coming to rest in the water or the bunkers. This year, Columbia Point is playing host to NBC affiliate KNDU’s, fifth season of Go For The Green. Each week 6 contestants compete for the chance to win fabulous prizes, including an R.V. for a hole-in-one or a weekly prize package for closest-to-the-pin. Weekly winners get a chance to sink a 15-foot Money Putt for a cool $100 in cash. This year’s “target hole” is Columbia Point’s Par 5 18th. 18 is a great finishing hole and requires incredible risk or course management. Long ball artists will try to hit the ball over the pump house to cut off the dogleg left giving them a nice second shot to the green. Each year that shot gets more and more difficult as the tree gets taller. The brave can also go to a bail out area in the right fairway and take the next shot across water to the green. You can book your tee time online at http://www.columbiapointgolfcourse.com/, or take advantage of their many player development programs, by calling 509-946-0710. When you check in, tell Joe Creager, General Manager and PGA Professional, that you read about Columbia Point in The Entertainer. Whether you’re shooting eagle or bogey, remember your golf etiquette. Replace your divots, repair your ball marks, rake the bunkers, and love the game. I’ll see you here, next month, in The Entertainer. About the author - Joe Maday is a member of The Northwest Golf Media Association. He is also the Co-Founder of The Brotherhood of The Dimpled Orb‘, b.o.d.o.‘ Golf, and the b.o.d.o. Tour‘. He was a regular player on the b.o.d.o. Tour‘ and is the former Commissioner of the Tour’s august body of brethren. If you have any comments about this article, questions on where to play, or problems with your game, you can reach Joe at his e-mail address: bodobuddy1@verizon.net.