Interviews

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Richard Humphreys
/ Categories: News

Gamble Sands breaks ground on short course designed by David McLay Kidd

Gamble Sands in Brewster, Washington, has broken ground on its second course, Quicksands, which comprises 14 one-shot holes designed by David McLay Kidd.

Quicksands will be laid out on rolling sand dunes to the east of the Gamble Sands clubhouse, between the range and the entry road.

It is the first short course designed by Kidd and will be the first of its kind in Washington state. Quicksands will join the resort’s 18-hole Sands course, which opened for play in 2014, and the 100,000-square-foot Cascades putting course that followed shortly afterwards.

“Historically, short courses were often afterthoughts, squeezed into useless corners for non-golfers to go try their hand,” said Kidd. “Today, short courses have become a serious addition to world-class golf resorts. The best land is sought, the best talent is brought to bear, expectations are high, and we don’t plan to disappoint.”

Holes will range between 60 to 160 yards, each designed to offer a unique challenge to a golfer’s skills and imagination. Their working names, including Plinko, Crater, Donut and Boomerang, give some sense of what to expect.

“It is maybe the best piece of terrain on the property,” said Kidd. “We didn’t use it for the big course because it is wildly contoured. It was pretty difficult to figure out a way for a full-scale hole through it, but for fourteen short holes, it was perfect.”

Watch: David McLay Kidd provides a preview of the Quicksands layout.

Kidd and partner Nick Schaan were hands-on in the creation of Quicksands, working with the crew, running equipment and shaping with hand tools.

“We expect a lot of whooping and hollering throughout the course, giving it a strong social vibe,” said Brady Hatfield, general manager, Gamble Sands. “Plus, Quicksands will not be an overly stern test of one’s golf game. With limited force carries and tons of turf, golfers will have lots of shot options.”

“Enjoying the game of golf is the name of the game at Gamble Sands,” said Tory Wulf, project manager at Gamble Sands. “By adding Quicksands as the next piece of the puzzle we are providing another enjoyable and timely option for all levels of golfers.”

Grassing started in mid-May and the course is expected to be completed and open for limited preview play this autumn and fully open next year.

Previous Article Brown is just fine
Next Article Royal Waterloo appoints Caspar Grauballe to develop master plan
Print
3198 Rate this article:
No rating
Slideshow HTML
  • Quicksands
    Youtube/OB Sports

    Gamble Sands has broken ground on its second course, which comprises 14 short holes designed by David McLay Kidd

  • Quicksands
    Youtube/OB Sports

    Holes will range between 60 to 160 yards

  • Quicksands
    Youtube/OB Sports

    The course is being laid out over rolling sand dunes

  • Quicksands
    Youtube/OB Sports

    Preview play is expected to begin this autumn

ADd Image Credit here for home page
Youtube/OB Sports
Richard Humphreys

Richard HumphreysRichard Humphreys

Other posts by Richard Humphreys
Contact author

Contact author

x

Subscribe to the Golf Course Architecture newsletter


  • ©2025 Tudor Rose. All Rights Reserved. Golf Course Architecture is published by Tudor Rose.