Mark Bass, the director of instruction at Willows Run Golf Academy in Redmond, is a great golf instructor. It is worth noting that in all sports, a great athlete does not make a great teacher.... More

Mark Bass, the director of instruction at Willows Run Golf Academy in Redmond, is a great golf instructor. It is worth noting that in all sports, a great athlete does not make a great teacher. You could have Tiger Woods himself come in to teach you, but I doubt that he would be a better golf teacher than David Leadbetter, for example. With this point in mind, I would like to say that Mark Bass is a great golf instructor. He completely reoriented my golf swing around body weight transfer rather than arm power. He also straightened out my swing plane, which helped my accuracy tremendously, especially on the short irons. What makes him a great teacher is that he has that unique ability to look at your swing and tell you what you're doing wrong, and what you need to work on to improve it. He also covers course strategy in his instruction, including what type of shot to play when, and course management skills. If you are at all interested to pick up golf, or lower your handicap if you already play, I would wholeheartedly recommend Mark as an instructor.
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I’ve played at Willows Run numerous times, both at their driving range, Heron Links, Coyote Creek, and Eagles Talon. All are nice, reasonably inexpensive courses to play at that offer very wide... More

I’ve played at Willows Run numerous times, both at their driving range, Heron Links, Coyote Creek, and Eagles Talon. All are nice, reasonably inexpensive courses to play at that offer very wide open holes, and a great view of Mt. Rainier on a clear day. On most evenings in the summer, you can even see balloonists in the distance….it’s very nice.
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Willows Run (Eagle Talon or Coyote Creek) are great golf courses for new golfers. The fairway and greens are flawless like high-end courses, but they fairway is also pretty flat. There are some... More

Willows Run (Eagle Talon or Coyote Creek) are great golf courses for new golfers. The fairway and greens are flawless like high-end courses, but they fairway is also pretty flat. There are some holes with character, but there aren't a lot of traps or hills to cause frustration in a new golfer. I've been a beginner golfer now for about 10 years and appreciate this course. I can focus on consistency and staying in the fairway rather than worrying about how to adjust my stance when hitting on a bad slope. The best part about Willows is the senior and women's special-- $22 for 18 holes week days. It is great. I can go out after work and get in 18 holes and not be crowded by the people jumping on the course after twilight rates hit.
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