THE ADVANCING ONSLAUGHT of wet and wind, synonymous with winter in the Pacific Northwest, is not far away.
For me, fall pretty much wraps up and winter begins with the switch back to standard time.
The leaves have shaken out, the thermometer has plunged and darkness envelopes us for 16 hours or so per day.
A good way to use those precious hours of daylight?
Drive to Sea-Tac and hop a flight to anywhere with palm trees and fruit-flavored alcoholic drinks?
Well, sure.
And that may happen for me sometime in early 2011.
But that’s not possible every day.
Instead, head to your local links and take advantage of cheaper winter rates.
Here’s the winter fee schedule for North Olympic Peninsula courses.
• Peninsula Golf Club, Port Angeles: The public can play this semi-private course from 11 a.m. to sunset on Mondays and Fridays, and noon to sunset on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Cost from now through March is $13 for nine holes and $26 for 18 holes.
Juniors pay $10 or $16.
Call the club at 360- 457-6501.
• SkyRidge Golf Course, Sequim: Winter rates at the links-style course in the Dungeness Valley begin on Monday.
Greens fees for adults are $15 for nine holes and $20 for 18 holes, and $10 and $15 for juniors.
The course is open seven days a week.
Carts will remain at $10 a seat for nine holes and $15 a seat for 18.
Playing partners can also take advantage of a Two-for-Tuesday rate and receive two rounds of golf and use of a cart for $44 for nine and $60 for 18 holes.
Phone the course at 360-683-3673.
• Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course, Sequim: Rates through February are $28 for 18 holes and $17 for nine Monday through Thursday.
They also have a twilight rate of $20 and a super twilight rate of $15.
Players up for a marathon outing can play all day for $44.
Juniors can play 18 for $12 and nine for $8.
Good deals for the kiddos right there.
Friday, Sunday and holidays the rates bump up to $30 for 18 holes, $18 for nine.
The twilight rates stay the same as well as junior rates.
All-day play is raised by $1 to $45.
Phone the pro shop at 360-683-6344.
• SunLand Golf & Country Club, Sequim: The club has switched to its winter rate schedule, which will run through March 31.
Golfers can play 18 holes for $25 or 18 holes with a cart for $38.75.
Nine holes are $20.75 with a cart and $14 without.
Taxes aren’t included, so prices will be bumped up a little bit.
Tee times can be made by phoning 360-683-6800, ext. 13.
• Discovery Bay Golf Club, Port Townsend: Rates are $15 and $22 for nine and 18 holes, respectively, and $12 and $17 for seniors over the age of 60.
Juniors get a real break, with nine holes setting kids back $5 and 18 just $10.
I have no idea what the going rate for allowances for kids is these days, I don’t have any of my own, but even without inflation those rates are very reasonable for the young set.
• Port Townsend Golf Club: Rates are low and easy to understand, $11 for nine holes and $16 for 18 holes.
Juniors are $7 and $10.
• Port Ludlow Golf Club: Out on Tide and Timber, rates are $18 for nine holes and $32 for 18 holes on Monday through Thursday.
On the weekends rates are $20 and $39.
Carts can be added for $9 on the weekdays and $15 on weekends.
These rates will run through the New Year and likely until the first of March.
Rick Kaps on tap
The Rick Kaps Memorial Scholarship Scramble will give golfers a chance to work off some of that delicious Thanksgiving Day dinner.
The tournament will be held at Sequim’s SkyRidge Golf Course starting at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 26.
A good chunk of the proceeds from the tournament provide scholarship money for Sequim High School seniors.
The four-person scramble tourney is $220 in advance or $240 the day of the event if spots remain.
The first 20 teams signed up are guaranteed a spot.
Tournament entry includes a gourmet meal, T-shirt, KP prizes, range balls and a scholarship donation.
Turkey shoot on tap
Port Townsend will also host its annual Turkey Shoot Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 20.
Winners receive turkeys, for the Thanksgiving Day dinner table, so call the course and save yourself a spot.
Cafe specials
Port Townsend’s Hidden Rock Cafe has a couple of specials on offer through November.
Customers who eat at the course this month will receive a small bucket of range balls.
Those who play a round of golf and find a small rock with “Hidden Rock” painted on it lying around the course, will receive a free breakfast or lunch from the new eatery.
Sweet November Rain
No, this isn’t the portion of my column where I discuss my favorite Guns N’ Roses rock ballads.
Although, I am a little more partial to “Sweet Child of Mine.”
I just wanted to pass along a recommendation for keeping that wet weather off of you and keeping you on the course in inclement weather.
The Man in the Black Hat, a style columnist who writes for pgatour.com suggests using the new FootJoy Layering System.
You can read all about the new technology at http://tinyurl.com/34eexmk.
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Michael Carman is the golf columnist for the Peninsula Daily News. He can be reached at 360-417-3527 or at pdngolf@gmail.com.