7. Palouse Ridge Golf Club at Washington State University
Pullman, Wash.
7,308 yards, par 72; Green fees: $58-$104;
509-335-4342; palouseridge.com

Washington State University has produced its share of
NFL stars — Drew Bledsoe, Ryan Leaf, Timm Rosenbach — so perhaps the school's new golf course will help it produce
PGA Tour-level golfers. One thing is certain: All WSU
golfers will be assured a stiff test before graduation.

Palouse Ridge belongs in the upper echelon of college
courses. The John Harbottle III design rolls through
windswept, mostly treeless terrain and boasts panoramic
views of mountain peaks in Idaho and Oregon. Particularly
eye-catching are the massive, whisker-edged bunkers that dot
the layout. The 463-yard, par-4 1st hole sets the tone, playing
along a fescue-covered ridge toward Bryan Clock Tower,
WSU's most recognizable landmark.

In short order, Palouse
Ridge has proven to be the perfect excuse to cut class.