Northern Pines Golf Club

Overview: Northern Pines Golf Club is an 18-hole public course in Kalispell's Flathead Valley. The layout is deliberately divided into two contrasting halves. The front nine has a Scottish links-style character, with rolling ground and open views, while the back nine wraps around the Stillwater River and introduces more elevation change and forest framing. Designed by Andy North with Roger Packard, the course uses the contrast between those landscapes as its main strategic and visual theme. At par 72 and about 7,015 yards, it offers a substantial test with several teeing options.

History: Northern Pines opened for play in 1996 and quickly became one of Montana's leading public courses. The Montana State Golf Association describes the course as a top state layout, while the club's current presentation continues to emphasise the two distinct nines and their relationship with the Flathead Valley. Andy North's role is especially notable: the two-time U.S. Open champion brought a player's perspective to a course whose success depends on both positioning and adaptation to changing terrain.

Did You Know? The front and back nines do not simply repeat one landscape. The first nine is presented as rolling Scottish-style golf, while the back nine follows the Stillwater River through a more varied and elevated setting. That deliberate split is the course's defining architectural idea.