What Gamble Sands does

Gamble Sands is a privately held, family-owned destination golf resort located on the Columbia River in Brewster, Washington, operated by the Gebbers family, whose agricultural operations on the surrounding land date back over a century. The resort's core offering is 50 holes of golf built on sandy fescue terrain across four distinct experiences designed by architect David McLay Kidd: the original 18-hole Gamble Sands championship course (2014), the Scarecrow 18-hole championship course (opened August 2025), the 14-hole Quicksands walking short course, and the 100,000-square-foot Cascades putting course inspired by the Himalayas at St. Andrews. Supporting infrastructure includes The Inn at Gamble Sands with 77 luxury rooms (expanded in 2025), two dining venues (Danny Boy farm-to-table restaurant and The Barn casual pizzeria), a trolley shuttle, EV chargers, and event facilities for weddings and corporate outings. Both Gamble Sands and Scarecrow have been recognized with Golf Digest's Best New Public Course awards in their respective opening seasons, a distinction achieved by no other resort.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with revenue generated across five streams: green fees (peak $295/18-hole, $75/Quicksands), Stay & Play lodging packages ($350-$595/night for River View and Golf View rooms), food and beverage, merchandise through a Troon-operated e-commerce shop, and event hosting including charity auctions ($600-$2,100). Distribution is anchored by a proprietary online booking platform and a dedicated group-sales team for parties of 12 or more, with bookings extending into 2027. Marketing is content-driven through editorial coverage in GOLF Magazine, Golfweek, Golf Digest, and Sports Illustrated, an eight-episode Growing Gamble documentary series, the quarterly Links Review digital magazine, and event partnerships with The Golfer's Journal and Barstool Sports. Customer segments are horizontal: destination golf enthusiasts booking multi-night stays, regional day-fee golfers, and luxury resort guests seeking year-round amenities including weddings and winter escapes.

Name

Gamble Sands

Legal name

Gamble Sands

Website

https://gamblesands.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Gamble Sands is a family-owned destination golf resort in Brewster, Washington, offering 50 holes of David McLay Kidd-designed golf, 77 luxury rooms, and two restaurants, serving affluent destination golfers, regional day-fee players, and group/event clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Golf Resort Hospitality

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910), Golf Courses and Country Clubs (71391)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury Golf Resorts (THAGACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Golf & Leisure Full-Service Hotels (THAGAAAH), Mini Golf & Attractions Centers (Mini Golf, Go-Karts, Laser Tag Complexes) (THAJAEAK)

Keywords

• Destination golf resort
• Championship golf courses
• Golf stay and play
• Links style golf
• Resort accommodations

Headquarters

HQ city

Brewster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Golf Green Fees: Day fee golf revenue from three golf experiences: Gamble Sands course, Scarecrow course, and Quicksands short course. Peak season (May-September) rates of $295 for 18-hole courses and $75 for Quicksands.
2. Stay & Play Packages: Overnight accommodation packages combining lodging at The Inn with golf access. River View rooms from $350-$475/night, Golf View rooms from $450-$595/night, with various room configurations including Single King, Double Queen, and King Suites.
3. Food & Beverage: Two dining venues: Danny Boy restaurant offering dinner service with classic grill fare, and The Barn offering all-day casual dining including handcrafted pizzas, grab-and-go items, and new canning machine for custom cocktails. Ingredients sourced from Gebbers Farms.
4. Merchandise & Apparel: Online shop offering golf merchandise, apparel, and branded items including Scarecrow merchandise. Operated through Troon shop platform, delivering directly to customers.
5. Event Hosting & Weddings: Corporate meetings, weddings, family reunions, and offseason gatherings. Includes exclusive resort buyouts during shoulder seasons and winter weddings. Charity auction packages range from $600 to $2,100.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gamble Sands is a destination golf resort offering 50 holes of golf across four DMK-designed courses (Gamble Sands championship, Scarecrow championship, Quicksands 14-hole short course, and Cascades putting course) accompanied by 77 luxury rooms at The Inn, two farm-to-table dining venues, and event hosting for weddings, corporate groups, and charity auctions. Its core commercial activity is selling green fees, overnight Stay & Play lodging packages, dining, and resort experiences directly to destination golfers through its own website and group sales team.

Product overview

Gamble Sands is a golf resort offering a portfolio of four distinct golf experiences designed by David McLay Kidd: the original Gamble Sands 18-hole championship course (2014), the Scarecrow 18-hole championship course (2025), the 14-hole Quicksands short course, and the Cascades 100,000-square-foot putting course. The resort features 77 rooms at The Inn with River-View and Golf-View accommodations, two dining venues (Danny Boy restaurant and The Barn), and additional services including Stay & Play packages, group bookings, a Resident Card program, charity auction packages, and merchandise. The resort is managed by Troon and operated by the Gebbers family, who have farmed the land for over a century. Recent expansions include a second putting course, EV chargers, electric golf cart fleet, and new entry road.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gamble Sands Championship Course The original 18-hole championship golf course that launched the resort in 2014. Designed by David McLay Kidd, featuring wide fairways with firm and fast fescue grasses, panoramic Columbia River views, and wide scoring lines that encourage creativity. Awarded Golf Digest's Best New Public Course in 2014 and ranked No. 18 on GOLF Magazine's Top 100 Courses You Can Play (2024-2025) and No. 20 on Golfweek's Best 2025 Top 200 Resort Courses. Available as public-access green fee play ($200-$295 per 18 holes).
• Scarecrow Championship Course The resort's second 18-hole championship course that opened August 1, 2025. Designed by David McLay Kidd and Nick Schaan on 300 acres of dramatic terrain overlooking the Columbia River. Features tighter scoring lines, smaller contoured greens, bold landforms, and more strategic recovery play compared to the original course. Named Golf Digest's Best New Public Course 2025 and Sports Illustrated's Best New Resort Course of 2025. Available as public-access green fee play ($200-$295 per 18 holes).
• Quicksands Short Course A 14-hole par-3 short course designed by David McLay Kidd, ranging from 60 to 180 yards per hole. Walking-only experience featuring creative hole names like Plinko, Crater, and Donut. Focuses on short-game creativity and imagination rather than traditional golf strategy. Available to play for a per-round fee (approximately $75).
• Cascades Putting Course A 100,000-square-foot putting course inspired by the Himalayas Putting Course at St. Andrews, Scotland. Measures 175 yards with daily-changing hole locations. Located on a bluff below the lodge with views of the Columbia River. Features fire pits for evening play and glow balls for after-dark putting. Available to resort guests and visitors as part of the resort experience.
• The Inn at Gamble Sands Year-round resort accommodations with 77 luxury rooms across two locations: River-View Rooms overlooking the Cascades Putting Course and Columbia River, and Golf-View Rooms with vistas of Scarecrow. All rooms feature fireplaces. River View offers single king, double queen, and king suite options; Golf View features double king rooms. Rated as the best golf resort in Washington. Room rates from $350 to $595 per night depending on view and season.
• Danny Boy Restaurant Farm-to-table dinner-only restaurant offering classic high-quality grill fare. Signature items include Tower of Tots, Danny Boy Burger, Ribeye, Prime Rib, and Fish and Chips. Many ingredients sourced from Gebbers Farms. Features ice-cold beer, creative cocktails, and sommelier-curated wine list. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. during non-golf season.
• The Barn Restaurant Casual all-day dining venue opened in 2024 featuring handcrafted pizzas, grab-and-go breakfast items (sandwiches, burritos), lunch options (pizzas, sliders, sandwiches), and daily special entrées. More than doubled the resort's bar space. Features a canning machine for custom cocktails to take onto the golf course. Closed during winter.
• Stay & Play Packages Overnight golf vacation packages combining lodging at The Inn with access to all golf courses. Customizable packages for individuals, groups, and golf getaways. Includes River View and Golf View accommodation options with golf bookings at Gamble Sands, Scarecrow, Quicksands, and Cascades.
• Group Bookings (12+ golfers) Specialized booking service for groups of 12 or more golfers. Reservation specialists help build custom itineraries including golf, rooms, dining preferences, and special events. Currently accepting inquiries for 2027 season and offering bookings outside the standard 120-day public window.
• Charity Auction Packages Golf experience packages for charity events and fundraisers, ranging from $600 to $2,100. Includes options such as Gamble Sands golf foursomes, overnight accommodations at The Inn, and QuickSands golf experiences. Provided as guaranteed auction items for fundraising organizations.
• Resident Card Program Annual loyalty program exclusively for residents of Okanagan, Chelan, and Douglas counties. Benefits include green fee savings on Gamble Sands and Scarecrow, one complimentary round on Quicksands, and 10% off Golf Shop merchandise.
• Merchandise & Apparel Shop Online shop operated via Troon offering golf merchandise, apparel, and branded items including Scarecrow-specific merchandise and Gamble Sands branded items. Delivered directly to customers via the gamblesands.troon.shop storefront.
• Gift Cards Digital gift cards available for purchase through the online shop, redeemable for golf, lodging, dining, and merchandise at the resort.
• Trolley Shuttle Service On-property shuttle service transporting guests and golf bags between the Golf Shop, Restaurants, River View Rooms, and Scarecrow/Golf View Rooms. Uses a vintage Mr. Rogers-style trolley seating 15 passengers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50 holes of golf across four distinct experiences
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• DMK Design (David McLay Kidd)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDavid McLay Kidd is the acclaimed golf architect who designed all courses at Gamble Sands. He created the original Gamble Sands course (2014), the Scarecrow course (2025), and supervised the Quicksands short course and Cascades putting course. Design associate Nick Schaan led architecture work on Scarecrow.
• The Golfer's JournalflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Golfer's Journal produced a 'Playing 18' video series featuring Scarecrow course and hosted their Broken Tee Society Tour event at Gamble Sands in July 2025 as part of Scarecrow's opening celebration.
• Barstool Sports (Barstool Classic)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerBarstool Classic competitive golf tour made a stop at Gamble Sands in July 2025, bringing their golf community to experience the resort and preview Scarecrow before its public opening.
• Gebbers FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Gebbers family has operated their agricultural business (apples, cherries, ranching) on the lands surrounding Gamble Sands for over a century. The family now operates the resort and supplies farm-fresh ingredients to the restaurants (Danny Boy, The Barn).

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Streamsong Resort: Florida destination resort with multiple award-winning courses built on reclaimed sand-mining land with resort lodging and F&B. Comparable in concept to Gamble Sands as a multi-course, design-driven, remote destination.
• Sand Valley Golf Resort: Multi-course destination golf resort in Wisconsin developed by Mike Keiser featuring sandy-soil, fescue-grass courses on inland terrain. Shares Gamble Sands' design-led, links-style philosophy and destination-golf positioning.
• Bandon Dunes Golf Resort: Privately held destination golf resort in Oregon with multiple 18-hole courses, links-style design, and Stay & Play lodging. Closest analog to Gamble Sands' multi-course, design-forward, destination-resort model in the Pacific Northwest.

Broad incumbents

• Pebble Beach Resorts: Iconic coastal golf destination in California with luxury lodging, multiple courses, and deep resort amenities. Comparable premium golf-resort category but at significantly larger scale and global brand recognition.
• Kiawah Island Golf Resort: South Carolina coastal golf resort with multiple championship courses (including an Ocean Course) and full resort lodging. Comparable as a destination golf resort targeting upscale travelers, though at larger scale and more diversified real estate.
• Pinehurst Resort: Historic multi-course golf resort in North Carolina with extensive lodging, spa, and F&B. Competes for destination golf vacations at the premium end and shares the multi-course, golf-first resort model.
• Whistling Straits (Destination Kohler): Wisconsin golf destination operated by Kohler with multiple Pete Dye-designed courses, lodging, and broader hospitality. Comparable as a design-forward, destination-resort golf business but part of a larger hospitality company.

Emerging players

• Sandpuppy / Sweetens Cove: Smaller emerging destination golf properties with cult followings, design-led branding, and direct-to-consumer models. Comparable as aspirational, content-forward, destination-resort analogs at smaller scale than Gamble Sands.
• The Loop at Forest Dunes: Reverse-loop reversible course in Michigan with destination-resort positioning. Comparable as a recent, award-winning, design-driven addition to the U.S. destination-golf landscape — relevant as a peer for Scarecrow-style course innovation.

Others

• Troon Golf-managed properties: Third-party management company that operates Gamble Sands' recruitment and merchandise shop. The broader Troon portfolio of managed premium courses and resorts provides a useful comparison set for management quality and operating benchmarks in the golf-resort category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/gamblesandsgolf
• Xx.com/GambleSands

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gamble Sands