Ever wanted to play a few holes of golf but don't have a tee time, a foursome to go with or even more than an hour to spend out on the fairway?

The Tacoma Country & Golf Club (TCGC), the oldest private club west of the Mississippi River, allows its members to play for 30 minutes or eight hours, since there are no required tee times and members can just walk on the course.

"My favorite quote about the club came from a former member," said TCGC General Manager Josh Bridge. "He said that belonging here is like having a membership of friends."

The course, which Bridge described as the ‘best-conditioned' course in the area, has an average of 18,000 rounds of golf played annually. It also has a 10,000-square-foot putting green and a 170-yard practice hole for golfers looking to improve their game, as well as lessons with the club pro for a nominal fee. Non-members can pay $65 in greens fees to golf at the TCGC, if accompanied by a member.

In 2006, club leadership and membership took a leap by voting to install a lakeside pool in order to add another community element for its 712 members.

"This way if a wife and the kids, or even those who aren't in the mood to golf for a day, still want to come out to the club, they can relax by the pool," Bridge explained. The pool, which is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, also offers food service during the day.

Speaking of food, menus at the club do not disappoint. The 1894 Bar & Grill restaurant, which is open for lunch and dinner every day but Monday, is led by the Lobster Shop's former chef and offers a mix of fine and casual dining throughout the week. Reservations are not required, but are preferred. (Lunch is available 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays. Dinner hours are 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays; 5:30 to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Sundays.)

Members also have access to tennis courts, a boardroom that can be reserved for meetings, a fitness facility and the option of hosting events at the club, which is set on the shores of American Lake. TCGC is consistently booked with weddings and celebrations, keeping the catering staff busy. All events require a member's sponsorship.

"We offer a true private experience," said Bridge. "There are two to three generations here now, whether they have a full, golf membership or just a social membership, the entire family is a part of it."

Membership pricing varies. A social membership requires a $750 initiation fee, $135 in monthly dues and a minimum food charge of $300 per year, while a full resident membership (with the right to own property adjacent to the club) requires a $6,000 joining fee, monthly dues of $450 and an $800 annual food minimum. Other levels of membership are available.

TCGC also strives to give back to the community. For example, in September, it hosted a small Soldier Appreciation day for some Soldiers from 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) who are set to deploy. The day included a round of golf as well as a banquet. Additionally, the club offers a military rate for golf and social membership, with an initiation fee of $2,000 and a subsequent rate of $450 for monthly dues.

The TCGC is located at 13204 Country Club Dr. SW in Lakewood. For more information or to inquire about membership, visit www.golftcgc.com or call (253) 588-2161.