Portland / Vancouver Must Plays?

[CDM]

Will be in Portland middle of August and have two full days open to play. I know Pumpkin Ridge, Langdon Farms in the area, but looking for course suggestions that are "must check out" even if its a bit more of drive.

 

Edit: "More of drive" means if its an hour or so to me.

[PorkChopExpress]

Bandon?

[CDM]

> @desaille said:

> Bandon?

HAHAHA yea ... but have that planned for next year

[spud3]

If you're looking for public courses, then there's these:

Heron Lakes - two RTJ II designed courses. Really nice designs, one harder than the other. Makes for a nice day of 36.

Eastmoreland - Beautiful Chandler Egan course that just celebrated it's 100th birthday. Lots of big old trees in an old-skool design. Deceptively challenging greens.

 

Both of these places are munis, so suffer a bit in maintenance (especially drainage). That time of year, they should be dry and running fast.

 

The Reserve - two courses, semi-private, one course is public-accessible at a time. South course has a **lot** of bunkers, but they are playable. North course is more parkland, but has some forced carries. Well-maintained, but can be spendy in the peak season.

 

Stone Creek - 16/18ths of a great course, very well maintained and a good practice area. The two holes that are really aggravating nearly ruin the round, but the rest of the holes make up for it. Tough to get on during weekends.

 

Quail Valley - flat, pretty course out away from the city. In August, it dries out and runs really fast and firm.

 

OGA course - south of Langdon in the small town of Woodburn (30-40 min from PDX, depending on traffic). Challenging course that runs through an old hazelnut orchard. Very reasonable rates and easy to get on. Magnificent taco joints in the old downtown area.

[DFinch]

In no particular order:

Chehalem Glenn

Heron Lakes Great Blue

OGA Course

Quail Valley

 

[CDM]

Spud3 and DFinch...thank you very much. Really appreciate and should over my needs.

[oregongolf]

Send me a PM, I'll always host a WRXer.

[JAMH03]

> @CDM said:

> Will be in Portland middle of August and have two full days open to play. I know Pumpkin Ridge, Langdon Farms in the area, but looking for course suggestions that are "must check out" even if its a bit more of drive.

>

> Edit: "More of drive" means if its an hour or so to me.

 

What type of experience are you looking for? Where are you staying?

[CDM]

> @oregongolf said:

> Send me a PM, I'll always host a WRXer.

 

PM sent

[CDM]

> @JAMH03 said:

> > @CDM said:

> > Will be in Portland middle of August and have two full days open to play. I know Pumpkin Ridge, Langdon Farms in the area, but looking for course suggestions that are "must check out" even if its a bit more of drive.

> >

> > Edit: "More of drive" means if its an hour or so to me.

>

> What type of experience are you looking for? Where are you staying?

 

Staying downtown. Marriott Riverside. There for a wedding of a former employee. Sounds like now the group is trying to put something together for one day or both days to play. Honestly not 100% sure what they are doing at this point. I just know I have always liked Portland and if I have two days "somewhat" free I will enjoy the golf / food while I can.

 

Looked at the courses posted and all look like great tracks, appreciate the suggestions. The OGA course looks like a great track, somehow missed that in my search. In Denver we have Common Ground is our CGA track (Doak Design) and its a good course also. Glad to see both local groups have great home tracks.

[CDM]

Is Camas Meadows any good? It came up from some the others in the group?

[spud3]

I've never been a fan of Camas. It winds through a housing development, has some very long treks between holes and some funky hole designs.

[ryu123]

Have played both Heron Lakes courses, Columbia-Edgewater, Willamette Valley, Pumpkin Ridge (Witch Hollow), Reserve South.

 

The only ones I would play again are Heron Lakes (Great Blue) & Reserve.

[RobotDoctor]

Pumpkin Ridge Ghost Creek has always been one of my favorites. It's been quite a long time since I played it so not sure how it is compared to the early 2000s when I played last.

[kaschreiber]

Personally, I was always a fan of Camas when I was living in the area. If you prefer to ride in a cart, the distance between holes is a non factor. That said, I wouldn't put it head and shoulders above the other courses listed, but did find it to typically be extremely well maintained. If you are staying downtown, I'd suggest HL as your best bet. That will be 1/3 of the drive as CM.

[JAMH03]

Is Camas good? Yes but it's weird!

 

Plenty of interesting golf, good challenges and a couple of holes I really don't like. #11 and couple of other holes on the back. I've only played it twice but the back was completely discordant with the front.

 

Here is the fly over for [Camas](

"Camas") if you want you can speed it up to twice speed to save time.

 

I looked at Common grounds in CO, and I really like a lot of the thought that's gone into it and then to hear its a Doak course I bet it's a blast to play.

 

Pics did remind me of Heron Lakes and the OGA. Personally Heron lakes doesn't draw me in like it does some others. But it's relatively close to downtown and lots really enjoy it.

 

OGA on the other hand is a very fun I'd bet you'd enjoy that.

 

Chalem Glen is super fun not sure of your handicap level but it's got some nice forced carries. You want to be playing well when you go there.

 

Love Stone creek super fun and Eastmoreland is a fantastic lay-out absolutely I have no idea what kind of shape it might be in in August but it's among my all time favorites.

 

Obviously there is no excuse not to play Pumpkin Ridge if you're there and it's close enough.

 

If I could encourage you to take the drive down to Bandon even if you have to forgo drinking the night before and get up a titch too early I'd go to Bandon and play Pacific or Trails and I'd do that 100% over waiting for the people in the party to plan something fun for everyone. You can call the people as your waiting to tee off their not going to be doing anything great like whale watching or anything. :smile:

 

The drive is 4 hours from PDX you could drive 2 hours eat breakfast then finish the trip and have the entire day at Bandon.

 

 

Then causally cruise back to the hotel stopping every 1.5 hours for rest. Oh yeah you need to stop at Fiddlers green in Eugene anyways! We've totally left this out. That place is insane plus no sales tax!

 

If you go to Bandon then you can get some pre 2020 Bandon swag AND have something incredible to talk to your friends about for the next year how you're going to do this and do that.

 

Absolutely harder and more expensive in terms of effort and time but a much bigger payoff than it will be exhilarating, life affirming an inspirational and thats w/o counting on you loving the golf then the next day you can be available for wedding stuff.

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

[James the Hogan Fan]

If it were I, I’d drive out to Gearhart golf links on the coast because I love that course. (And the town of Seaside nearby) but that’s a big adventure from Portland!

[DustlnTheWind]

I think Stone Creek is excellent as well as both sides of The Reserve. Pumpkin is great but in my opinion a little overrated.

[RobotDoctor]

> @RobotDoctor said:

> Pumpkin Ridge Ghost Creek has always been one of my favorites. It's been quite a long time since I played it so not sure how it is compared to the early 2000s when I played last.

 

 

I will be playing Pumpkin Ridge Ghost Creek in 10 days or so. Haven't played for quite a while. While some say it might be overrated, I'm looking forward to revisiting it again. I am sure conditions will be outstanding.

[Pulledabill]

> @DFinch said:

> In no particular order:

> Chehalem Glenn

> Heron Lakes Great Blue

> OGA Course

> Quail Valley

>

I played Chehalem for the 1st time a few weeks ago. Mixed feelings about this being a must play. Reasonable price, pace of play was okay, layout...? not the greatest . Tough play the first time around for sure but it is drawing me back for some reason.

 

[Pulledabill]

> @spud3 said:

> If you're looking for public courses, then there's these:

> Heron Lakes - two RTJ II designed courses. Really nice designs, one harder than the other. Makes for a nice day of 36.

> Eastmoreland - Beautiful Chandler Egan course that just celebrated it's 100th birthday. Lots of big old trees in an old-skool design. Deceptively challenging greens.

>

> Both of these places are munis, so suffer a bit in maintenance (especially drainage). That time of year, they should be dry and running fast.

>

> The Reserve - two courses, semi-private, one course is public-accessible at a time. South course has a **lot** of bunkers, but they are playable. North course is more parkland, but has some forced carries. Well-maintained, but can be spendy in the peak season.

>

> Stone Creek - 16/18ths of a great course, very well maintained and a good practice area. The two holes that are really aggravating nearly ruin the round, but the rest of the holes make up for it. Tough to get on during weekends.

>

> Quail Valley - flat, pretty course out away from the city. In August, it dries out and runs really fast and firm.

>

> OGA course - south of Langdon in the small town of Woodburn (30-40 min from PDX, depending on traffic). Challenging course that runs through an old hazelnut orchard. Very reasonable rates and easy to get on. Magnificent taco joints in the old downtown area.

 

Couldn't agree more about Stone Creek. I could also add the pace of play when I've been there was horrid and I feel its because of what I believe is the two holes. That whole corner is a disaster really.

[DD4442]

This may be a bit outside the topic, but I have a wedding in the Mt. Hood (Sandy) area next week. I have one day (a Friday) to play all day. It looks like it's either the Resort at the Mountain (or "The 9's", I think it's also called) or the Mountain View course in Boring. Any thoughts on which is in better condition? More challenging? Looked at the info at my friends at greenskeeper, but nothing real recent there. A 4 and a scratch hcp playing.

[spud3]

If you're staying at the Resort at the Mountain, you've got nothing else than the courses there, unless you are willing to drive 1- 2 hours. The 9's will be the better choice between the two mentioned above, but neither are spectacular.

[oregongolf]

> @DD4442 said:

> This may be a bit outside the topic, but I have a wedding in the Mt. Hood (Sandy) area next week. I have one day (a Friday) to play all day. It looks like it's either the Resort at the Mountain (or "The 9's", I think it's also called) or the Mountain View course in Boring. Any thoughts on which is in better condition? More challenging? Looked at the info at my friends at greenskeeper, but nothing real recent there. A 4 and a scratch hcp playing.

 

Yuck. Neither are very good. If you have all day, I suggest just playing somewhere else.

 

PM me if you need help.

[Phireside]

I'm driving down from Vancouver, BC for the indy and want to play on the labor day monday before driving back home. What is the one should not miss course not too far off my path back home? Would be looking for an early tee time.

[spud3]

> @TheShaun said:

> I'm driving down from Vancouver, BC for the indy and want to play on the labor day monday before driving back home. What is the one should not miss course not too far off my path back home? Would be looking for an early tee time.

 

Assuming you mean "besides Chambers Bay..." If not, then there's your answer. It's really the only "should not miss" course between PDX and Vancouver. Lots of very good courses around, but CB is in another class by itself, especially since the green re-do.

 

If you want a Portland area course, then the question is public or private? I'll let others who know the private courses better than I do chime in, but public courses in the PDX area vary from good to great. Everyone here has their favorite: Pumpkin Ridge, Langdon Farms, The Reserve, Stone Creek, any of those are in most top 5 public course lists. Pumpkin gets the most attention, so there's that. But it's not a particularly interesting course to me, especially for the $$. Langdon is my home course, so naturally it will get my vote.

 

Also, much depends on where you're staying, what your "path" is and how far away from it you're willing to go.

[CDM]

> @RobotDoctor said:

> > @RobotDoctor said:

> > Pumpkin Ridge Ghost Creek has always been one of my favorites. It's been quite a long time since I played it so not sure how it is compared to the early 2000s when I played last.

>

>

> I will be playing Pumpkin Ridge Ghost Creek in 10 days or so. Haven't played for quite a while. While some say it might be overrated, I'm looking forward to revisiting it again. I am sure conditions will be outstanding.

 

How was it??

[RobotDoctor]

> @CDM said:

> > @RobotDoctor said:

> > > @RobotDoctor said:

> > > Pumpkin Ridge Ghost Creek has always been one of my favorites. It's been quite a long time since I played it so not sure how it is compared to the early 2000s when I played last.

> >

> >

> > I will be playing Pumpkin Ridge Ghost Creek in 10 days or so. Haven't played for quite a while. While some say it might be overrated, I'm looking forward to revisiting it again. I am sure conditions will be outstanding.

>

> How was it??

 

It was in really good condition. Tee to green it was pretty much perfect. Unfortunately I ended up in a fairly deep divot on #2, Some golfers need to learn to fill the divots with sand/seed material on the carts. There were quite a few unfilled divots that I filled in through out the course. Greens had been top dressed a few days back but were rolling well. Probably around 9 on the stimp. I had a decent round and putted pretty well. I scrambled really, really well. It helps to play a course where you know where you can miss a shot and where not to tempt a shot. I'll definitely play there again when I am able.

[CDM]

So the group picked Pumpkin and Reserve South course. Based on comments it seems like should be good tracks.

[Moshjean]

When are you going to be out there?! I visit my friend up there every year and I'm going the week of the 12th.

The Reserve is legit, that was the first course I played there and loved it. Langdon Farms is also a great track and probably has the best conditions I've played on, kudos to the grounds team. Can't speak for Pumpkin, but oviously has a great reputation.

 

Edit: Profile pic was taken at Langdon