Mt. Hood Oregon Resort, due west of Mt. Hood in Welches, OR, is a quality 27 hole destination enveloped by the high Cascadian foothills. With three full 9 hole tracks, all naturally pleasant in their own way, “The Courses” offer an array of golf and accommodating tees, serving the entire spectrum of vacationers and visitors. Although they each have a moderately different feel, all three sides share the presence of the towering vistas of this mountainous area, and an abundance of trees. With a great-outdoors setting, golf is just an attractive bonus to being in a pleasant and serene environment. Thanks to recent renovations, The Resort has made large strides in improving what has always been a respectable golf venue. Whether it’s a day-trip or stay-trip, Mt. Hood Oregon Resort has a lot to offer in terms of both golf and the natural surrounding beauty of Oregon’s most coveted Cascade.
Foxglove
Foxglove, arguably the best of The Resort’s courses, is considered the signature track here. With notable features such as the bordering white waters of the Salmon River and fairway-consuming boulders, enjoyable sights and sounds are abound. With similar trouble areas as the other courses, namely a lot of forested hazards, Foxglove is perhaps the toughest of all, with accompanying longer distances from the back tees. It has a nice mix of tight and open targets, but the wider the hole, the longer the distance is. Several large mid-fairway water features lengthen the Par 5s, and plenty of shaggy-edged, links-type bunkers exist throughout the roughs and around every green. The sand is plush and soft, and makes shots from the trap easier to execute. The greens offer a nice, true roll and normal to fast speeds. Their contours vary from mild to heavy undulation, and overall, serve as quality putting surfaces.
Thistle
Thistle, a Par 34, is known as The Resort’s easiest side, due in large part to sizable distance advantages from the front tees and some favorable opening holes. But lined with evergreens, and providing some bending layouts and difficult Par 3s, Thistle is still very engaging and has plenty of features to challenge any golfer. Despite hole layouts that are relatively short, the course can become lengthy quickly with any errancy off the tee. Every hole is loaded with trees, and recovery shots with little advancement are often required. Most of the water, aside from the Par 3 5th, which is fronted by a pond, is in the form of wetland type hazards. Bunkers are heavily present around the greens and off some of the fairways. The sand is plush and soft, and makes shots from the trap easier to execute. The greens offer a nice, true roll and normal to fast speeds. Their contours are mild to average in slope and fairly manageable.
Pine Cone
Review coming soon…
