Langdon Farms Golf Club, in Aurora, OR, is a one-of-a-kind among Portland area courses, and is fittingly named due to it’s old farm theme. Nearly every facet of Langdon Farms provides a unique country feel. The cornerstone of this farm-style setting is the clubhouse, or “The Big Red Barn,” which was modeled after Mr. Langdon’s original barn of 1916. It has sky high ceilings and rustic wood work. In addition to this, there are several other farm-like structures on the grounds of Langdon Farms, including a small barn that straddles the cart path on the front 9. Everything down to the hole signage and tee markers have a rural allure. You’ll easily appreciate the vision and attention to detail that went into the design of this entire facility. With that said, it’s only fitting that the golf course design has also been executed with great attention. Langdon Farms Golf Club is an exceptional track that falls right into place with the intended theme.

Langdon Farms is a links-style course, generously laid out among the old farm grounds. This is surely no cow pasture, as it’s intricate design provides a lot of shape. But overall, the grounds are relatively flat, making it a nice course to walk. There are some large trees that come into play on several holes, but most of the layouts are open. Trouble-areas come in the form of deep bunkers, difficult greens, tall grasses and some large water hazards. The fairways are kept short and the rough is thick. There are some extremely low cuts surrounding the greens that require a decision between chipping or putting. Many of the greens have breakaway edges and filter into collection areas. Assumably, the greens at Langdon Farms are very fast and offer a pure roll. From well maintained grounds to views of Mt. Hood, there’s plenty of scenery here. Holes 9 and 18 are picturesque with connected greens that horseshoe around the course’s largest water hazard, located in the forefront of The Big Red Barn.

Langdon Farms Golf Club is a complete facility for all of your golf needs. If you need to warm up for your round or work on your swing, head over to their full driving range, or “The Stables,” to enjoy grass-surfaced hitting. There’s also covered spots for rainy days. There’s plenty of practice surfaces for putting, including a wisely located green at the remote 10th tee. There’s also a large outdoor covered structure called “The Red Shed,” which is an accommodating locale for corporate parties or weddings. The Big Red Barn houses the pro shop and retail area, along with the restaurant and bar. Top to bottom, Langdon Farms is an immaculate golf experience with unique character and championship quality.

Lake Oswego Public Golf Course, a municipal course comprised exclusively comprised of Par 3’s, sits in the hills of Lake Oswego, OR. To refer to this track as a “pitch-and-putt” would be selling this one a bit short. The holes are legitimately lengthened, mostly ranging from about 130-180 yards. Because of this, Lake Oswego is a good course for better golfers to work on their iron play and short game, or for less experienced golfers to play 18 holes without being overwhelmed. In fact, some of the holes are listed as Par 4s and 5s for junior boys and girls, which makes this a great place for youngsters and other novices.

Lake Oswego is plotted along a modest hillside. The front 9 is a bit more condensed spatially, as the holes run alongside each other and are partitioned by tree lines. The back 9 is more spread out, and arguably more impressive. It takes you the furthest from the clubhouse, and requires some navigation through heavier trees and some protected wetlands near the base of the grounds. There are no bunkers or water hazards, which again, makes this course conducive for any golfer. The greens are small, and many of them have a tabletop quality to them. Additionally, there is no fringe cut along their perimeters which adds to the difficulty of landing an approach. Challenging attributes, such as this, is what makes Lake Oswego an engaging course for higher skilled golfers too. The greens are generally in fair shape, and provide a smooth roll and medium speeds.

Lake Oswego is a small, but complete facility. Aside from 18 holes, the grounds include a standard pro shop with retail items, a driving range (up to 200 yards), a couple small practice greens, and a café and dining area. Handicappers will be unable to post their scores from this Par-54 track, so the objective here is to practice and have fun.

King City Golf Course is a short and basic 9 hole golf course located in it’s namesake suburb, just outside of Tigard. King City proper is known for having various senior communities. The golf course itself lies within one and is heavily lined with homes. King City Golf Course is designed to serve the golfers in the community, and many of them take advantage of their backyard links. This Par 34 course has a standard four Par 4’s but just one Par 5, and all are rather modest in distance.

As a short and straightforward track, the Par 3 tee shots at King City Golf Course may be your longest approaches of the round. The other holes are extremely reachable in regulation, and allow, or sometimes require, conservative club usage from the tee. But the Par 3’s are relatively longer and are clearly the toughest of the holes, for that reason alone. Houses and bunkers are the main obstacles to avoid throughout. There are also a fair amount of trees. The greens at King City run slow on average, and provide modest breaks. Unless you can clearly see slope, you can expect a pretty straight roll. This simple course provides an ideal round for residents and newcomers to the game. It’s also conducive for all golfers to practice their short irons and wedges.

The facilities at King City Golf Course don’t extend far beyond the 9 holes of golf. The pro shop sells the basics, like balls and tees. They have a decent putting green, but like most 9 hole facilities, has no driving range. However, they do have a 1-man hitting station for taking a few warm up swings, free of charge.

Killarney West Golf Course is a simple 9 hole course in Hillsboro, OR, and offers an incredible value. At a dollar per hole, including a push cart, you can enjoy a casual round of golf in a forested country setting. Family-owned and quietly tucked off the beaten path, this golf venue has a mom and pop atmosphere. Killarney West is under-recognized as a fantastic place for cheap, laidback golf; a trait that the course regulars embrace. The grounds are maintained surprisingly well for the cost of play. The course is relatively easy and very conducive for beginners, but even experienced golfers will appreciate the risk and reward layout. For Washington County golfers looking for a quick or inexpensive golf fix, it can be found at Killarney West, hiding just off of Tualatin Valley Highway.

Killarney West Golf Course contains short hole lengths on a flat, rolling landscape. Due to many large, native trees, some of the holes are very narrow or tighten up where long tee shots tend to land. There’s also a couple of doglegs that are best managed from the tee by clubbing down. Longer hitters will be tempted to swing at full strength, and will have to weigh out the potential problems and payoffs of various scenarios. Trees are undoubtedly the biggest challenge throughout. There’s only a little bit of water on the course, including Dairy Creek, which borders the grounds. There’s also a pond present that comes into play on a couple of holes. There’s no sand on the course. The greens are fairly small in area and provide slow speed, subtle break and a pleasantly smooth roll.

Killarney West is a simple operation and very limited in additional amenities. There’s no driving range or practice green. The proshop is very basic, with a few merchandise items and some available snacks. Remember to bring cash with you, as Killarney West does not take plastic.

Hood River Golf and Country Club, located just over one hour east of Downtown Portland, is stepping up its game, offering its visitors top quality playing conditions to go along with the gorgeous views and natural wildlife that Hood River is so well known for. Hood River Golf and Country Club was originally built in 1923 as a nine hole golf course designed by H. Chandler Egan, with the second nine added in 1995. New management has focused on bringing the level of maintenance and playing conditions up in order to provide golfers with more of an all around enjoyable golf experience than ever before. The conditions at Hood River have drastically improved over the last few years, and golfers will come away impressed with all aspects of their round. Playing conditions throughout the course combine with awe inspiring views on the front and unique hole layouts on the back nine lead to a great golf outing.

Although the front nine at Hood River Golf and Country Club features tremendous views of the surrounding mountains, you will want your focus to be on the great golf holes you will be playing. The front nine offers a much more open layout, leading to less challenges and frustration for golfers. The back nine plays more like a true mountain side golf course with steep elevation changes and challenging tight fairways lined by dense layers of trees. Players can take advantage of scoring holes on the front nine, while making sure their game is ready for the demanding back. The greens here are left a bit longer than most courses and are not quick, but increase in speed as the day goes on and roll true. Those that see more sun early in the day will play much faster than those left in the shade. Sand is only present on about 5 holes and does not protect many fairways or greens. Straight shots are at a premium, and will be rewarded all day when you play Hood River Golf and Country Club.

Green fees at Hood River Golf and Country Club make it a great value for Northwest Golfers, especially on the weekends. The front nine here is walkable, while the back nine tends to be more cart friendly. The distance away from Portland means it is much less crowded than those courses close to the city, adding another great reason to make the drive through the Columbia River Gorge. This piece of land is great for anyone interested in capturing photos of Mt. Hood, regardless of whether or not they planned on playing golf. The all grass driving range features many target options as well as possibly your best photo opportunity of Mt. Hood. This is a great place to focus on your warm up and get all the picture taking out of the way.

Playing Hood River Golf and Country Club

Holes 2-4 at Hood River horseshoe around the edge of the property and offer up a great stretch of golf, combining beautiful hole layouts, views and great scoring opportunities. The tall grass featured on this stretch is less intimidating off the tee then the tall trees you will find on the rest of the course, and it really adds a beautiful touch to these holes. The mid length Par 3 3rd hole includes a forced carry, trees to both sides and a hidden wind from left to right. This green runs back to front, left to right. Flat lies in the fairway are rare on holes 5 and 6. They both run left to right and feature OB long on 5 and right on 6.

Your back nine at Hood River starts with a very quality golf hole. Find the fairway here with anything over 200 yards and you will have a short approach. Aim for the front of the green and be happy with a GIR. Hole 12 and 13 are both intimidating tee shots, but don’t over think either of them just find the fairway. Seeing these holes from the green will likely alter your strategy the next time you play the course. Holes 14 & 16 are both straight par 4’s that force you to be straight off the tee. Find both fairways and you may have two birdie putts, but find the trees and you are looking at bogey or worse. In between those two holes lies one of the best holes on the course and a top notch par 3 on any golf course. It takes a great tee shot to find the green and even then a tough birdie putt awaits. Hood River Golf & Country Club concludes with a great Par 5 finishing hole. The slope and wind are usually in your favor. Set yourself up in the fairway off the tee and it is usually less club than you think on your approach.

Heron Lakes Golf Course, located in N. Portland, is a classic golf haven for metropolitan golfers. With PDX airport just several miles away, the P.I.R. tracks bordering to the east, and a railroad to the west, it may be difficult to imagine the peaceful grounds of this course. However, these signs of the city are a weak rival to the natural beauty present in this urban wetland setting. The planes flying high above are less noticeable than the Blue Herons who share the sky. And no screaming engines lapping the raceway can top the vistas of Mt. Hood, which is viewable from many locations on the course. And the only trains you really need to worry about are the ones of the bogey variety, as railroad activity is seldom (as well as the usage of the raceway). Heron Lakes allows you to soak up the thrills of the game and appreciate your ability to escape the daily grind, all while remaining within the shadows of downtown.

Heron Lakes is comprised of two full-sized courses, Greenback and Great Blue. The 36 holes of golf here undoubtedly enhances it’s ability to serve it’s central location. Each course is unique to it’s own, and caters toward golfers of varying skill levels. Overall, Heron Lakes is a complete golf facility. With a turf driving range, an expansive practice green, a separate chipping green, and a sizable retail and restaurant within the clubhouse, they have everything you could want in a municipal course. For a heavily used city course, it’s apparent that great care goes into maintaining the grounds in which many Portland-Vancouver golfers refer to as their home course.

Greenback

The Greenback Course at Heron Lakes Golf Club is your classic municipal golf course; challenging enough to test all golfers, yet straightforward enough for beginners to get by. There’s a fair share of trouble areas, but they are well-countered by sizable landing areas and large greens. Water and sand are definitely present, but the most prominent element to avoid are the large trees. While the course layout is great, it is arguable that the greens are the best quality of this track. For the amount of action this course receives, it is amazing what great shape they keep their putting surfaces in. In the summer months, expect country club speeds while putting here. In the offseason months, you’ll struggle to find faster public greens. The Par 3s on this side are notably difficult, especially Hole 3, which requires the clearance of a large pond and the avoidance of bunkers. In general, you must make good decisions off the tee, as long ball strikers will be tempted to take risky short cuts. Greenback tends to fall in line with the general rule that the shorter the yardage, the tighter the hole. It’s a legitimate course in size, design and difficulty. For higher skilled golfers who can manage the course by the book, Greenback is a fine opportunity to score well and feel great about it. And if you’re a novice, it too will provide a fine place for on-course experience after gaining confidence at their practice facilities.

Heron Lakes Golf Course, located in N. Portland, is a classic golf haven for metropolitan golfers. With PDX airport just several miles away, the P.I.R. tracks bordering to the east, and a railroad to the west, it may be difficult to imagine the peaceful grounds of this course. However, these signs of the city are a weak rival to the natural beauty present in this urban wetland setting. The planes flying high above are less noticeable than the Blue Herons who share the sky. And no screaming engines lapping the raceway can top the vistas of Mt. Hood, which is viewable from many locations on the course. And the only trains you really need to worry about are the ones of the bogey variety, as railroad activity is seldom (as well as the usage of the raceway). Heron Lakes allows you to soak up the thrills of the game and appreciate your ability to escape the daily grind, all while remaining within the shadows of downtown.

Heron Lakes is comprised of two full-sized courses, Greenback and Great Blue. The 36 holes of golf here undoubtedly enhances it’s ability to serve it’s central location. Each course is unique to it’s own, and caters toward golfers of varying skill levels. Overall, Heron Lakes is a complete golf facility. With a turf driving range, an expansive practice green, a separate chipping green, and a sizable retail and restaurant within the clubhouse, they have everything you could want in a municipal course. For a heavily used city course, it’s apparent that great care goes into maintaining the grounds in which many Portland-Vancouver golfers refer to as their home course.

Great Blue

Great Blue, the big brother of Greenback in regards to price, quality and difficulty, is surprisingly different from it’s counterpart. Everything about this track is several notches more challenging than the Greenback, and it has much more of a links feel to it. Very difficult greens, deceiving hole layouts and a plethora of water and sand are disbursed throughout. Fewer trees here are easily countered by more water and heavily guarded greens. The greens can get extremely tight and appear uninviting from certain approach angles. When you factor in their slippery speeds, rolling the greens can prove as difficult as landing them. Another notable feature is the contoured terrain, and the elusiveness it creates regarding positioning and target zones from the tee. The varying contour extends to the putting surface where there is plenty of break to consider while chipping and putting. This track is undoubtedly designed for experienced golfers. That’s not to say that you must be a low handicap, but unless you enjoy a true test and can maintain pace, booking your tee time at Greenback is a no-brainer.

Greenlea Golf Course, in Boring, OR, is a low-cost, family and beginner friendly golf course catering to those looking for a quick nine holes of golf. Featuring five Par 3’s and four Par 4’s, Greenlea’s holes vary from wide open and inviting to quirky and tight. Notably, the Par 4 fifth hole is one that must be played more than once to get the lay of the land. However, most of the Par 4’s are open and the temptation is there to drive the green. Eagle is a makable score on more than one occasion. At Greenlea the players rule, and it’s not uncommon to see groups larger than four enjoying a sunny day on the course.

While typically flat and open, the course does buckle up as you reach the middle stretch of holes. Severe doglegs greet you on a couple of the Par 4’s so playing to a target is a must, even on holes that appear drivable on the scorecard. Fairways at Greenlea are well defined although there is not much of a penalty for missing them, since the rough is cut down pretty well. While not blazingly fast, the slope of the greens as you near the end of the course are severe and make things tricky as you attempt to go low. Water and sand each make a single appearance on the golf course.

Playing Greenlea Golf Course

The first hole at Greenlea is a short Par 3 featuring an open green. A miss left will be out of bounds. The second hole is the first of four Par 4’s, an uphill dogleg left. Hole #3 is an open and drivable Par 4, followed by the longest Par 3 on the course. Don’t miss right! Greenlea’s fifth hole is the longest and trickiest to navigate on the course. A 274 yard hole from the blue tees, this hole turns almost 90 degrees to the right with tall trees guarding the entire right side. Miss here and you must decide to try and get through this wall of trees, or play backwards for an open look at the green. Hole #6 is a short, tight Par 3, followed by a 200 yard Par 4 from the tips. The green on #7 is sloped hard from back to front, making the green your biggest challenge. Water greets you on Hole 8, although it shouldn’t come into play on the 150 yard one-shotter. You round will conclude with a final Par 3 with a well-sculpted backdrop.

Frontier Golf Course, a Par-3 course in Canby, OR is a no-frills, backyard golf course designed for players to enjoy the game in a casual setting. Featuring an old west theme running throughout the course, holes with names such as “Desperado”, “The Alamo” and Broken Arrow” add a fun factor to the course for younger players. Frontier Golf Course is comprised of nine Par 3 holes, varying in distance from just under 100 yards, to 175 from an optional tee box on the final hole. There are no grass tees at Frontier, as every tee box features a mat hitting surface. Many of the tee boxes sit on an elevated stand. Frontier Golf Course may not be for everybody, but players looking to spend an hour hitting the ball around the course should enjoy themselves on this course.

While Frontier Golf Course is a great place to introduce a new player to the game, maintenance issues may prevent it from being the ideal place to practice your game, particularly around the greens. Many areas were either not mowed down or featured dead spots. A weekend round will most likely offer better conditions than one later in the week. The course has overgrown a bit in the last few years. Many of the signs on the course are getting a bit older and have fallen from where they were originally hung. Some of the mats need to be replaced as well, since divots have appeared due to extended use. The layout at Frontier Golf Course and the country setting is conducive to a fine round of golf, provided that it remains well maintained.

Forest Hills Golf Course is a laidback country course located in Cornelius, OR, due west of Portland. Tucked into the rolling hills, and plotted with groves of old growth trees, Forest Hills sits amid it’s namesake surroundings. What Forest Hills lacks in glamour, is countered by diversity of holes and a full array of ground features. Each hole is truly unique thanks to a great course layout on a sizable plot of land. Narrow and wide, flat and hilly; it’s all there. Toss in a healthy dose of sand and water, and you’ve got yourself a new test around every corner. Most of the holes at Forest Hills are short to moderate in length, but there are several holes that will require strong ball striking to reach in regulation. While there are plenty of difficult aspects, Forest Hills is a casual course that is fun for players of all levels.

As you navigate the ever-changing terrain at Forest Hills Golf Course, there are plenty of mental challenges to face. And should you decide to walk it, you will endure a bit of a physical challenge as well. The changing topography makes for some blind shots, as well as some serious gauging of distances. The fairways are lined with trees, and beautiful fields surround most of the course. There are no water-lined holes, but there are several ponds to carry near tee boxes and greens. The fairways are usually maintained at a moderate height, so landing in the rough won’t hurt too much. The greens are so-so regarding most aspects. They’re no faster than average, and an occasional bumpy roll is to be expected. But overall, the putting surfaces at Forest Hills are very serviceable for an informal day at the links.

Though not extravagant, Forest Hills Golf Course is a complete golf facility. With a driving range and four putting greens, there’s ample space to get warmed up. If you live nearby it’s a suffice practice facility, but don’t go out of your way unless you plan to tee it up. The Pro Shop has some retail items for sale, as well as an adjacent café with some food options.