The McMenamins Edgefield Pub Course, in Troutdale, OR, is a laidback pitch-n-putt course and a popular Northwest recreation spot. Owned by McMenamins, the local pub chain and real estate giant, Edgefield has an imaginative and comfortable atmosphere congruent with their other establishments. While it does provide good short game practice, this is truly a place to come with friends or family and simply have a good time. Golfers of age can enjoy some of McMenamin’s fine beers while they casually navigate the Pub Course with just several clubs in tow. Several hillside sections of the course serve well for light exercise, and also provides some nice views of the Columbia and surrounding Cascade foothills. No matter what your objective is, you are assured to have a good time at Edgefield.

Edgefield has two separate pitch-n-putt courses, including a 20-hole course, the West 20 and a 12-hole course, also known as the East 12. The holes range from about 40-80 yards throughout, and there is one set of mat tees for all hitters. The course is built on grounds that extend upon a hillside. This provides for a handful of shots with elevation change. Many natural areas on the course have been preserved and make it a rather pleasant environment. But with the short hole lengths, these areas are ideally not in play. There is not water or sand on the course. Some of the greens are small and tricky to land, but overall, they are mainly flat in shape. The greens remain in okay shape for a frequently used course with an informal purpose.

Edgefield’s other golf amenities are limited due to the nature of this course. However, there is a nice practice green with a lot of break. The proshop is small and upon entering feels like walking into a mini-McMenamins pub. There is beer on tap, and they also sell a few basic golf items like balls and rental clubs.

Eagle Landing Golf Course, on Mt. Scott in Happy Valley, OR is the definition of a pitch-n-putt course. With 27 holes ranging from 50-85 yards, you can leave most of your 14 allowed clubs in your vehicle. Eagle Landing can serve as good short-game practice, or a friendly course for beginners and casual golfers. It’s also a great opportunity for young newcomers to play a proportionately scaled round, and for family outings alike. There’s even a miniature golf course on the grounds, enjoyed by kids, young and old. Eagle Landing provides a fun and carefree golf experience in a pleasant setting.

Eagle Landing Golf Course is made up of an 18 hole course, and a separate but similar 9 hole side. Problem areas include several water fixtures, some large old-growth trees, generally thick rough and white-sand bunkers. With the short distances from tee to green, many of these trouble spots do not ideally come into play. The greens are average across the board. The hole layouts are closely aligned, so be aware of the groups around you. Due to it’s nature as a pitch-n-putt, tee-box divots and frequently hit greens create a tougher maintenance challenge. All things considered, Eagle Landing does a good job of keeping a respectable place to play.

While not a full-fledged golf facility, Eagle Landing provides a great environment to practice the short game. There is no driving range, but you can warm up your putting stroke on their practice green. The Aerie, meaning Eagle’s Nest, is their beautiful clubhouse fittingly named for its placement atop Mt. Scott’s peak. It offers an expansive Willamette Valley view which makes it a great venue for weddings and events. The Aerie also houses their pro shop and snack bar.

Eagle Creek Golf Course, located in Eagle Creek, OR is a simple rural course built among farmland and old wagon trails. Located between Clackamas and Estacada, this wallet friendly course will get you a round at a cost rarely seen in or arond the city of Portland. At less than $2 a hole on weekdays in the summer, you will not find a course as inexpensive as Eagle Creek in the Portland area. However, the course has challenges, which are hard to over look. First and foremost, finding the course is difficult if you don’t have a map or a GPS to guide you. Eagle Creek is not on a major road, and signage is non-existant, even in front of the course. A new clubhouse does have its amenities, but is limited. When making the turn, you do not make it back to the clubhouse, so be sure to stock up on liquids before your round, as there is no water or cart service on the course.

From tee to green, Eagle Creek Golf Course plays fairly short. The fairways and rough tend to be under-watered. Shots just off the mark can stray wildly once hitting the hard-panned surface off the fairway, so accuracy is important, although the fairways have their challenges as well. In contrast, the greens may be a bit over-watered. This leads to plugged balls and slower greens, even on the hottest days of the year. Among the other quirks of the course include the Par 4 9th, where you must navigate two parallel streams passing through the fairway, and the Par 3 12th, in which the green is completely protected by a tree. Since the course was built into grounds without much preexisting character, the quirkiness of the back 9 in particular seems to be placed as a means of creating unnecessary challenges to the golfer. If you are looking for a cheap round of golf in an area steeped in history, Eagle Creek can provide this.

Claremont Golf Club is an enjoyable 9-hole course located in the Bethany area of NW Portland. For nearby residents, Claremont is a great course to frequent for a laid back round of fun or practice. Claremont is located within a pleasant, 55+ living community, and is a good destination for golfers of all ages and skill levels. This is a neighborhood course in every sense, as homes and water features take the place of forests and natural hazards. The course is relatively easy, but has enough challenges to entertain higher skilled golfers.

Claremont Golf Club is a shorter, yet regulation Par 36 course, not to be mistaken for an executive style course. The house-lined hole layouts serve as an expansive out of bounds area and is the biggest existing trouble area. Several water hazards come into play, most notably between the 1st and 9th holes. The course also contains a few strategically located oak trees, and some smaller landscaped trees along the rough, but the fairways provide ample target space. All of the greens are guarded by favorably shallow bunkers. The greens at Claremont usually play a bit slower than average and provide simple breaks. Most importantly, they remain in respectable shape despite the heavy traffic from community members and nearby residents alike.

Claremont is excellent for on-course practice, but it’s lacking in independent work stations. There’s no driving range, and their putting green is just that; no chipping allowed. The pro shop is basic but suffice for a 9-hole course. They offer drinks, snacks and some merchandise and equipment. In the summer they have a snack cart.

Chehalem Glenn Golf Course, in Newberg, OR, is a young gem for Portland area golf and the best facilities available for nearby residents. Chehalem Glenn is a traditional, championship-style course will challenge the best of golfers, while remaining an adequate place for all. With solid practice amenities, and a front 9 that is arguably friendlier than the back 9, even newcomers have many reasons to visit. The grounds are well manicured and natural beauty is abundant despite it’s central location and some neighboring residences. Many environmental areas were preserved in the golf course’s construction, and no corners were cut with its imaginative design. Much like most modern Northwest courses, Chehalem Glenn was successfully built to withstand the weather and flow with the surrounding elements of nature.

Chehalem Glenn Golf Course is built within a rolling hill landscape and has a nice mix of open spaces and forested protected areas. The course is well-maintained with short fairway cuts, and plush rough. Favorably, the first several holes provide an open layout and ample room for error. Beyond that, trees and out-of-bounds areas increase along the way. Many tee shots and approach shots require carrying marked hazards, especially from the back tees, where the course plays notably longer. The back 9 features many of these scenarios, and is quite hazardous in general. It even has a few large ponds that come into play, unlike the front 9 which is mainly dry. There are droves of bunkers plotted throughout Chehalem Glenn, some large and glaring while others are tucked away between knolls. The greens are very large, but tend to look deceivingly small from a distance, thanks to shapely surrounding terrain. In season, the greens are true and fast and fall right in line with the overall nice conditions of Chehalem Glenn.  

Chehalem Glenn has a great practice facility, making it a popular destination among Newberg and other surrounding communities. There is a full outdoor driving range with grass and mat-surfaced hitting; it’s surrounded by forest and is a pleasant setting for practice. The putting green is large and provides big breaks, like you will find on some of the course’s greens. Superior to the norm, Chehalem Glenn also has a huge chipping green, with bunkers, for an array of close-in shots to practice. The clubhouse is a simple manufactured building with merchandise and a snack shop.

Charbonneau Golf Course, in Wilsonville, OR, is a nice executive course with relatively lengthy holes. Built within a large private community, Charbonneau consists of 27 holes that are heavily lined with real estate. Each 9 hole side, named Red, Yellow & Green, consists of four Par 4s and five Par 3s. Traditional to it’s type, the Par 4s here are short, some of which are reachable for longer hitters. The Par 3s, on the other hand, are notably long and will challenge all. Throughout the entire course, they average out at 180-190 yards from white to blue tees. For most golfers, this makes hitting greens in regulation improbable, creating a solid challenge and an opportunity for short game practice. Aside from big distances, Charbonneau is a friendly golf venue and conducive for all skill levels.

Charbonneau is a generally flat course with some gradually rolling terrain. Long Par 3s and an expansive out-of-bounds in the form of homes, are the biggest challenges present on the course. There are many varieties of large and beautiful trees on the grounds which can help knock errant shots back in play, but will mainly serve as additional obstacles. There’s also many bunkers present throughout the entire course, most of which are very large. Overall though, the holes here provide plenty of space to operate, with wide fairways and ample room in the rough. There’s water present in several areas that come into play, but the grounds are mainly dry. The greens vary a bit in condition, but most of the course has great rolling surfaces. The Red & Yellow courses, specifically, tend to hold form well and provide fast speeds and true lines. Some of the greens are easier, flat surfaces, while some are sloped or tiered and offer some tricky breaks.

Charbonneau has fsull amenities for a non-regulation course. They have a wide driving range with grass-surfaced hitting, and there’s a large putting green. The proshop, located in Charbonneau’s community square, is standard with a selection of retail items. There’s also a small restaurant on site with some basic food options and drinks.

Indian Creek Golf Course is a hidden gem located where the Hood River valley joins the majestic Columbia River gorge. Tucked into the rolling hills of this valley junction and surrounded by the northern foothills of Mt. Hood, Indian Creek provides great scenery and extensive elevation change. From the clubhouse and much of the front 9, visitors are offered a uniquely spectacular view of Mt. Hood’s north face, in which its rugged peak is reminiscent to that of Switzerland’s Matterhorn. Hood’s neighbor to the north, Mt. Adams, is also visible from numerous perspectives. The natural beauty of this region competes with the pristine putting greens as Indian Creek’s most notable feature. The greens are kept in immaculate shape and provide as true of a roll as you can ask for. Their speed will demand you to putt with the delicacy of a tour pro. In addition, there are plenty of other aspects making Indian Creek a truly enjoyable golf experience.

The yardage at Indian Creek Golf Course is very short, but this doesn’t equate to ease. Just off the banks of the Columbia, a region famous for world-class wind sailing, the challenges extend above the hilly terrain. Added together, a promising ball strike can deceive you into false optimism. If you play the course on a calm or wind-free day, there are still other challenges to overcome. While some holes have an open layout, others have layup-requiring dog legs and traverse along sloping terrain. A power cart is recommended here for navigation of the hills, as well as covering the lengthy distance between most holes. There are also plenty of trees and natural areas to avoid, as well as a few water hazards. At ground level, the obstacles continue with plush, thick rough and expansive white-sand bunkers. But again, the biggest test for most golfers lies below your spikes with the extremely fast greens. They offer an array of subtle and not-so-subtle contour which, along with their speed, requires a lot of focus to manage.

The facilities at Indian Creek are on par with the quality of the course. There is grass-surface hitting on the driving range, but also a covered area for rainy days. There is also a chipping station, as well as a bunker for sand practice. The clubhouse has a nice, cabin feel with rustic wood work and large log pillars. Aside from the pro shop, which is stocked with plenty of merchandise, there is a very accommodating restaurant/bar with a large, covered outdoor dining area. Indian Creek warmly welcomes visitors from the city who overcome the false notion that it is too far away. Given the location, it’s worth mentioning that this is a year-round course. Exit 62 comes faster than you expect as you cruise up the breathtaking Columbia River Gorge.

Eastmoreland Golf Course, in the heart of SE Portland’s Eastmoreland District, is a historic golf course that should be played at least once by anybody that enjoy’s the game. Combined, the 18 holes at Eastmoreland provide a very enjoyable test of all your golf skills. The natural beauty, reasonable rates and ideal location in the Portland area make Eastmoreland Golf Course a great value for the average summertime golfer. It appears that Portland Parks and Recreation is also interested in appealing to the more experienced golfer by making continuous improvements to the condition and overall play of the course. Similar to most municipal courses, be warned that golfers of all skill levels enjoy the affordable rates here in the peak summer months. This means the average time of a weekend round will certainly rise with the quality of the weather, and players are less likely to worry about their effect on course conditions.

Some very recent improvements that have been made to one of Portland’s most popular golf courses has allowed local golfers of any skill level to enjoy a naturally beautiful course within the city at reasonable public rates. Most notably, the removal of many large and bothersome trees as well as better maintenance of the ones that still line the fairways has allowed for a more player friendly course. The greens at Eastmoreland have always been well maintained and are of high quality. Now it appears that an emphasis has been placed on creating greener fairways and more consistent rough. Players will be pleasantly surprised with the number of unique holes on this historic course. Completed in 1918, Eastmoreland is the oldest municipal course in Portland and is also the second oldest course in Oregon. It is common for older golf courses to feature many repetitive holes and what golfers now days would refer to as a plain layout. Eastmoreland however, was designed with creative features and holes that are even more impressive knowing that not a lot of land was moved during its original construction. The true beauty of this course lies in the various immense trees, dense green vegetation and radiant seasonal flowers that we appreciate so much here in the Northwest.

Playing Eastmoreland Golf Course

After opening up your round with a couple of straightforward par 4’s, the remaining holes on your front nine leave you with options off the tee and challenge you to both find the fairway and avoid greenside trouble. Staying in the short grass is critical on this golf course. Although many large trees that used to be in play have recently been removed and the rough is not overly deep, the holes play tight and being straight off the tee will benefit golfers much more than length in terms of scoring well here. There are two very friendly par-5’s on the front nine that can be scored on if played from the fairway. Playing for par on the long par 3’s as well as making a few putts on the large true greens can result in some very good scores on the front nine.

After another good looking, yet short par-4 10th , things become a bit more challenging on the back nine. Holes like 11, 13 and 16 will play much easier for you on your second time around the course. After viewing these holes in their entirety you will be able to better plan your strategy off the tee. The par-5 13th specifically calls for a layup of 200-220 yards depending on your choice of tee box. The two par-3’s on the back nine are the most scenic holes on the course. Both holes have gorgeous views of the Crystal Springs Lake shared by the golf course and the Rhododendron Test Gardens. Although both holes have forced carries over water, you may find that these two par 3’s are much more scoreable than those on the front nine. There are many enjoyable holes with features like the lake and Johnson Creek on the back nine, but staying out of these natural hazards off the tee will help you avoid frustration and allow you to take advantage of simple approach shots to large greens during your back nine.