Emerald Valley Golf Club, in Creswell, OR, is the home course of the Oregon Ducks Golf Team and a staple of Willamette Valley golf. Emerald Valley has all of the tangibles of a complete and respectable golf course, even if a bit understated at first glance. Quality greens and lengthy distances establishes it as a suitable and challenging venue for collegiate practice. But also, sizable advantages from the front tees are accomodating to the common golfer and help make this a popular course for the greater Eugene area. Beyond its pure putting surfaces, Emerald Valley has a nice natural setting and a diverse array of tests at each tee. Aside from some residential properties on the front 9, other views include forested foothills and the Coast Fork of the Willamette River. Solid across the board, Emerald Valley is a course that doesn’t take a scholar to appreciate, and where a love for Northwest golf is the only prerequisite.
Emerald Valley Golf Club is built on a flat tract of land and has little in the form of shapely terrain. The course gets it character from meandering doglegs that cut through a wealth of trees, as well as tricky, undulating greens. The straighter layouts tend to tighten up, making trees the main source of trouble throughout all of the holes. Much of the threat of trees exists in rows of old growth placed between holes. Factoring in some lengthy distances puts a premium on finding the fairways. Also, sand traps exist directionally, assisting the trees in narrowing any target zones that otherwise may be favorable in size. More notable are the greenside bunkers that are frequent and often steep-faced. Aside from the Par 3s on the back 9 and several wetland areas, there is minimal water that comes into play. The greens at Emerald Valley, which counter the overall flat grounds of the course, have extreme sloping and can be very tricky to roll. They are well maintained, and provide a fast, true putting surface.
