Stroke of Genius

Here’s a tip for the nation’s golfers, frozen out of tee times for months through fall and winter: In three days, you can play three radically different courses from the incredible range of year-round layouts in three different regions of Oregon west of the Cascade Mountains. You’ll experience a variety sure to challenge your game and your concept of off-season golf.

Start your tour 25 minutes west of Portland on Highway 26 in North Plains, home of Pumpkin Ridge’s Ghost Creek, one of the signature courses of famous architect Bob Cupp. The course opens in the last gasp of the plains and rises into the beginnings of the Tualatin Mountains, then darts in and out of stands of fir, maple and ash. Its large greens are tiered and quite deep, and many feature false fronts; club selection can vary four clubs on some holes, like the par-5 fourth, because of pin placement. Its thoughtful layout demands strategy and accuracy, and offers little leeway to wayward shots. A few holes—the par-5 eighth, which winds gently down out of the trees to a postage-stamp green, and the dastardly 17th, a short par-4 bisected by the eponymous creek—appear tame but can punish players tempted to take shortcuts.

You’ll end day one on the road, heading three hours south on I-5 to Canyonville and the Seven Feathers Hotel and Casino, the oldest Native American casino in Oregon. The casino offers golf packages to nearby Myrtle Creek Golf Course. So, unwind in your spacious room, grab a bite in the sports bar, maybe try your luck at the tables, and hit the sack. You’ve got some work left.

Ten miles up I-5 in the small town of Myrtle Creek is one of the most pleasant public facilities you’ll ever see. Myrtle Creek Golf Course, listed among the country’s best new public courses when it opened in 1998, is cut into the foothills of the Cascade Mountains as they edge into the Umpqua River valley. The result is a striking, hilly course populated with white oak and myrtle that players share with numerous waterfowl and red foxes. Elevation varies greatly from hole to hole; most of the driving holes are wide open, and its moderately large greens roll true despite their undulations. The view from the seventh tee—with verdant, mountainous hills leaning into the Cascades behind, sleepy Myrtle Creek below and an enormous sky above—is alone worth the green fee.

Afterward, wind your way 100 miles west on Highway 42 to the seaside resort that has awakened a renaissance in classic course design worldwide: Bandon Dunes. After a restful night at the Lodge, you’ll be playing the younger of the resort’s two tracks, Pacific Dunes, the Tom Doak-designed Irish links course that has been deemed the third-best public course in America behind Pebble Beach and Pinehurst #2—and yes, it lives up to the comparison. It will likely be the best course you’ll ever play.

True to its name, it’s built right on the dunes, and is dominated by Scotch broom and breathtaking ocean views. It’s a demanding layout that emphasizes position, and while it isn’t as heavily bunkered as you might expect, the ones in play are nasty—deep, with sawgrass surrounding many. The wind can overwhelm here, which gives the course its character and its players fits; club selection can vary greatly. The huge, rolling greens are faster than they look, which is never more apparent than when you are pitching around the green. Bring your bump-and-run, but know how to use it. For that matter, bring a camera. Have your caddie snap a photo of you teeing off on the sublime par-3 11, perched atop a cliff above the Pacific, or hitting your approach to the sweeping, beautiful par-5 18, so that once you’re home you can remember what you looked like playing one of the best golf courses in the world. – Greg Netzer

And What’s More…

Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club / Ghost Creek Pumpkin Ridge has hosted five USGA championships since 1994. From November through April, green fees are $45 ($55 on weekends); carts are $18. 12930 Old Pumpkin Ridge Road, North Plains. Call 503.647.4747 or visit www.pumpkinridge.com.
In and around Pumpkin Ridge Options abound. Those hungry for culture can sate themselves at the Portland Art Museum, home of legendary critic Clement Greenburg’s extensive collection of modern art, on Portland’s South Park Blocks. Thirsty visitors might head west along US 99 into Yamhill County and visit one of the region’s storied vintners of Pinot noir. Have something else in mind? You’ll likely find it within an hour’s drive of the course. Visit the Portland Oregon Visitors Association at www.travelportland.com for more ideas.

Myrtle Creek Golf Course Myrtle Creek green fees are $42 ($47 on weekends); carts are $24. 1316 Fairway Drive, Myrtle Creek. Call 888.869.7853 or visit www.myrtlecreekgolf.com.
In and around Myrtle Creek Crater Lake National Park, the only National Park in Oregon, is a 90-minute drive from Myrtle Creek. The Steel Visitor Center at park headquarters (November to April, open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; May to October, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) offers exhibits on the history of the park. Entrance fee is $10. Call 541.594.3100.

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Pacific Dunes Outstanding facility and hospitality, with three restaurants, a cigar bar, day spa, and a 34-acre practice facility. Impressive accommodations at The Lodge at Bandon Dunes begin at $160; green fees for guests are also $160, but call for lower winter rates. Walking only; caddies start at $25 plus gratuity. 57744 Round Lake Drive, Bandon. Call 888.345.6008 or visit www.bandondunesgolf.com.
In and around Bandon There’s loads of outdoor recreation available year-round in the Bandon area, from a trail system through the dunes to the scenic Beach Loop Drive to whale and bird watching. The historic old section of town, Bandon-by-the-Sea, features many charming cafes, antiques galleries and a historical museum.