r/PDXgolf • u/tobetheband • 9d ago

Course recommendations

Hey ya’ll!

I’m heading up to Portland in a couple weeks. I’m trying to get 2-3 rounds in. I’ll be staying in Beaverton/Aloha area. Looking for course recommendations.

I’m a single digit handicap caddie from Las Vegas. I may end up solo one or two rounds, and may end up playing with my 20 handicap step-dad.

Let me know, thanks!

3 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

49 comments sorted by

26

u/throwmydickinapit 9d ago

The reserve for sure being in that area.

8

u/tobetheband 9d ago

Reserve is like 5 minutes from where I’m staying so that ones #1 on my list. Heard it’s great. I was looking at Meriwether and pumpkin ridge as well. Heard pumpkin ridge is a little overrated but I’ve heard good things too

6

u/throwmydickinapit 9d ago

Meriweather last I played there was in bad shape for the price of the course. Pumpkin is a good track but I’d honestly recommend a drive out to stone creek over it. If you’re fine with the $150+ round at pumpkin it is a good course though.

7

u/DragonLordLVL54 9d ago

Agree with this rec, I live by stone and think it's one of the best bangs for your buck.

Played pumpkin last summer and honestly walked away thinking I was scammed. It's not a bad track but def not worth the asking price. They just live off the "tiger played here" story.

1

u/tobetheband 9d ago

Good to know! I don’t mind driving a bit and don’t mind spending money. Would you prefer stone creek or pumpkin ridge?

10

u/TheDivineBeard 9d ago

If you are open for driving 1000% recommend Elk Ridge. The views, the course itself — unbelievable.

2

u/Direct_Percentage330 8d ago

Elk Ridge is worth the drive. Always in great shape and the view is exceptional.

3

u/throwmydickinapit 9d ago

I prefer stone creek! It’s a super fun course with some interesting course design.

1

u/tobetheband 9d ago

Sweet, thanks! What are rental clubs like at Portland courses? I’m bringing my own but my stepdad will need some. He’s not too picky

2

u/throwmydickinapit 9d ago

They should have at the course but I’m not sure. Haven’t had to rent.

1

u/Delicious_Lack_2096 9d ago

I’d say most courses have rentals - if you are playing multiple rounds and have a place to keep them, it’s often cheaper just renting a set from a third party and using them the whole time

4

u/hikid 9d ago

The Reserve and Pumpkin Ridge are the best in that area, Quail in Banks was good too but it closed.

Meriweather is a fine course but don't expect much but very playable.

If you are willing to drive a bit then OGA in Woodburn, Stone Creek in Oregon City, Langdon Farms in Aurora are all courses that I frequent and are solid courses (Langdon is a bit expensive). Somewhat closer to you are Wildwood and Forest Hills both are fine courses but Wildwood is a little quirky and in my experience both have greens that are pretty mediocre at best (but not bad).

1

u/Pristine_Sherbert_22 9d ago

Oh ya. Wildwood. It’s a fun and quirky little track. And actually not too tough to get to on Germantown if in Beaverton. Also has the best swag in the area

Always forget heron great blue. Despite being a muni, it’s a great layout and usually in good shape too.

1

u/hikid 9d ago

I forgot to mention Great Blue, wonderful course in the summer I agree

1

u/momto4inOR 9d ago

Meriweather is used as a cross country course for the local high schools if that gives you any idea of its condition. That’s a hard pass. Stone creek in Oregon City is a great public course kept in very nice shape.

1

u/Pristine_Sherbert_22 9d ago

Skip meriweather.

Langdon is worth playing if you don’t mind driving 39 mins. Pumpkin for sure.

If you happen to be here on the 31st and 1st, you could actually play both the north and south courses at the reserve as they switch the public / private sides on the 1st and 15th of each month.

3

u/dlama 9d ago

Reserve (south is my favorite but they swap to North every two weeks)
Langdon Farms (Wilsonville)
OGA (down in Woodburn)

Pumpkin Ridge Ghost Creek is a good course but it just doesn't feel that well designed as a 'country club' public side should be.

4

u/N0L 9d ago edited 9d ago

Chehalem Glenn for the price. It’s a fun course and not many folks like playing out there. Reserves and Pumpkin Ridge will be your higher tier courses with maybe Reserves playing much better than the two at the moment. Forest Hills I recommend looking at their website for their daily hot deals. It’s not worth the normal green fees. Wildwood is also an option and a quick drive from Aloha. Just be prepared for the pace of play. Local munis like Red Tail, Eastmoreland, Heron Lakes and Rose City can be fun to also play. If you want to drive out less than an hour from Aloha, you’ll have options with Langdon Farms and Stone Creek and also WA courses like Camas Meadows and Tri Mountain. A little more than an hours and a half drive you can hit up Indian Creek in Hood River or go across the Bridge of the Gods and hit up Elk’s Ridge. Just fyi that cart fees up here are per person and ranges from $13-23.

Check out golfmoose.com. They have two different deals. One is up Mt Hood and the other is a course out in Tillamook

3

u/aclassicleo 9d ago

Do not go to Redtail. Want to love the course cause it’s so difficult but the pace of play and the clientele the course attracts is an absolute no for me. Would also skip Rose City and replace it with Glendoveer East.

1

u/N0L 8d ago

Red Tail early bird on Mon-Tues are the best time to enjoy that course.

3

u/-motts- 9d ago

Reserve.

4

u/buoyblaster 9d ago edited 8d ago

Via the last 5 “in from out of town” posts,
I’ll give you the cliff notes.

The Reserve - Good

Pumpkin Ridge - Bad but still Good (I think it’s great but everyone in this group seems to hate it.)

Wildwood - cool / silly

Elk Ridge - good + scenery

Heron Blue - City Favorite

HM
Langdon Farms - Good but to far from me

Everything else is wack! Ha, but honestly the above are the best in the area that are public courses.

3

u/burnerschmurnerimtom 9d ago

I would describe wildwood as “silly”. Cheap round, not terribly nice, goofy holes and goofy energy. Can be a fun way to kill an afternoon.

1

u/buoyblaster 8d ago

Updated. 🫡

0

u/p-bog 8d ago

Langdon Farms isn’t wack. It’s solid course in good condition.

1

u/buoyblaster 8d ago edited 8d ago

You read the above… WACK!

No Langdon is a great track! I wish it was closer for me.

Updated 🫡

3

u/todoslosfritos 9d ago

As others have said, the reserve for sure. Hopefully you are here for the south course weeks but both are great. If you’re looking for something unique, wildwood is a fun one, tons of elevation changes and not as pricy as some others in the area.

5

u/tobetheband 9d ago

Online says it will be south course while I’m there!

2

u/Gracchus_15 9d ago

South course is superior imo

3

u/Menji76 9d ago

Reserve and Wildwood for sure

3

u/pdxroash 8d ago

In order:

The Reserve

OGA

Langdon Farms

Chehalem Glenn

Wildwood

Forest Hills

3

u/Treetopdroptop5 9d ago

Forest hills is in Hillsboro and rather close to meriweather. I would vote for forest hills over meriweather.

2

u/aclassicleo 9d ago

I agree with most of the recos on here but another one that’s worth a drive and is shorter than Elk Ridge, although I highly recommend Elk too, is Tri-Mountain. It gets bonus points from me because it’s 5 min from a casino too so it makes for a complete day 😂

2

u/zeimusCS 8d ago

Reserve

3

u/patshwin 9d ago

Wildwood is a beautiful course with a unique PNW feel. Lots of elevation gain so might be wise to use a cart.

2

u/black_out_ronin 9d ago

Stone creek.

2

u/Icy_Mission_4980 9d ago

You won’t find anything quite like Wildwood anywhere. Conditions are mid, but the logo rules and merch is great.

2

u/drrlramsey 4d ago

-The Reserve (top choice and worth it)
-Wildwood (hidden gem)
-Forest Hills (nice local course)
-Langdon Farms (a little spendy IMO)
-Heron Lakes (Great Blue Course is fun)
-RedTail (local muni with the largest driving range)
-Stone Creek (great local course but, from the west side travel times can vary from 35 minutes to over an hour depending on time of day)

Merriweather is in the midst of improvements. I agree with everyone’s assessment but, you can almost always find a tee time and get in 9 or 18.

BTW. While Elk Ridge is fairly nice, it’s actually in Carlton, WA (an hours drive away) with a ton of courses in between the westside and that location so not sure why it’s mentioned so much here. I’ve played it a half dozen times and it’s good but, unless you have a ton of time during your stay, it’s certainly not a drive I’d recommend.

1

u/h8-3putts 9d ago

Wildwood is fun. Chahalem Glenn might be worth a trip. Stone Creek is great but in other side of the city. Langdon Farms is closer than Stone Creek and is a fun track

1

u/Disatrous_Penalty31 9d ago

Langdon Farms is worth a look, as is OGA

1

u/Amazing-Beyond-8861 9d ago

Stone creek is awesome if you don’t mind driving to Oregon city

1

u/classick_4 9d ago

Stone Creek is worth the drive for you

0

u/apatheticgod_ 9d ago

Don’t let this sub talk you out of pumpkin ridge if you’re going for the best of the area. It’s admittedly a bit overpriced but it’s definitely the most country club feel of a public course around if you’re into that and willing to pay. I think it’s fun and has the best greens and most consistent turf around.

1

u/tobetheband 9d ago

Good to know. Thanks!

0

u/Big_Amphibian_4075 7d ago

What he said about Pumpkin Ridge. Not sure why people hate on it, one of the best challenging public tracks in the area. It is also out in the country and away from the hustle and bustle of the city noise.

0

u/Strong_Pineapple8215 7d ago

Go play great blue at heron lakes. Best public course layout

0

u/Appropriate_Hornet99 6d ago

Eastmoreland- built in 1918 by chandler Egan who went on to redesign Pebble Beach with Alister Mackenzie

It’s short on card but you’ll play the entire bag.

Deep history - best bones of any course in the area. If you break 80 you should be happy. It’s a very hard track. The No Laying up crew visited and couldn’t break 90

It’s a shot makers course - easily worth a visit and right in Portland SE with beautiful back 9

Heron Lakes - Great Blue is Robert Trent Jones Jr mist affordable track in the world. Next to airport and another awesome track with hardest 3 finishing holes in all of Portland

-1

u/Mighty_Wave 8d ago

RedTail