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For most visitors to the Willamette Valley, you will find corks in their pockets as they toast friends with “Cheers!”. If you’re just as likely to have tees in your pockets and be yelling “fore,” the area can provide you with some great golfing to round out your vacation time before wine tasting. Here are some of the best golf courses in the Willamette Valley near Chehalem Ridge B&B. As we aren’t really golfers, we’ve solicited input from repeat guest John Stockton who plays at several of these courses each year on his visit.
Chehalem Glenn Golf Course, Newberg
Closest to the B&B is the public course of Chehalem Glenn Golf Course, just a 10-minute drive downhill in Newberg. Just look SSW from any inn deck and you will see glimpses of the first and last four holes of the course. Run by our local Parks Department, this course is consistently rated one of the toughest public courses in Oregon. John tells us that Chehalem Glenn is a tale of two courses, as it starts and finishes with flat, wide fairways while holes 5-14 offer elevation changes, curves, and plenty of trees. If you get paired with local players, you will truly benefit from their local course knowledge. The course is built on 6” of sand, so in the spring and fall when the Willamette Valley experiences wet weather, the course tends to dry out quicker than other area courses. At around $50 for 18 holes, it is a good bargain for a municipal course of its quality and easy to catch an early tee time after our 8am breakfast.
Langdon Farms Golf Club, Aurora
John’s favorite local course is Langdon Farms Golf Club in Aurora, reached by 30 minutes of back roads through the vineyards and hops farms of the Willamette Valley. He says that the course is kept in pristine condition and has 8 tee options to meet the skill levels of all golfers. The practice facilities rival those of most country clubs. The course has a large restaurant, Langdon Grill with indoor and outdoor seating. The grounds are enhanced by seasonal floral accents and the first and eighteenth holes share a massive horseshoe green, which wraps around a beautiful water feature. This course also runs very dry in the rainy seasons. The property hosts weddings and events as well.
Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, North Plains
Among the more famous golf courses in the Willamette Valley, Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club is comprised of two courses – Ghost Creek which is open for public play and Witch Hollow which is set aside for members only. This course, about a 35-minute drive north of Chehalem Ridge B&B, has been the site of numerous professional and high-level amateur tournaments. The course designer, Bob Cupp, let the natural landscape of wetlands and forests lend a hand in laying the holes. Ghost Creek has four tees which offer a variety of challenges for golfers of all abilities. This course offers a beautiful setting for a fine golf experience. The clubhouse offers great views from its restaurant and offers a wide range of services.
The Reserve Vineyards & Golf Course, Aloha
The Reserve Vineyards and Golf Course in the Beaverton – Aloha area provides truly a high-quality country club setting. About 25 minutes north of Chehalem Ridge B&B, this complex of 2 championship-level golf courses is quite unique. The North Course has the feel of links golf, while the South Course has the tree-lined appearance of traditional NW golf. Another interesting characteristic is that public play is allowed on days 1-15 of a month on the South Course and on days 16 through the rest of the month on the North Course. The Vintage Room Restaurant is a fine dining experience as well.
Salishan Golf Links, Gleneden Beach
Finally, if you are up for a bit of a drive, try John’s other favorite golf course: Salishan Golf Links on the Oregon Coast. This golf course is located just south of Lincoln City in Gleneden Beach, about a 90-minute drive from Chehalem Ridge B&B. The front nine winds its way through tree-lined fairways, while the back nine is exposed to the coastal elements. This course has great views, lush terrain, and a fair, but challenging, golf experience that makes for a great day excursion. Green fees are quite reasonable compared to many coastal golf courses. As the weather on the Oregon Coast tends to be 10-20 degrees cooler than in here in Newberg, this is a great option for a hot late-summer tee time.
Bonus trivia fact:
Odds are your home course is covered in grass grown with Willamette Valley grass seed! When you are here and driving in the lower elevations of the valley where the rich soil is too lush for grape vines, you’ll see field evidence that grass seed (everything from Ryegrass to Kentucky bluegrass to Bentgrass) is one of Oregon’s largest agricultural products.
As you can see, for wine-loving golfers, the Willamette Valley delivers on both subjects. We at Chehalem Ridge B&B are dedicated to helping you get the most out of your adventures. We are happy to store your golf bags in our locked shed while you are out wine tasting. Speaking of wine tasting, we can make your wine tasting appointments with our Winery Itinerary Service and of course, we can get your day started out right with our gourmet breakfasts. Make your reservations now to stay with us and play on some of the Willamette Valley’s best golf courses.
~by Guest John Stockton with assist from Kristin Fintel, Innkeeper
