Running Y Golf Course

General Course Description

Running Y Golf Course is an 18-hole public course outside of Klamath Falls. The course is a stunningly beautiful resort course with several different looks — open farm land, tree-lined, and meadowland. Generally, Running Y Golf Course has receptive driving areas with contours that bring the ball back into the fairway. But trees, water, and sand make the holes challenging. Very well maintained. Greens are true with subtle breaks and need several looks to read properly. Great practice facilities. Forward tees provide shorter distances as well as improved angles. It is hilly with distances between some holes. Walk if you want exercise, but a cart may be preferred.

Course History

Built in 1997. Sold to its current owner in 2015. After it opened, it received lots of awards including:  Top 10 Oregon Public Courses (by The Oregonian), Top 10 Oregon Courses (by Golf Week), Top 100 Public Courses (by Golf Digest), Top 5 Courses for Women (by Golf Digest), and one of Arnold Palmer’s 16 Best Courses that he has built. Hosted the Northwest Open in 1998, 2001, 2006, and 2007.

Why It Is There

Built as part of the Running Y Resort by Jeld-Wen.

I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Played

Hole 15 is a long, tree-lined par 5, but it is downhill and shots to the left will run to the green (so take a bit less club and/or run it up from the left). Hole 17, a par 5, has a split fairway. To take the right or upper side (and have the best chance to reach in 2), you need to be long and accurate on both shots. Taking the longer left side, which is much more open, is a nice walk. And hole 18, a par 4, feels like a dogleg left but is straight (you may want to favor the right to keep the lake out of play and let the mounding bring your ball back into the fairway).

Did You Know

When the course was being completed, there was a debate as to whether to keep the tree that comes into play from the right on the 14th hole. The designer insisted that it stay, and the tree is nicknamed the “Palmer Tree.”

Good For Them

Has a junior camp drawing from a wide area. Practice course for Henley High School and Oregon Technical Institute. Has reduced water use by 40 percent between 2012 and 2014 (water from all the holes on the back 9 funnel to the pond between 10 and 18 and are then used to irrigate). Low use of chemicals. Participates in the Klamath Falls Winter Wings Festival, a celebration of birds and nature photography held each February.

Why Play This Course

A beautiful, well-maintained course, with a variety of interesting holes and  great practice facilities. At the rack rate, it is a little expensive (but still worth it if you are in the area), but if you can find a discounted rate, it’s worth the trip.

General

• • Type: 18-hole public course
  • Price: $$$$
  • Phone/webpage: (541)850-5580/www.runningy.com
  • Address:  5790 Cooper’s Hawk Road, Klamath Falls, Oregon 97601
  • Owner: CLV Properties, LLC
  • Designer: Arnold Palmer
  • Pros: Jaren Mack (PGA associate), Jerry Meyers
  • Practice Facilities: Driving range on grass, pitching and sand practice areas, practice green, very nice 18-hole putting green (with a separate score card), and an indoor practice net with course video and trackman analysis (taken out in 2022, but should return in 2023)
  • Pro Shop: Good-sized, with equipment and lots of clothing
  • Food: Header Mobile Grill is a food cart next to the pro shop serving sandwiches, wraps, salads, sodas, beer, and wine
  • Bathrooms: Improved in clubhouse and on course
  • Yardage Markers: 150 stones on either side of the fairway; 250, 200, 175, 150, 125, 100, and 75 in-ground markers; color of flags mark pin position
  • Clothing: Collared shirts
  • Walkable: It’s hilly, suggest taking a cart
  • Spikes: Soft
  • Shoe Cleaning: Brushes
  • Rentals: All (including golf boards)
  • Open as much as they can be