The Reserve Vineyard South Course

General Course Description

The Reserve Vineyard South Course is one of the two 18-hole championship courses that form one of the great Portland area golf complexes. The Reserve Vineyard South Course, like its sister, is a very attractive, 18-hole semi-private course (it is private one half of each month). It is much wider and longer (and the course rating is higher) than the North course, and boasts many a bunker. It is very well maintained and very well staffed. The Reserve Vineyard has good practice facilities, a stable of teaching pros, a very attractive clubhouse, and a very good restaurant. The course often hosts corporate tournaments. Forward tees provide improvement in distance and angles. This course is pretty flat and very walkable. [Much of the following information is contained in the post on the North course.]

Course History

Opened in 1997 with the North Course. There was a bump in the development of the Reserve as financing fell through after it was initially started in 1991 (with Tom Kite and Bob Culp). New financing was acquired and OB Sports and John Fought were brought in to complete development. The result is a golf complex that has hosted The PGA Champions Tour Senior Major, The Tradition (on the South Course), as well as Peter Jacobson’s Fred Meyer Challenge (also on the South Course).  In 2017, John Fought came back to supervise a renovation of all the traps on the South Course (where there was a 40 percent drop in sand space and many traps were relocated or reconfigured).  The 2018 OGA Tournament of Champions was held on the course.

Why It Is There

Started as a destination golf facility that achieved that result even with a financial hick up. Now it has a good-sized private membership, a solid amount of public visitors, and a number of corporate tournaments.

I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Played

Hole 13 is a par 4 with an elevated green that wraps around a trap the locals refer to as “Little Wally” (fka “Big Wally” before Mr. Fought reduced it). The hole will play very differently depending on the pin placement. If the pin is on the left side of the green, it is a straight away hole. If the pin is on the right, you will have to contend with Little Wally and a tree on the right, so best to keep your drive left.

Did You Know

There is a yellow post at the edge of the pond that is between the 4th and 5th holes. It is a powerful light that is used to keep the geese away.

Good For Them

The Reserve is a supporter of the LPGA Amateur Golf Association, hosts golf classes through Portland Community College, and is the home course for Century, Aloha, South Ridge, and Valley Catholic High Schools. The Reserve hosts the “Hundred Hole Hike” to support Youth On Course (in 2019 one golfer, Gretchen Johnson, completed the 100 holes in six hours). In environmentally sensitive areas, they manually remove invidious species and rarely use pesticides.

Why Play This Course

Although it is a little pricey and slow play can occur, it is a very good course that is very well maintained, with good practice facilities and a wonderful clubhouse. Both courses should be on the list of “must-play” courses in the Portland area.

General

• Type: 18-hole semi-private course (private half of the month)
• Price: $$$
• Phone/webpage: (503)649-8191/www.reservegolf.com
• Address: 4805 SW 229th Avenue, Aloha, Oregon 97078
• Owner: Reserve Vineyards & Golf Club, LLC
• Designer: John Fought
• Pros: Cody Pitz (PGA), Chris Rogers (PGA), Ryan Bishop
• Practice Facilities: Driving range on grass and practice greens (members have a private driving and short game practice area)
• Pro Shop: Good-sized, with clothing and equipment
• Food: Very good, full-service restaurant open to the public with a deck overlooking the course (check for times) as well as a snack shack
• Bathrooms: Improved in clubhouse, improved outhouses on course
• Yardage Markers: 150 (100 on short holes) posts; yardage on sprinkler heads; pins color-coded for location
• Clothing: Proper golf attire
• Walkable: A little hilly and some walks between holes, but fine overall
• Spikes: Soft
• Shoe Cleaning: Air hose and brushes
• Rentals: All
• Open all year (and drains well)