Articles and Interviews

[I did a bit of research on racism and improving diversity in golf in Oregon, and ended up with too much information to put in one article. In this article, first of two parts, I provide a brief history of racism in golf and racism in Oregon and how that is reflected in the lack of Black golfers in Oregon. The next installment (in early January), will focus on programs that are helping to expand the diversity of golf in Oregon.]

On April 26, 1974, after Lee Elder became the first Black golfer to be invited to the Masters, Carl T. Rowan wrote an opinion piece in The Oregonian on why there were not more Black golfers. Mr. Rowan stated, in part:

“But for golf, you need special courses that spread over acres of costly land. It means access to country clubs, and that means bucking the most pernicious of social snobberies as well as deeply institutionalized racism. It is a yet a wonder that a black American has worked his way into the Masters.”

Institutionalized racism in golf? Of course. You don’t have to go back to the days of golf’s invention and spread by the British Empire. Overt discrimination in golf did not end until fairly recently. For example, in 1934 the PGA adopted a “Caucasian-only” clause stating that its membership was only “for members of the Caucasian race,” which was not removed until 1961. During this period and beyond, almost all private courses remained closed to people of color, and at least until the 1950s (after the U.S. Supreme Court in Holmes v. City of Atlanta signaled that you can’t have restricted tee times for Black golfers on muni courses), many muni courses were as well or had very limited tee times. Even clubs at public courses openly excluded people of color well into the 1960s. It wasn’t until 1990 that the PGA stopped playing at courses that overtly banned Black members (taking on Shoal Creek Country Club). [For a more in-depth and better written review of racism in golf, I suggest reading Game of Privilege, Lane Demas (2017) or Uneven Lies, Pete McDaniel (2000).]

Institutionalized racism in Oregon? Of course. Although this

beautiful state is not in the Deep South, Oregon was founded as a White Homeland. In 1844, the Territory outlawed slavery, but in 1849, the Territory enacted the Exclusion Act, prohibiting Blacks from moving to Oregon. Oregon’s constitution, ratified in 1857 and effective in 1859 when Oregon became a state, provided a ban on any Black person not currently living in the State from “living, holding real estate and making contracts within” Oregon. That provision of the Oregon constitution was not repealed until 2001, despite repeated attempts to do so. In between, there were continuous overt displays of racism in Oregon, including the election in 1922 of a member of the KKK, Walter Pierce, as governor. In more recent times, urban modernization/beautification projects have destroyed entire neighborhoods of Black folk (the 1956 project for Memorial Coliseum in Portland where one goal was a “white corridor” between downtown and the Lloyds Center; the 1970 expansion of Emanuel Hospital in Portland; and the continuing gentrification in residential neighborhoods). There were also the 1960s and 70s busing laws where only Black children were bused, the continued reliance on a non-unanimous jury verdicts in criminal cases (although aimed at immigrants, the overall goal was to overcome people “untrained in the jury system”), and, presently, the disproportionate amount of COVID illnesses and deaths in nonwhite populations in Oregon.

Blacks may have been able to play at some public courses in

Oregon, but they were, by decree or practice, excluded from being members of golfing clubs or country clubs, or participating in tournaments until at least the 1960s. While most private clubs in Oregon did not have stated prohibitions against Black members, exclusionary practices persisted. By 1990, less than half of the private courses in the Portland metro area had a Black member. In an August 5, 1990, article in The Oregonian, it was suggested that barriers for possible Black members included the cost to join and the need to be nominated by an existing member. Charles Ganter, the then president of Leisure Hour Golf Club (more on the club below) stated “I would not say its economic. A lot of our own members can afford it. . . . They [the country clubs] tend to say there’s no problems, no barriers. But if you look back at history, there are problems, there are barriers.” Leon McKenzie, Jr., a golfer and track coach at Benson High School, suggested that it was simply a continuation of the discrimination that existed throughout Oregon, “If you live in Oregon, you deal with it at all times. . . . There’s only a 4 percent Black population in Oregon. It’s something you live with every day.”

With massive suppression of Black golfers by Golf (meaning clubs, organizations, and players) and of Blacks by Oregon (meaning the state and its people), it would seem highly unlikely to historically find any Black golfers in Oregon. But the strong allure of the game and the determination by some folks provided otherwise. Mr. Demas in Game of Privilege reports that in the 1910s, members of the primarily Black AME Church in Portland regularly played golf with their pastor. Leisure Hour Golf Club was founded in 1943 by Vernon Gaskin (a former caddy at Waverley), Stephen Wright, Walter and Gladys Risks, and Shelby Golden (formerly on the University of Oregon golf team) to have a place to socialize and play golf tournaments (because they were not allowed in men’s or women’s golf clubs). In 1944, the club held its first tournament at Eastmoreland, which hosted until 1948 when the venue switched to Tualatin. (The club now plays out of Glendoveer and has about 70 members of all races.) In 1943, Mr. Gaskin also helped found the Western States Golf Association, an association of non-discriminatory golf clubs based mainly in the west, with Leisure Hour as a member. (In 1958, Western States held its Championship at Glendoveer and in 2015 at Heron Lakes, Rose City, and Stone Creek.)

As an historical aside, Oregon municipal golf courses provided assistance to the first Black golfer to win any USGA event. William Wright, Steven Wright’s nephew, initially grew up in Portland (where he was introduced to the game) and then moved to Seattle. In Seattle, he was barred from joining any club, so he could not establish a handicap. He then came to Portland where he was able to establish a handicap at Eastmoreland, and then was able to compete in USGA events. In 1959 he won the US Amateur Public Links Championship. (After winning the Public Links, Mr. Wright tried to go pro but was unable to obtain any sponsors.)

With overt discriminatory practices fizzling out in the 1990s and the rise of Tiger Woods, is there still discrimination in golf? There are lots of opinion pieces on this (the vast majority answering “yes”). Continued problems within the PGA are discussed in the November 13, 2020, article in Daily Cover – Sports Illustrated, “What Golf’s Race Problem Looks Like from the Inside” by Jenny Vrentas. But for now, let’s just look at the numbers.

Unfortunately, we do not know the percentage of Black golfers (or even nonwhite golfers) in Oregon. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that as of 2019, approximately 25 percent of the population in Oregon was nonwhite, with 6.2 percent being Black (including mixed race, which may not include people who are Black at all). The only study I have found on diversity in golf in Oregon is a 2019 self-reporting online survey of golfers (who mostly booked tee-times online, so there may be some accuracy issues through self-selection) by Portland Parks & Recreation. In that study, 10 percent responded that they were nonwhite and 2 percent responded that they were Black. Anecdotally, in 2001, when there was a surge in popularity in golf attributed to Tiger Woods, Steve Duin of The Oregonian spoke with pros at several public courses in Portland and found that there was very little diversity in new junior golfers (e.g., RedTail reported only 5 nonwhite participants out of 450 kids at its golf camp).

Nationally, according to estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 40 percent of the US population is nonwhite with about 16 percent being Black or mixed race. The National Golf Foundation (“NGF”) in 2003 estimated that there were 27 million golfers of which approximately 14 percent were nonwhite and 5 percent were Black. In 2006 NGF reported 23.6 million golfers of which 4.6 million (or about 19 percent) were nonwhite (so a little up-tick when the popularity of golf was declining after the rise of Tiger). In 2017, the PGA estimated that 18 percent of golfers were nonwhite (so no change over a decade) and that the number of Black Associates with the PGA was about ½ of a percent.

From the information that is available (as well as simply noticing

when you play or practice), persons of color (including Blacks) are significantly underrepresented on golf courses in Oregon (as well as nationally). [Here, I could discuss “should Golf care,” but I hope that would be self-evident: from improving the overall financial condition of the industry through increasing players, to being good golfers and welcoming, respecting, and supporting everyone who wants to play.]

In the next installment, I will discuss probable continued barriers in golf preventing an increase in the number of Black golfers in Oregon, and programs that are working to overcome those barriers. In the meantime, please provide any comments to [email protected]

 

In doing research for OregonCourses, I look into what each course is trying to do to benefit the local non-golf community.  I found that pretty much every course in Oregon does some type of positive community outreach. Often, that positive outreach is in the category of improving the possible negative effects that a course might have on the environment and/or wildlife.  In general, golf courses can have a very negative effect on the local environment through the application of chemicals and their disposal and run-off, use of water (especially on the east side of the Cascades where that resource is scarce), and disruption of wildlife habitat.  On the other hand, golf courses have the capability of improving the local environment, especially in urban areas, by providing green spaces and wildlife habitat that might not otherwise exist.

The golf industry, especially the golf industry in Oregon, is generally mindful of these potential problems and opportunities. Several resources are available to courses to help them examine and then improve upon their environmental impact. These resources include resources and research from the national Environmental Institute for Golf, www.eifg.org, and more locally, from the Oregon Golf Course Superintendents’ Association through the  Environmental Stewardship Guidelines, www.gcsaa.org/environment/environment-hub .

Another significant provider of resources to help improve environmental impacts from a golf course is Audubon International (“AI”), through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses (“ACSP”). According to its website, the program “helps organizations and businesses protect our environment while enhancing their bottom line.” The program has had support from the USGA in $1.5 million in grant funding, most recently with the Monarch In The Rough initiative to provide habitat for monarch butterflies and similar pollinators.  AI states that over 1,650 courses in the United States are ACSP members with about 850 courses being certified.  But I have heard criticism by some golf superintendents that the program is too expensive and document intensive. The program was also the subject of a very negative article by Rachael Bale and Tom Knudson, The Other Audubon, that appeared in, among other things, the Fall 2015 edition of Links Magazine (the “Bale and Knudson Article”).

I enjoy being out on a golf course, even just walking. I am also a member of the local Audubon Society and support best environmental stewardship practices to retain and preserve natural spaces and other natural resources. I have also seen the AI signs on a few OregonCourses. I wanted to know if the ACSP actually helps the environment and, if so, how accessible was it to golf courses of all types.

The ACSP

As noted above, the ACSP is part of AI, a 501(c)(3) organization. AI is not, in any way, part of what folks would generally refer to as the Audubon Society (or more correctly, the National Audubon Society) or any of its local chapters, including several chapters in Oregon. When AI started in 1987 (the ACSP started in 1991), the founders of AI (which included a former executive of the National Audubon Society) were able to resurrect a dormant New York State business registration under the Audubon International name.  The National Audubon Society sued to stop AI’s usage of the “Audubon” name, but was unsuccessful. On its website, AI is upfront with the fact that it is not related to the National Audubon Society. But confusion of the relationship between the entities continues.

AI states that it encourages golf courses to address adverse environmental effects of golf courses and their operations through environmental education and certification programs. In Oregon, two types of certifications have been granted. The Signature Program is for the planning and construction of a new golf course. This program is very extensive and expensive, and will not be discussed here except to note that there is only one course in Oregon that has been certified to be an Audubon International Signature Sanctuary Course:  Tetherow Golf Club.

The primary program for existing courses is the ACSP certification program. To become ACSP certified, a course has to go through the following:

1.   Pay a fee and become a member of the program (very simple; you can do it on line). In return, the course receives from AI a Guide to Environmental Stewardship on the Golf Course, a Certification Handbook, and materials on the regional ecological community and native plant information.

2.  The course then prepares a Site Assessment and Environmental Plan, which may, depending on the course, identify possible environmental liabilities to both people and the environment. No testing or monitoring is required for this assessment. The Environmental Plan is unique to the course’s operations and settings, and must contain a strategy to improve management and operations in five different categories: environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, chemical use reduction and safety, water quality, and outreach and education. Although the plan is unique to each course, the plan must be centered on improving environmental practices and programs in each of these categories, adhering to best practices where available. The course must also designate a Resource Advisory Group that should include staff, golfers, neighbors, and local environmental experts. Once the plan is completed, it is submitted to AI for review and approval.

3.  If AI approves the Environmental Plan, the course then implements the plan and documents its efforts. The course has to show that it is meeting its goals in each of the five different categories before it can be considered for a site visit by AI.

4.  AI performs a course visit and records review. If AI determines that the goals in the five different categories are being achieved, the course becomes certified.

The fees paid to AI are $300 per year, plus the cost of a site visit ($400 plus travel, which can be shared with another course being visited). Although site visits used to be done by local conservation organizations (a site visit for Heron Lakes was done by a member of the Columbia Slough Watershed Council), AI found that this caused inconsistency in how standards were applied, and now site visits are only done by AI employees. Re-certification occurs every three years with a document review, and then in the sixth year with another course visit.

The primary cost is not in the fees; it is in the time needed to do the inventories, measurements, and documentation, as well as the cost of putting a plan in place. Documentation includes inventory of bird and mammal species, course maps showing naturalized areas and no-spray zones, an integrated pest management plan, reference charts showing chemical use and water quality for each water body on the course, and soil and water- testing results.  There can also be significant program costs to put a plan in place.  Although an ACSP plan should be unique to each course, there are some base requirements, such as reducing chemical use, reducing turf areas and having a natural habitat in at least 50 percent of minimally used areas, having at least 80 percent of landscaped areas covered with native species of flora, and upgrading irrigation systems to provide efficiency. Accordingly, the cost of plan implementation may include installing and maintaining an efficient irrigation system, installing detention ponds to collect run-off, planting native species, and taking the steps needed to implement an Integrated Pest Management Program. AI, however, will take a course’s financial consideration into account when accepting a plan, and certification can occur before complete steps (such as irrigation system replacement) are taken, as long as progress towards the goals are being achieved and such progress steps are set forth in the plan.

AI argues that these costs can be offset by the following benefits: reduced operating costs through greater efficiencies (including reduced waste) and lower insurance rates, improved image and reputation, and better golfer and employee satisfaction. AI also argues that achieving the certificate is good publicity, but is silent as to whether participation causes an increase in players.

Bale and Knudson Article

The Bale and Knudson Article made essentially three points.  First, that AI’s use of the “Audubon” name was misleading and inappropriate. This is discussed above (it is confusing, but AI does try to distance itself from the National Audubon Society). Second, the article suggests that because AI is primarily funded through golf courses, golf courses are essentially rewarding themselves as environmental stewards even though they may not be requiring courses to adhere to the best practices. AI states that 55 percent of its income comes from fees from golf courses and that USGA does not provide funding for general operations, but may for special projects. In discussing the ACSP program with AI and several Oregon golf course managers/superintendents, it appears that AI acts independently from Oregon golf courses (and vice versa), and that the courses were using the ACSP and information provided by AI to improve practices.

The third point made by the article involved a certified course in central California that was killing waterfowl, in particular Coots, that were harming the course. The issue is, how could anything named Audubon allow the killing of birds? Frank LaVardera, Director of Environmental Programs for Golf at AI, stated that AI would encourage a course to use nonlethal means to deal with any wildlife that may be harming a course (and would provide examples of nonlethal means) and to consult with state wildlife officials to discuss possible methods of control. But if a certified course is acting within its plan and not violating any law, AI would not take any action against the course for killing wildlife. It does seem contradictory, however, for AI to ask a course to increase wildlife habitat, but then not take any action for the reduction of wildlife that is attracted to newly established or expanded wildlife areas. Guidelines for plans do suggest practices to prevent golfers from disturbing natural habitats and leaving nests and dens in place, but there is no stated guideline pertaining to wildlife “pest” management.

ACSP In Oregon  

There are over 200 Oregon Courses. As of the Spring of 2020, there were 18 ACSP certified courses or course complexes in Oregon: The Oregon Golf Club, Shadow Hills Country Club, Widgi Creek, Bandon Trails (with Bandon Preserve), Bandon Dunes (with Pacific Dunes), Old Macdonald, OGA Golf Course, RiverRidge Golf Course, Juniper Ridge Golf Course, Glendoveer Golf Courses (both courses), Salishan Golf Course, Pumpkin Ridge (both courses), Eastmoreland Golf Course, Tualatin Country Club, Heron Lakes (both courses), Crosswater Golf Club, and Stone Creek Country Club. (ACSP certifies as one entity all courses and operations that share the same maintenance facility.) If you look at the list of participating courses, you will see that almost all are private courses, high-end public courses, or municipal courses. Only RiverRidge is not an 18-hole course (but was when initially certified).

The majority of OregonCourses are family-owned neighborhood courses, with many being 9-hole courses. I assumed that the cost of implementing a plan to be certified was the primary reason why these types of courses did not participate in the program. But in talking with several course owner/operators (not really a survey; more anecdotal), the main reason why they did not participate was because they either did not know about the program at all or knew very little about the program.  For some courses that knew of the program, they believed that they already followed proper practices to limit environmental impacts and don’t need to pay a nonprofit to participate in a program that they perceived as not providing any additional benefit.

In discussing the ACSP program with managers/superintendents from several certified OregonCourses (again, not a survey), most said that they did not experience any real increase in expenses or any significant detriment in participating in the program and becoming certified. Some did note, however, that there was an increase in documentation and testing. All stated that they have no evidence that participation in the program increased the number of rounds/players or otherwise provided any direct economic benefit. (Although one pro thought that there is a group of golfers who target certified courses to play.)  Some courses did publicize the award of a certificate to promote their course. The courses also stated that participation in the program helped to improve the image of the course and public awareness of what a course is doing. But the main benefit noted by these OregonCourses was that the program and the information provided by AI to improve course operations helped to sharpen a course’s operations’ practices to minimize adverse environmental effects.

Does ACSP Help?

Does the Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses help the environment? Probably a little bit through the sharing of information on best practices and having course operations focus on the issue of how course operations impact the environment. But probably not a lot. The OregonCourses that are certified were already concerned with how operations impacted the environment and probably would have taken measures to mitigate that impact with or without the program.

Does participation in the ACSP provide tangible benefits to the OregonCourses that are certified? Probably a little. Courses have experienced a bump in publicity (but not play) and there may be a slight reduction in operating costs once the plan is in place, but this may be offset by a slight increase in program costs, primarily through an increase in testing and documentation.

Is the ACSP accessible for golf courses? Yes and no. If a course is already mindful of trying to limit the environmental impact of course operations, then yes. But that’s the rub. I would think that the ACSP would provide the greatest help for the environment if courses that had poor or nonexistent efforts to limit adverse environmental effects from course operations participated in the program. But those courses would probably incur the greatest costs in getting certified and probably have the least amount of revenue to participate.

Is the ACSP an overall good thing? Even with some shortfalls, I believe that yes, it is. Primarily because ACSP causes a course to focus on its environmental impact and providing information on what can be done to lessen it. I believe that the program’s impact could improve and be expanded if AI (or, even better, the USGA) provided greater advertising of certified courses and the positive steps they are doing, and if AI offered grants or no/low interest loans for courses without a lot of revenue to participate in the program.

None of this is to say that if a course is not participating in the ACSP that it is not mindful of a course’s environmental impact. Some of the OregonCourses with the most aggressive mitigation programs are not ACSP members: e.g., Laurelwood, Hidden Valley, and the Sunriver courses. But as a golfer who also appreciates nature, if a course is certified, I know that the course is paying attention to helping nature. And that will make my round slightly more enjoyable.

Prior Articles and Interviews please e-mail [email protected] if you would like to view any of the Prior Articles and Interviews:

Oregon Golf in the Age of COVID-19
The Highest Golf Course In Oregon
Earliest Golf Courses in Central Oregon

COVID-19 is serious stuff. Health and lives have been put at risk. We have been rightly asked to close our businesses, stay in our homes, and not have physical contact with other people. The virus has also caused unpleasant social (fighting over toilet paper? Really?) and financial (so much for retirement) responses. The overall effect is that there is a weighty drag on daily life.

At this particular time, we all need an outlet. But we are limited in what we can do by Executive Orders from Oregon’s Governor Kate Brown and by appropriate recommendations issued by the Center for Disease Control. So what is a person to do?

Play golf of course.

Navigating the Governor’s Orders and the CDC recommendations, with a little help from the local golf course and the golfer being smart, golf is still available. The Center for Disease Control (and the State of Oregon) has recommended “Social Distancing,” which the CDC defines as “remaining out of congregate [gathering into a crowd or mass] settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distances (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others.” Oregon’s Governor Brown’s Executive Orders and Guidelines essentially follows these recommendations. In her Executive Order No. 20-12, released March 23, 2020, Governor Brown prohibited “Non-essential social and recreational gatherings of individuals outside the home  . . ..” The Order went on to state that “Individuals may go outside for outside recreational activities (walking, hiking, etc.), but must limit those activities to non-contact, and are prohibited from engaging in outdoor activities where it is not possible to maintain appropriate social distancing (six feet or more from individuals).” The Order then lists businesses that are specifically prohibited from operations, including gyms, social clubs, and tennis clubs (bars, restaurants, and cafes remain closed under a prior order). Golf courses are not specifically mentioned in the Order.

The Oregon Golf Association performed a follow-up inquiry with the

Governor’s Office as to whether golf courses are intended to be closed under the Governor’s Order. The Governor’s Office responded was the following: Golf is allowed as long as the social distancing measures are in place, country club activities for a gathering would not be allowed. We categorized golf similar to a hike or outdoor activity, rather than through “essential travel” which is meant to stop vacations.

There are, however, other sections of the March 23^rd Order that would apply to a golf course if it continues operating: a designated employee to establish, implement, and enforce social distancing policies; posting of signs requiring social distancing; and specific requirements for on-site restrooms.

A day after the Order was issued, some courses closed down. But some courses were open, implementing plans in accordance with the order and guidelines. These plans included: removing ball washers, benches, and rakes; raising cups to be above the ground (so you don’t reach into the cup); and limiting power carts to one person per cart (or not providing carts at all). In addition, some (all?) of these courses require that you book and pay for your tee time over the phone or on the web (you would think that an honor box would work as well). Other courses stated that they were temporarily closed until they could implement plans in accordance with the March 23rd Order.

If you are fortunate enough for your local golf course to put in the work to

implement a social-distancing plan, make sure that you, as a golfer, put in the work to adhere to that plan. Follow the guidelines and orders. Shouldn’t you be at least 6 feet away from your playing partner anyway? This is a good reason to keep your playing partner from crowding you on the tee or the green. And on the fairway, you are probably not going to be 50 feet from each other. Just no high-fives. A discrete yell or deep bow should be sufficient to honor a shot or hole well played.

Don’t touch anything that is not solely under your control. Almost all of what you need to play golf (other than nature) is solely under your control:  your bag, your clubs, your tees (and markers and divot tool), your golf balls, and maybe your range finder. You don’t need to touch a flag anymore (did the rule gods see this coming?).  The course has removed ball washers, benches, sand rakes, and, basically, carts.  That leaves, maybe, a score card and pencil.  If you know the course, you don’t need a card or pencil to play or keep score. If you need a card and pencil, wipe it clean after you take it (then wash your hands).

Then there is the bathroom.  If there are on-site bathrooms, the course is required to provide soap and water or sanitizer. If there is sanitizer, use it for yourself and to apply to all surfaces that you touch. Note that if you wear your glove to enter and use the bathroom, you really should not keep the  glove on for the rest of the round (and wash it when you get home) – so use a towel and/or sanitize your hand and the surface you touch. But the best thing to do is not use the bathroom at all. I am not advocating the use of trees or bushes (other laws may come into play), I am suggesting that you relieve yourself before you head to the course.

Even though the course may be slightly altered with the removal of rakes and raising of the cup, you can still post your score. OGA directs players to follow Rule 3.3 of the Rules of Handicapping so a player posts their most likely score. [Read the rule here. ] So if your putt ricochets off the raised cup by 10 feet, maybe you should give yourself another two strokes. (I believe that scoring a hole-in-one by tapping a raised cup is more dependent on the cost of the drinks the player buys for others in celebration.)

We all need a distraction, and the local businesses that run golf courses really need your business right now. Golfers are very fortunate that they can help their local courses while playing the game and having some fun. But don’t be like the Spring-Break beach goers. Follow the rules of the CDC, the orders of the Governor, and guidelines of the course. Be smart and keep your distance.

There may be a time in the near future that restrictions in Oregon will be

expanded to prohibit golfing. But right now, you can go to a golf course.

And play.

And play safely.

In these anxious times, wouldn’t it be great to go outside and play golf, while supporting your local course when it needs it most? Of course it would. So go play.

 

Prior Articles and Interviews please e-mail [email protected] if you would like to view any of the Prior Articles and Interviews:
The Highest Golf Course In Oregon
Earliest Golf Courses in Central Oregon

As the popularity of golf and the number of golf courses in Western Oregon were expanding in the early 1900s, the much smaller population areas of Eastern Oregon were not immune to wanting places to play golf. There are reports of Pendleton locals gathering in 1902 to lay out a course, with a course opening no later than 1903 (and probably as early as 1902). The course in Pendleton (the original home of the Pendleton Country Club) was the oldest course in Oregon east of the Cascades, and one of the earliest courses in Oregon. Following Pendleton, courses opened in La Grande at its original location in 1916 and in Enterprise (a four-hole affair) as early as 1917. (Interesting to note, that of these three early courses, only the one in Enterprise, Alpine Lakes, is still sited at its original location.) Golfers along the Columbia River soon followed suit with The Dalles Country Club course opening in 1922 and the Hood River Country Club course opening in 1923.

Golf in the Bend/Redmond area was a little behind because they were not towns as of the turn of the century. Bend was not incorporated until 1905, when it had a population of about 500 people. Redmond was not incorporated as a town until 1910, when it had a population of 216. But the area’s population grew quickly with the arrival of the Oregon Trunk Line Railroad from the Columbia River in 1911 and the building of two large sawmills, one by Shevlin-Hixon and the other by Brooks-Scanlon (the latter having a substantial impact on the development of the Bend Golf Club). By 1920, Bend had over 5,000 people and was ripe to have a golf course.

But the first course established in the area was not in Bend. The Bend Golf Club, fka Bend Golf & Country Club and fka the Bend Golf Club, opened as a nine-hole course with dirt fairways and sand greens in 1925 (on property donated by the aforementioned Brooks-Scanlon company). Before the Bend Golf Club opened, there existed at least two golf courses in Central Oregon. (Before 1925, some ranchers and farmers in the area built a hole or two on their property. Also, by 1924, there was a chipping and putting course at the famous Pilot Butte Inn in Bend, which originally opened in 1916 [not exactly sure when the chipping course was installed]. I am not counting the foregoing as golf courses.)

Martin and Lena Hansen moved to the upper Metolius River in 1916. In 1923, the couple bought 80 acres at the headwaters of the Metolius River. There, they developed “Martin Hansen’s Metolius River Resort.” (The area now hosts Lake Creek Lodge, whose website has a very nice history page.) Wanting an attraction for his guests, Mr. Hansen decided to build a golf course across the road along Lake Creek, with the first five holes north of the creek. By May of 1924, the course was open for play, with the Bend Bulletin declaring it “the first course to be constructed in Central Oregon.” There is some confusion as to the configuration of the course when it opened. The Bend Bulletin declared it a five-hole course “with hole distances from 350 to 270 yards.” But less than a month later, The Oregonian stated that the course had six holes. Before the course opened, Mr. Hansen said that he planned to build a nine-hole course, but I found no reference that the course ever contained that number of holes. When it was opened, the Bend Bulletin reported that “Local people who had gone over the course consider it ideal and say that it is in better condition on which to play the game than are [sic] other courses which have been in use in many parts of the state for a number of years.” Given the lack of development in the area, it is surprising that it did not take that long for a golfer to go from Bend to the Resort; people would drive up for the day, play, and then return on the same day. I am not sure when the course closed, but it was probably closed by the time that the Hansens sold the property in 1935.

At about the same time the Hansens were building a lodge and golf course, a more substantial course was being developed by Fred Stanley in the now former town of Deschutes. Deschutes (not to be confused with the earlier towns of Deschutes, which became Miller, or Deschutes Junction, which became Ainsworth), was located just north of Bend, and was previously known as Centrallo, Laidlaw Junction, and Deschutes Junction. Mr. Stanley was a very successful businessman and owned buildings in Portland and extensive interests in Columbia Gorge timber lands. Mr. Stanley was introduced to the Bend area in 1907 as a member of the caravan that traveled from Shaniko to Klamath Lake, a route so new that axe men cleared the route allowing the cars to move south. Mr. Stanley subsequently became the owner of the Deschutes Irrigation and Power Company, and the Central Oregon Irrigation Company. He formed the Deschutes Townsite Company, and platted the town of Deschutes in 1911 near the headquarters of the Deschutes Irrigation and Power Company. Mr. Stanley owned a ranch that made up most of the town and, probably in an effort to attract people to the town, designed and built a nine-hole golf course on his ranch referred to as the “Central Oregon Golf Course.” The course opened no later than June of 1924, and for a while did not charge for play (no word if you had to take a tour of the townsite before you could play). By 1925, the course had a clubhouse. It is unclear when the course closed, but it probably stopped operating soon after the completion of Bend Golf Club and the death of Mr. Stanley in 1928. The property was sold in 1931.

In doing the research on these early courses in Central Oregon, two things came to mind. First, how high on the priority list was having a golf course as soon as a town reached a certain size and level of economic activity. The rail line brought in population and new businesses, and within 14 years, there was a country club. The second thing that came to mind as I researched this was that the earliest courses were tied to either a resort or property development (as opposed to simply a place to play or a social club). This matching of courses to resorts or property development certainly has continued in Central Oregon.

The author would like to thank the folks at the Deschutes Historical Society and Museum for their assistance in the research for this article.

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The Highest Golf Course In Oregon

 

Most Oregon golfers know that Silvies Valley Ranch, which has a golf complex of four courses, has recently opened. Silvies is located just outside of Seneca, in a wide valley within the Blue Mountains just southeast of the Strawberry Mountains.  It is also part of the northern edge of the Great Basin, a geological formation that covers most of southeastern Oregon. The combination of elevation and desert provide a beautiful and diverse natural area – a stunning place to put a golf course.  Also good for playing golf, the Great Basin has one of the driest climates in North America. But, it also has a climate that can have cold nights followed by warm days.  Indeed, Seneca has recorded Oregon’s coldest official temperature of 54 degrees below zero in 1933.

The location of the courses at Silvies Valley Ranch made me wonder – what Oregon golf course sits at the highest elevation?

Due to Oregon’s geography, the answer is not as simple as one might think. For example, when you look at the map of Oregon courses, the delightful 9-hole Alpine Meadows Golf Course rests just outside of Enterprise, Oregon, among the tall Wallowa Mountains.  Its placement far in the northeast part of the state makes it look like it should be the highest course in the state. The elevation of Alpine Meadows is 3,694’ (most elevations referred to in this article are taken from Google Maps).  Other courses in the area (Wallowa, Union, and Baker Counties) are slightly lower.  The Quail Ridge course in Baker City sits at 3,520’, Buffalo Peak in Union is slightly lower (at 2,828’), and La Grande Country Club is lower still (at 2,739’).  

What about the courses that edge up the Cascades?  On the west side, the courses sit much lower than those in the northeast. Circle Bar in Oakridge, surrounded by ridges with tall Douglas Fir trees, is at 1,490′, slightly higher than Tokatee (at 1,450’) and higher than the courses at The Resort at the Mountain (at 1,355’), and Elkhorn (at 1,070’).  On the east side of the Cascades, the courses are at a much higher altitude. The courses at Black Butte sit at about 3,340’ and Aspen Lakes at 3,130’.  South of Bend, the courses that creep up the Cascades are higher still; with Quail Run, just outside of La Pine, sitting at 4,199’, the two courses at Sunriver sitting at about 4,209’, and Crosswater sitting slightly lower at 4,170’.  To the north, Widgi Creek is slightly lower still at 3,924’.

As you drive down from La Pine on Highway 97 towards the Klamath Falls Basin, you actually rise in elevation.  The group of courses within the Klamath Falls area are higher than those around Bend.  The 18-hole course at Shield Crest has an altitude of 4,170’. Running Y is at 4,160’ while Reames Country Club is close behind at 4,108’.

Other than the areas near Oregon’s noncoastal mountains, is there be another area that could provide a higher elevation for golf courses?  Surprisingly (at least to me), yes.  As mentioned before, the Great Basin in Oregon is a high desert plateau, built up by repeated lava flows and rising fault lines.  The 9-hole course in Christmas Valley which sits almost in the center of the state (and may be the most remote course in the state, but that is a subject for another column) sits at 4,314’, surprisingly high because the closest mountains to the course, the Cascades, are far away.

The closest course to Christmas Valley is the 9-hole course several miles to the south, very close to the California border, just outside of Lakeview.  LakeRidge Golf Course sits at 4,754’.

 

But does that make LakeRide the highest? Unlike LakeRidge, the reversable courses at Silvies wander up, down, and around hills. At one point, the 7th tee on the Hankins Course reaches an elevation of 4,887′.  The 13th hole on the companion Craddock Course shares that elevation. Although there may be portions of the courses at Silvies that are lower than LakeRidge, it appears that the courses that reach the highest altitude in Oregon are the Hankins and Craddock Courses at Silvies.

The elevations at Silvies and LakeRidge are a far cry from the highest courses in the world. The La Paz Golf Club in Bolivia, sits at 10,800’ making it the highest altitude golf course in the world. In the United States, there are several courses that are twice the elevation of LakeRidge.  A group of courses in Summit County, Colorado, exceed elevations of 9,000’ with the 9-hole Mt. Massive course in Leadville being the highest in the United States at 9,680′ (although the course claims an altitude of 9,950’).

Because Silvies and LakeRidge are the highest courses in Oregon, golfers should play Silvies and LakeRidge not only to visit those scenic parts of Oregon, but to hit their longest drives. Indeed, the 18th hole at Silvies Hankins course invites you to hit your Lifetime Longest Drive because of, among other things, the hole is downhill, is downwind, is at a high elevation, and has a long-rolling well-trimmed fescue fairway.  Golf balls do fly farther at higher elevations. The higher the altitude, the less air density there is.  The less air density, the less drag force on a golf ball resulting in greater distance.  The general rule is that a ball will carry an additional 10 percent in yardage for every 5,000’ of elevation gain (although the scientists at Titleist have worked this down to a more precise 0.116 percent for every 1,000’ in elevation gain). So the 200-yard carry for my drive on the coast will almost be a 211-yard carry at Silvies or LakeRidge (yippee).  Other factors, however, will have a greater effect on whether you get additional distance or not: wind, temperature, moisture in the air, and length of shot (the shorter the shot the less it will be affected by altitude). The run of the ball will of course be affected by the length of the rough, the size of the sand trap, and the depth of the water.

Altitude carries other issues as well.  Because LakeRidge is pretty flat, I did not huff and puff that much walking the course.  But walking the hills on Silvies, you can be very short of breath.  With less air density, there is less air for you to breathe. Although 4,887’ may not be considered high altitude, people can experience shortness of breath, can fatigue faster, and can dehydrate quicker at that altitude.

On a warm, cloudless, summer’s day in Lakeview, Seneca, Klamath Falls, or Bend, you could see some of your longest drives.  Just remember to take and drink extra water and maybe take a cart.