General Course Description
Nestled in a forested valley a little over a mile inland from Coos Bay on the Central Oregon Coast, Coos Golf Club is an attractive, 18-hole public course with a little bit of everything, from the original classic links holes to the newer target holes. The natural terrain at Coos Golf Club provides for rolling fairways, trees, and marshes. Many small greens and traps add to the challenges. Nicely maintained with consistent greens, and good fairways that can be spotty. It is hilly with distances between some holes; taking a (noisy, fast, gas-powered) cart will make it more pleasant. New family tees allow different skill levels to enjoy the course.
Course History
Front 9 opened in 1923 as Coos Country Club, and was the first golf course on the Southern Oregon Coast. It was initially a private and then a semi-private club, and was owned and operated on a membership basis. In 1987, the adjacent property was purchased to build a second 9. That 9 was not completed until 1998, with Bill Robinson as the designer. In 2006, the course was sold to Anthony and Cynthia Favreau through Watson Ranch Development, LLC, and the name was changed to Watson Ranch. In 2017, the course was sold to its present owner (the Liloc family), who changed the name to Coos Golf Club and flipped the 9s. The Southern Oregon Golf Championship was played here from 1946 until at least 2002.
Why It Is There
I.R. Tower was hooked on the game of golf and convinced his friends and associates to build the course with one of the great golf course architects, Chandler Egan, as designer. They bought the property, which was called Watson Ranch, from the Hayes family. The Liloc family has infused new positive energy into the course.
I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Played
The original 9 (now back) is pretty straightforward (although there is a pond in the driving area on the left side of Hole 10 that you cannot see from the tee), but the new 9 has some interesting holes. Hole 5 is a short but tricky par 5. From an elevated tee, drive through trees to a landing area that has a hill right (which will bring the ball back to center) topped by a tree. From the low point of the fairway, the fairway rolls up (causing a blind shot), bends right, and at about 165 yards to the green, the fairway drops and a pond comes into play on the right. Hole 8 is also a short but tricky par 5 built on the side of a hill with a severe drop on the right. On the drive, beware of the gully that crosses the fairway at about 250 yards from the green. The fairway then narrows and runs left to right (so favor left).
Did You Know
The grave of the son of the Hayes family, Charles T Hayes, who died at the age of 12, is located on the course.
Good For Them
Home to Marshfield and North Bend High Schools. It is a host course for Youth on Course. The course annually hosts the Driving Fore South Coast Hospice Golf Tournament to benefit South Coast Hospice and Palliative Care Services, and the Adult Golf Fundraiser Tournament to support scholarships for Coquille Indian Tribe youth.
Why Play This Course
An historic, attractive, and challenging course with a variety of holes in an attractive setting, all at a reasonable price. The nice folks working there are a plus.
General
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- Type: 18-hole public course
- Price: $$$ (barely)
- Phone/webpage: (541)267-7257/www.coosgolfclub.com
- Address: 93884 Coos Summer Lane, Coos Bay, Oregon 97420
- Owner: Albatross, Inc.
- Designer: Chandler Egan (original 9), Bill Robinson (new 9)
- Pros: Alden Peterson
- Practice Facilities: Driving range on grass and mats, practice chipping area, practice green
- Pro Shop: Minimal; some clothes, balls, tees, and gloves
- Food: The Clubhouse Restaurant is a full-service restaurant open for breakfast, lunch, and early dinner (but check for times) and has a great view of the course
- Yardage Markers: 200, 150 and 100 in-ground markers (on some holes there are also 175, 125, and 50 yard markers); flags color-coded for position
- Clothing: Proper golf attire requested
- Walkable: Hilly with distances between holes, take a cart
- Spikes: Soft
- Shoe Cleaning: Brushes and air hose
- Rentals: All
- Open all year (but can get soggy in places)
Yards | Par | Rating | Slope | |
Blue | 6419 | 72 | 71.7 | 140 |
White | 5924 | 72 | 69.7/76.6 | 135/141 |
Red | 5253 | 72 | 72.5 | 135 |
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