Illinois Valley Golf Club

General Course Description

Illinois Valley Golf Club is a 9-hole public course is nestled in the Siskiyou Mountains near the Southern Oregon Coast, about 30 miles southwest of Grants Pass.  With the hills surrounding the course, and the primary trees on the course being pine, you do feel like you are in the mountains. Illinois Valley Golf Club has some very interesting and challenging holes, with trees, doglegs and small greens being the primary issues. The fairways are hard and of mixed grass, but mowed, and the greens are mounded and can be spotty.  I was told that the conditions of both were improving. It has a great community feel, not only as a meeting place, but also where members of the community help operations of the course. Compact and flat, a very nice walk.

Course History

Opened in 1977. Back in the 1970s, you had to go a long way to find a public golf course. So several locals got together, formed a corporation, built a course, and hired an operator. The operator soon left, and for many years, the locals did all the work in maintaining and operating the course. Recently a new operator has been hired, but still uses locals for operations.

Why It Is There

Locals wanted to build a course, so they did. It continues to have a strong community support.

I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Played

The course has a dual-tee system for its 18-hole layout. The tees for each nine are different enough that you should allow yourself time to play 18 holes. You may also want to play the course twice because there are some hidden features on several holes. For example, on the 5-par 2nd hole, from the tee you see (from left to right) a fence, a ditch, and the fairway. The hole takes a 90-degree turn where the fence ends. The best drive would be just to the right of the ditch, but beyond where the fence turns.  And on the par-5 9th hole, the fairway runs at a 45-degree angle from the direction of the tee box; if you hit it well but do not take an aggressive enough angle left, you will roll into the trees right.

Did You Know

The present pro, Rex Denham, served for many years as the pro at the course some 20 years ago.  He then went on to work at several clubs in Northern California over several years. He has now returned to finish out his career.

Good For Them

They hold 4-week, two hours per week, junior camps for boys and girls of all ages. Home course for Illinois Valley High School. Use local effluent water for irrigation.

Why Play This Course

An interesting course in an attractive setting at a very reasonable price. But it will be the community feel, on the course and in the clubhouse (including the very good cafe), that will be why you want to support the course.

General

• • Type: 9-hole public course
  • Price: $
  • Phone/webpage: (541)592-3151/no website
  • Address: 25320 Redwood Highway, Cave Junction, Oregon 97523
  • Owner: Illinois Valley Golf Association, Inc.
  • Designer: Bob E. and Robert L. Baldock
  • Pros: Rex Denham (PGA)
  • Practice Facilities: Driving range on grass and putting green
  • Pro Shop: Some equipment and minimal clothing
  • Food: The Hole-In-One Cafe, with great food, is open for breakfast and lunch
  • Bathrooms: Improved in clubhouse and port-a-potties on course
  • Yardage Markers: 200 (sometimes), 150, and 100 stones on either side of the fairway; 200 and 100 in-ground markers; no pin-position information
  • Clothing: Tank tops and jeans are OK
  • Walkable: Flat easy walk
  • Spikes: Soft
  • Shoe Cleaning: Brush
  • Rentals: All
  • Open all year