Mallard Creek Golf Course

General Course Description

Mallard Creek Golf Course is an 18-hole public course a few miles to the east of Lebanon. Mallard Creek Golf Course is a very attractive course in a broad valley in the Cascade foothills that looks open, but has long thick rough, tall trees, traps, and water to provide all sorts of challenges. Built near a wetland, there is a lot of water. With a new attractive clubhouse and a friendly and attentive staff, it has a bit of a resort feel (and it is attached to an RV Park that is consistently rated one of the 50 best RV parks in the nation by Woodall’s Guide). Fairways are mixed but the greens are nicely maintained. Several forced carries, so pick the correct tee box. Forward tee boxes provide significant help. It’s a bit hilly (particularly on the back 9), so it is a workout of a walk.

Course History

Built in 1998 by Karl Kaser and Vaughn Coffin on their ranchland. It was purchased by the Mallard Creek LLC, then owned by Troy and Denise Cummins, in the late 1990s. In 2015 the clubhouse was destroyed by fire. A new, attractive clubhouse was then built. The Cummins sold their interest to the then pro Mark Tunstill in 2022. The course hosted the OGA Tournament of Champions in 2001 and the Oregon Open in 2002.

Why It Is There

Karl Kaser and Vaughn Coffin wanted to build a course as part of an RV resort.

I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Played

Hole 8 is a short par 4, with a hard dogleg right. You want to hit the drive to beyond the 150 marker to have a clear shot to the green (if you are too aggressive with a slice you end up in a marsh; too long, you will have to navigate a pine tree that blocks the left of the green; too short, you have a wall of trees). The green on the 10th hole, a short par 4 from a very elevated tee, runs away from the fairway. The green on the 16th hole, a par-4 dogleg left, also runs away from the fairway and has a ridge on the front right of the green that could accelerate the speed of a ball running up to the green.

Did You Know

When the clubhouse burned down, the course was opened for play the next day with the “pro shop” being operated out of the trailer park. The pro shop was then improved to a mobile home in the RV park until the new pro shop was built.

Good For Them

All summer long there are junior (7 to 14, boys and girls) camps of various lengths with instruction, food, and prizes (generally $50 for each 2 hours).  It is the home course for East Linn Christian Academy,  Sweet Home High School, and Lebanon High School.  The course has annually hosted numerous charity events including the Link Up To Vets Golf Tournament benefiting Oregon Veterans and the West Africa Scramble Golf Tournament supporting scholarships for students in Sierra Leone.

Why Play This Course

An attractive and challenging course that feels like a resort course at a much lower price (particularly if you park an RV there). Five sets of tee boxes allow players of much different skills to play together.

General

• • Type: 18-hole public course
  • Price: $$
  • Phone/webpage: (541) 259-4653/www.mallardcreekgc.com
  • Address:  31966 Bellinger Scale Road, Lebanon, Oregon 97355
  • Owner: Mallard Creek LLC
  • Designer: Mike Stark
  • Pros: Mark Tunstill (PGA), Steven Hill (PGA)
  • Practice Facilities: Driving range on grass and mats, practice chipping area, practice sand area, practice green
  • Pro Shop: Good clothes, some equipment
  • Food: Deli cafe with a full bar is open during playing hours and a little after, nice seating areas both inside and out
  • Bathrooms: Improved in clubhouse, improved pit toilets on course
  • Yardage Markers: 150 poles; 200 and 100 in-ground markers; flags color coded for position
  • Clothing: T-shirts and non-holed jeans are OK, no tank tops
  • Walkable: Hilly, a walk would be an exercise
  • Spikes: Soft
  • Shoe Cleaning: Brush
  • Rentals: All
  • All seasons but a bit squishy in winter