General Course Description
McKay Creek Golf Course is a 9-hole public course on the west side of Hillsboro, about 20 miles west of Portland. McKay Creek Golf Course is a short, rural course, with small elevated (and slanted) greens. The course has lots of trees, and you cross McKay Creek twice. McKay Creek Golf Course course has some interesting holes, particularly 7 and 9. The fairways are a bit choppy, but the small greens run well. There is one good hill, but the course is very walkable.
Course History
Built in 1995 (although the clubhouse is the original farmhouse built in 1929). It served as a dairy and a farm before becoming a golf course.
Why It Is There
The Reding family (meaning the extended Reding family) wanted to build and operate a golf course. And they did, using labor from family and friends. Now, being so close to downtown Hillsboro, and being fairly priced, the course has a steady clientele.
I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Played
The 7th hole is a short par 4, dogleg right. It is easy to hit through the fairway left (or be blocked by trees on your approach shot). You can also fly the trees on the right, but there is a berm on the other side of the trees and if you go too far right you may not be able to get back. Short and center is a good thing.
Did You Know
The former pro, Julie Miller, took lessons from Ben Hogan.
Why Play This Course
A laid-back, family friendly course in generally good condition with a driving range and putting green. For the price, it is a nice course with nice facilities.
General
- Type: 9-hole public course
- Price: $$
- Phone/webpage: (503)693-7612/www.mckaycreekgolf.com
- Owner: McKay Creek Golf Course, Inc
- Address: 1416 NW Jackson Street, Hillsboro, Oregon 97124
- Designer: Bill O’Meara and Jeremy Reding
- Pros: Jesus Gonzalez (teaching)
- Practice Facilities: Covered and heated short driving range on mats (no long drives) and putting green
- Pro Shop: Some clothing and equipment
- Food: Pro shop has drinks and snacks
- Bathrooms: Improved in clubhouse and porta potty on course
- Yardage Markers: 150 poles; 250, 200, 150, 100 markers in-ground on fairway; greens small so no pin-placement information provided
- Clothing: Be dressed
- Walkable: A little hilly but very walkable
- Spikes: Soft
- Shoe Cleaning: Brush and air hose
- Rentals: All
- Open year-round
| Yards | Par | Rating | Slope | |
| Blue | 2761 | 36 | 33.2/35.7 | 110/121 |
| Gold | 2371 | 36 | 31.3/33.2 | 103/113 |
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McKay Creek is a 9-hole course at the end of a neighborhood road that costs $20 to walk. It was a dairy farm until the 90’s when a private family decided to open a golf course. Its namesake runs through mostly hole 1 and 9 and then the rest of the course is across what looks like river flats. Large nets ring a short driving range is the style of top golf with a ball dispenser that operated on a number pad that receives a code to punch in from the clubhouse. A small practice green rounds out the practice warm up area.
I enjoyed the ambiance of the course as it felt mature and grown in. While it was still in a neighborhood, there was no house lined fairway, and it felt very much out of the city which was relaxing. The layout is dated as it switches back and forth for the most part with even internal out of bounds on the par 5 9th as it could affect holes 1,2, and 3. They seem to have a habit of over watering as the fairways and greens were almost muddy with sitting water at places. If they were to accept brown spots at the top of the humps and bumps of their fairway, they could have pretty good conditions. Although I did not play well, I would consider the course easy as the back tees are 2800 yards and there aren’t many hazards. There is some defense on the greens as they are small, raised, and at times have shaved sides run off. I would like to see some more movement on the greens themselves as they tend to be pretty flat once aboard, but I understand the difficulty of slope on smaller greens.
It seems like the course is popular enough as there were plenty of golfers going off on the Wednesday morning that I played. I can see why as overall, I was pretty happy with the course and would play it often if it was closer. The conditions were good for the price and the course could play interesting enough to enjoy the scenic walk.