Pine Meadows Golf Course

General Course Description

Pine Meadows Golf Course is a public 9-hole course on the southeast slopes of Mt. Hood, just outside the town of Wamic (about 35 miles south of The Dalles). Pine Meadows Golf Course rests on the side of a hill in a beautiful setting with great views of Mt. Hood. The course is in a confined space, and you can see every hole from the clubhouse. But this is not a typical pasture course, in that the holes are different from each other (some having character). Although the fairways are mixed and the greens slow, the course is well maintained. Other than the 2nd hole (described more fully below), the course is pretty open with some trees and a smattering of water. Elevation changes and small greens provide the biggest challenge. Pine Meadows Golf Course has a very friendly staff. The course is a little hilly, but walkable.

Course History

Opened in 1990 as Pine Hollow Golf Course on forestland owned by Irl and Orlana Davis. In the mid-1990s, Bob Kjenslee bought the course but defaulted on the contract, and the property went back to the Davis family in 2010 after foreclosure. The present owners purchased the course in 2011 and renamed it Pine Meadows (so it would not be confused with the nearby lake and resort).

Why It Is There

Mr. Davis, who had never golfed before, told The Oregonian that he built the course because his wife wanted to play golf (and there is a pretty good distance to the next course). The course was essentially saved by the present owners (thank you very much), who own a nearby farm and often played the course before buying it. When they purchased the course, family and friends all joined in to bring the then shaggy course back to life (they used flower pots as holes while the greens were returning). The course is improving yearly and has a pretty strong local following.

I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Played

How to get there: the course is not in Tygh Valley; it is in Wamic. Take the turn off Highway 197 to Tygh Valley, but in Tygh Valley, take the road up the hill to Wamic; when you get to Wamic, you will see the sign to the course. I have my own suggestions on how to play the 2nd hole (see below), but on the 4th hole, an uphill par 3, where you hit over a retaining wall, a mound on the other side of the retaining wall will kick your ball over the green. Best to club up and land on the green. Note also that because the course has a community feel and you can see every hole, the clubhouse will often send groups out to the most open stretch of holes to start play (so a pair of golfers may magically appear on one of the open holes in front of you).

Did You Know

The 2nd hole opened as a par 4 double dogleg of 212 yards (it is now 224 yards). Mr. Davis purposefully left as many trees on the hole as possible and was delighted when the locals named the hole “The Hole from Hell,” even though some balls would hit off trees onto his roof (he lived in the adjacent house). In 1994, the hole was voted one of the 9 worst holes in the state by readers of The Oregonian. Some of the trees have been removed, but you still tee off into a canyon of trees to find a pair of trees in the middle of the fairway about 40 yards from the green. From the tee, you can see that a 180-200 yard shot to the left of the fairway trees is the way to go. But unless you are sure about your ability to hit that shot through the tree limbs ready to reject your ball, hit a short shot to the front of the fairway trees and punch your ball onto the green.

Good For Them

The course annually hosts golf tournaments to support breast cancer research and local school sports.

Why Play This Course

A unique course, with some interesting holes, in a very beautiful part of the state. With some nice folks and a very reasonable price, if you are in the area with a few hours, you should stop by.

General

• • • Type: 9-hole public course
    • Price: $$ (but not by much)
    • Phone/webpage: (541)544-2422/no website
    • Address: 8 South County Road, Tygh Valley, Oregon 97063
    • Owner: Jim and Darlene Nordquist
    • Designer: Irl Davis, Jr.
    • Pros: None
    • Practice Facilities: 18-hole putting course
    • Pro Shop: Spacious, but little clothing or equipment
    • Food: Some sandwiches, snacks, soda, and beer
    • Bathrooms: In clubhouse and on course
    • Yardage Markers: 150 and 100 in-ground markers, no pin placement information (but the greens are pretty small)
    • Clothing: Be dressed
    • Walkable: A little hilly, but compact and walkable
    • Spikes: Soft
    • Shoe Cleaning: None
    • Rentals: All (clubs are free, but a little dated)
    • Open year-round