RedTail Golf Course

General Course Description

RedTail Golf Course is an attractive 18-hole municipal course that generally feels like it is out in the country even though you are in the middle of Oregon’s biggest metropolitan area. RedTail Golf Course has a variety of tall, mature trees and long grass that border the holes. The holes undulate and wind around and over water and sand. Fairways are mixed, but cut well (and can be hard and roll long in the summer). Greens are very well maintained, hold well, and run true. Holes are varied and challenging from the tips, but the variety of tees allow the course to be accessible to a wide variety of skill levels. RedTail Golf Course is slightly rolling, but a nice walk.

Course History

First nine opened in 1965 and the second nine in 1966. Opened as Progress Downs Municipal Golf Course. In the 1980s, the extremely popular course considered opening a third nine, but it was never approved. By the 1990s, the course was “over-loved.”  In addition, the City was facing competition from multiple, privately owned public courses that were coming on line. Although the City considered selling the course (to be a mall), it instead decided to substantially remodel the course. The remodel occurred between 1999 and 2000 and included the installation of 6 new lakes, 50 new traps, and 40 new mature trees. The amount of managed turf was reduced by 60 acres (to 100 acres), substantially increasing the natural areas.  The remodel opened to mixed reviews, with detractors criticizing the new course as being too hard for the average player. Since then, the course has been made more accessible to a wide variety of skill levels by adding additional forward tees, limbing up trees, pushing back trees, pushing back high grass, and leveling some greens. In the early 2020s, there was a treat to convert the course into a baseball stadium, but that has subsided.

Why It Is There

The City of Portland was closing a golf course in the West Hills to make way for the new zoo and wanted to replace that course with another. Now it is one of the most popular courses in the metro area, not only for the course, but also for the practice facilities and the golf shop.

I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Played

When the course is dry, there is no need to be aggressive as the fairways will roll well and you could get in trouble long. On the long par-5 7th hole, you can drive through the dogleg right, but you will need to drive it far enough to have a good shot over the lake that forms the dogleg and a creek you go over on the next shot. Getting past and to the right of the forward tees is a good spot. And note that a depression runs though the middle of the green. On the par-4 15th hole, there is a pond that comes into play on the right (you can see it). Balls hit to the right center of the fairway may roll into the pond. Best to stay center or slightly left.

Did You Know

In the 1970s the City contracted with Par-4, Inc., to operate the course.  Par-4 improved the facilities (including installing a locker room that you can see off the banquet facilities of the Stockpot Restaurant) and operated, what it claimed to be, the first “Public Country Club” in the nation, providing the services of a country club to the public.

Good For Them

Lots. Drainage from the course is collected in ponds and then used for irrigation. Like other Portland City courses, they follow the “Green Way” of maintenance, with no (or very low) use of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium and favor bent grass over poa (requiring less water and chemicals). No chemical buffer zones around water areas. They work with Boy Scouts to install bird and bat boxes. They host classes to elementary schools on agronomy. They provide free one-hour lessons form first time students. Women teaching pros conduct women-only lessons and clinics. They host camps, academies, clinics, and after school lessons for juniors (teaching over 1,400 juniors annually). Host course for Wilson, Lincoln, Cleveland, and Oregon Episcopal, and Westside Christian high schools.

Why Play This Course

An oasis of nature in the city. A good and attractive course that has interesting holes that can either be a challenge or fun depending on what tees you use. It is a good bargain, with great practice facilities, an amazing pro shop, nice places to eat, a very friendly and helpful staff, and walk-on accessibility (they maintain spots on the tee sheets for walk-ons every day).

General

• • Type: 18-hole public course
  • Price: $$
  • Phone/webpage: (505)646-5166/www.golfredtail.com
  • Address: 8200 SW Scholls Ferry Road, Beaverton, Oregon 97008
  • Owner: City of Portland
  • Designer: Ervin Thoreson; John Zoller (remodel)
  • Pros: They have a slew of pros that work there (check the website) that include James Dunham (PGA), Wes Gribas, Paula Ketchum (LPGA), Cindy Lincoln (LPGA), Robert Randall (PGA), Blaine Seitz (PGA), Rick Westbrook, and Josh Yzbaard (PGA)
  • Practice Facilities: Double-decker driving range on mats with some heated spaces, practice pitching and sand area, two practice greens
  • Pro Shop: Jam-packed with clothing and equipment together with club fitting stations and club repair room; listed as one of the top 100 golf shops in the country by Golf Digest and other publications
  • Food: Stockpot Restaurant is a full-service restaurant open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with  deck overlooking the course; Bunkers Bar & Grill is a full-service bar and grill open durring golfing hours and located at the turn
  • Bathrooms: Improved in clubhouse and on course
  • Yardage Markers: 150 poles; in-ground 200 and 150 markers; yardage on some sprinklers (but sparse); color on top of 150 poles (or on tee of 3-pars) provide pin-position information
  • Clothing: Tank tops and jeans are OK
  • Walkable: Rolling, but very walkable
  • Spikes: Soft
  • Shoe Cleaning: Multiple brushes and air hoses
  • Rentals: All
  • Open all year