Rose City Golf Course

General Course Description

Rose City Golf Course is an historic and well-appreciated 18-hole public municipal course in Portland. Rose City Golf Course has beautiful mature trees and some interesting holes. The course is a bit short, but with its trees and turns, it can be a test. Although the course is deservedly popular, the fairways are well maintained and the greens run well.  Rose City Golf Course is pretty flat and very walkable.

Course History

The land was once an airport and then a raceway with the final raceway event being two steam locomotives crashing into each other. In 1921, an “informal” layout was mowed into the area by AH Gould. Then in 1923 the first “formal” 9 was built followed by the second 9 in 1927. The WPA performed several improvements to the course in 1936-1938. Several water features were added in 1985 and 2005. (The course website contains a very good history of the course and clubhouse.) A slight remodel was done in the 2020s by Dan Hixon. It is the second oldest municipal course in Oregon. The brick clubhouse was built in 1932 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The course was awarded the 2018 OGA Facility of the Year.

Why It Is There

Mr. Gould wanted a golf course instead of a raceway. It has become not only a staple of Portland golfing, but the edges of the course are a place for the locals to walk, rest, and enjoy the greenery.

I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Played

Hole 14 is a short par 4, strong dogleg left with trees pinching the fairway as you approach the green. To have a decent shot at getting on the green in regulation, you need to hit your drive almost to the trees straight away from the tee.

Did You Know

Rose City was named as one of the few “Player’s Clubs” in the United States by Golf Week in its February, 2010 edition. (Player’s Club is defined as having a membership with low handicaps with a priority, if not sole, focus on golf play). The article describes a former annual event where members would tee off from the 14th tee (to the far east of the course) and then play to the second green (to the far west of the course).

Good For Them

The course hosts junior clinics  for several hours four days a week for eight weeks each summer. It is the home course for McDaniel, Grant, and Central Catholic High Schools.  It is an Evans Scholarship course. It has a honey bee hive program to enhance ecosystem services and provide educational opportunities for young naturalists (to the best of my knowledge, the bees have never interfered with a golfer). The course also hosts a Fitness in the Park program.

Why Play This Course

Its history, the trees, and its excellent staff, make this a course that should be in the mix of courses to be played in Portland. The pricing adds to the draw.

General

• Type:  18-hole public course
• Price: $$
• Phone/webpage: (503)253-4744/www.rosecitygc.com
• Address: 2200 NE 71st Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97213
• Owner: City of Portland
• Designer: George H. Otten (who designed the capital in Salem)
• Pros: Thomas Hinton (PGA)
• Practice Facilities: Practice green; there is a practice driving area but you have to bring your own balls
• Pro Shop: Good-sized, and packed with clothing and equipment
• Food: Rose City Grill is a full-service café
• Bathrooms: Improved in clubhouse (a bit worn down) and on the back nine
• Yardage Markers: In-ground 200, 150, and 100 stones; maple trees mark 150 yardage; lower flags on pins indicate position
• Clothing: T-shirts and jeans OK
• Walkable: Like a nice walk in a park
• Spikes: Soft
• Shoe Cleaning: Air hoses and brushes
• Rentals: All
• Open all year