This is Part 5 of my series covering the 2013 Summer Trip. It was a perfectly clear 47 degrees when I left the hotel at 7:30 Thursday morning. Bill Blumenhurst, the Head Professional of my home course in Fort Wayne, had suggested I play the Eugene Country Club, site of niece Amanda Blumenhurst’s 2008 U.S. Amateur championship. He was struck by the majesty of the large trees when he was there. It is a private course and is one of the best in the country, rated 85th on Golf Digest’s current “America’s Top 100 Golf Courses” list (public and private).
I had arranged with Bill Morach, Eugene CC’s Head Professional, to play the course as an unaccompanied guest. I was paired with Scot Alexander, a PGA Professional from Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles who was visiting his in-laws in Eugene. We teed off at 8:44 and completed the round in a crisp 3 hours. Interestingly, Eugene CC has a strictly enforced time limit of four hours. I had one of my better rounds on the trip and as I expected, Scot was close to par.
At the end of the round, Scot invited me to play Hillcrest CC as his guest. Hillcrest is one of the top private clubs in Los Angeles. Former members include George Burns, Frank Sinatra, Al Jolson, Milton Berle, Jack Benny, Walter O’Malley, and Groucho Marx. This is the course where Groucho famously pronounced “I don’t want to be a member of any club willing to have me as a member.” He joined anyway.
I just might take Scot up on his invitation!
I had arranged with Bill Morach, Eugene CC’s Head Professional, to play the course as an unaccompanied guest. I was paired with Scot Alexander, a PGA Professional from Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles who was visiting his in-laws in Eugene. We teed off at 8:44 and completed the round in a crisp 3 hours. Interestingly, Eugene CC has a strictly enforced time limit of four hours. I had one of my better rounds on the trip and as I expected, Scot was close to par.
At the end of the round, Scot invited me to play Hillcrest CC as his guest. Hillcrest is one of the top private clubs in Los Angeles. Former members include George Burns, Frank Sinatra, Al Jolson, Milton Berle, Jack Benny, Walter O’Malley, and Groucho Marx. This is the course where Groucho famously pronounced “I don’t want to be a member of any club willing to have me as a member.” He joined anyway.
I just might take Scot up on his invitation!
Eugene CC's Par 3 5th Hole
The course has about 1500 trees which include over 100 species. There are some Douglas Firs that have grown to a height of more than 200 feet!
The Par 4 14th at Eugene CC
After the round, I asked Bill Morach if they displayed any pictures of Amanda Blumenhurst. He took me on a tour of the club’s photo gallery and I was able to take pictures for the crew back in Fort Wayne.
I left Eugene at noon and traveled 63 miles to Florence, OR for a 2:40 tee time at Sandpines Golf Club, rated 72nd on Golf Magazine's 1998 list. Before the round, I filled up with gas (actually an attendant filled up the tank, an Oregon law) and noticed an extremely strong breeze. I was less than a mile from the Pacific Ocean so I knew I was in for a challenge.
I arrived at the course and was able to tee off before 1:30. The wind was howling! Maybe 45 MPH!! The pins were trying to jump out of the cups!
I left Eugene at noon and traveled 63 miles to Florence, OR for a 2:40 tee time at Sandpines Golf Club, rated 72nd on Golf Magazine's 1998 list. Before the round, I filled up with gas (actually an attendant filled up the tank, an Oregon law) and noticed an extremely strong breeze. I was less than a mile from the Pacific Ocean so I knew I was in for a challenge.
I arrived at the course and was able to tee off before 1:30. The wind was howling! Maybe 45 MPH!! The pins were trying to jump out of the cups!
The Pin on the 1st Hole at Sandpines
When you take a trip of this length, your game goes through phases. What worked last Saturday is probably gone by Wednesday. Today was Thursday, and thank goodness, by now I was hitting a nice little low draw that stayed under the wind and rolled for yards. I kept this shot for the remainder of the trip.
I was off the course before 4:00 and set out on a pretty 70 mile trip south to Bandon, OR. Having checked into my hotel by 6:00 and, given my tight schedule for the following day, I proceeded to get my shopping done (hats, shirts, logo balls, etc.).
I found myself back at the hotel by 7:00 and, lo and behold, I finally had the time to sit down and have my first fine dining experience of the trip. I dined at the Gallery Restaurant in the Lodge, enjoying a perfect New York strip steak with a couple of glasses of wine from the world-class wine list. Nice.
I was up early next morning, packed my vehicle, and drove to Bandon Trails for my 7:10 tee time. I had played both the Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes courses during a trip in 2004 and today I would play both Bandon Trails and Old Macdonald.
I requested a caddy for the two rounds and was introduced to Frances Merriam, an Evans Scholar in her first year at Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR. Francis had just a few months of experience at the Bandon courses and was good company on this chilly day.
Bandon Trails is a mixture of parkland and links styles. It is a Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw design and is rated 15th on the current Golf Magazine list and 16th on Golf Digest’s. It is my favorite course of the four at the resort.
One of my favorite holes is the drivable par four 14th hole. The green is extremely narrow with much trouble down below to the right.
I was off the course before 4:00 and set out on a pretty 70 mile trip south to Bandon, OR. Having checked into my hotel by 6:00 and, given my tight schedule for the following day, I proceeded to get my shopping done (hats, shirts, logo balls, etc.).
I found myself back at the hotel by 7:00 and, lo and behold, I finally had the time to sit down and have my first fine dining experience of the trip. I dined at the Gallery Restaurant in the Lodge, enjoying a perfect New York strip steak with a couple of glasses of wine from the world-class wine list. Nice.
I was up early next morning, packed my vehicle, and drove to Bandon Trails for my 7:10 tee time. I had played both the Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes courses during a trip in 2004 and today I would play both Bandon Trails and Old Macdonald.
I requested a caddy for the two rounds and was introduced to Frances Merriam, an Evans Scholar in her first year at Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR. Francis had just a few months of experience at the Bandon courses and was good company on this chilly day.
Bandon Trails is a mixture of parkland and links styles. It is a Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw design and is rated 15th on the current Golf Magazine list and 16th on Golf Digest’s. It is my favorite course of the four at the resort.
One of my favorite holes is the drivable par four 14th hole. The green is extremely narrow with much trouble down below to the right.
Bandon Trails Drivable Par 4 14th Hole
I played really well at Bandon Trails, hitting almost every fairway and 14 of the greens in regulation. I played so quickly that I caught the grounds crew and three of the holes on the back had no pins and holes with no hole liner. It was just a minor irritant though.
Having played so quickly, I was able to move up my tee time at the Old Macdonald course to 10:30. Old Macdonald pays homage to Charles Blair Macdonald, considered by many to be the father of American golf. Old Macdonald has the largest greens of any golf course in America--over 250,000 square feet of putting surfaces! It is a Tom Doak/Jim Urbina design that was dropped right on the site and it is rated 9th on the current Golf Magazine list and 12th on Golf Digest’s.
Frances met me at the clubhouse. And now, the wind was beginning to become a factor. My low draw was the perfect shot for the day--but the greens drove me nuts! There were so many knobs on the massive greens and the wind was howling. A couple of yards meant the difference between a 20 foot putt and a 150 foot putt if you hit the back or side of one of those knobs.
I played through a foursome on the second hole and never saw another golfer the rest of the round.
Only one hole at Old Macdonald, the 7th, called “Ocean” has a view of the Pacific Ocean.
Having played so quickly, I was able to move up my tee time at the Old Macdonald course to 10:30. Old Macdonald pays homage to Charles Blair Macdonald, considered by many to be the father of American golf. Old Macdonald has the largest greens of any golf course in America--over 250,000 square feet of putting surfaces! It is a Tom Doak/Jim Urbina design that was dropped right on the site and it is rated 9th on the current Golf Magazine list and 12th on Golf Digest’s.
Frances met me at the clubhouse. And now, the wind was beginning to become a factor. My low draw was the perfect shot for the day--but the greens drove me nuts! There were so many knobs on the massive greens and the wind was howling. A couple of yards meant the difference between a 20 foot putt and a 150 foot putt if you hit the back or side of one of those knobs.
I played through a foursome on the second hole and never saw another golfer the rest of the round.
Only one hole at Old Macdonald, the 7th, called “Ocean” has a view of the Pacific Ocean.
The 7th Green at Old Macdonald
There was one incident with Frances during the Old Macdonald round. The fairways are sand-based. And with my V-shaped swing, I have been known to remove large pieces of earth when the ball is struck. We were playing a hole away from the ocean with the wind whipping. As I was over my ball, preparing to hit a pitching wedge, Francis was directly on the other side of the ball from me. The wind was howling over my back and as I struck the ball, a huge stream of sand blew directly at Frances, in her hair, ears, mouth, down her shirt--sand was everywhere. We both got a huge laugh out of that and she chewed on sand for the rest of the hole.
On the very next hole, moving in the same direction away from the ocean, I stood over the ball preparing to hit the same kind of shot and noticed Frances standing in the same exact spot.
I moved away from the ball, slowly looked at her and said, “Frances, haven’t I taught you anything today?! She quickly moved as we both laughed again.
I had one bunker shot that reminded me of what golfers might face at the famous Road Hole at St. Andrews. A cramped stance and elevated green cost me two strokes.
On the very next hole, moving in the same direction away from the ocean, I stood over the ball preparing to hit the same kind of shot and noticed Frances standing in the same exact spot.
I moved away from the ball, slowly looked at her and said, “Frances, haven’t I taught you anything today?! She quickly moved as we both laughed again.
I had one bunker shot that reminded me of what golfers might face at the famous Road Hole at St. Andrews. A cramped stance and elevated green cost me two strokes.
A Typical Bunker at Old Macdonald
I completed the round by 1:30 and must say, the final nine was not pretty. I had played 36 holes including a 30 minute break between rounds in 6:20. After almost backing into a moving car in the parking lot, I was on the road for a 267 mile trip to Bend, OR. The drive was quite scenic. There is volcanic activity in the area and fields of solidified lava are common.
I arrived at the Pronghorn Resort at 6:30. Pronghorn is in a gated community and I was there for one reason--to play the Nicklaus Course, rated 38th by Golf Magazine and 28th by Golf Digest.
The Pronghorn accommodations were exceptional--perhaps the best I’ve ever experienced on a golf trip. When I walked through the door of my condo, smooth jazz was playing from the sound system and I could smell the fresh chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies that had been placed on a counter. You don’t even have to be travel weary to appreciate that touch!
I looked out the back door as the sun was setting and walked to the edge of the course. You could eat off the fairways!
I arrived at the Pronghorn Resort at 6:30. Pronghorn is in a gated community and I was there for one reason--to play the Nicklaus Course, rated 38th by Golf Magazine and 28th by Golf Digest.
The Pronghorn accommodations were exceptional--perhaps the best I’ve ever experienced on a golf trip. When I walked through the door of my condo, smooth jazz was playing from the sound system and I could smell the fresh chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies that had been placed on a counter. You don’t even have to be travel weary to appreciate that touch!
I looked out the back door as the sun was setting and walked to the edge of the course. You could eat off the fairways!
The Par 4 12th at Pronghorn (Nicklaus)
The next morning, a golf cart was left at my door and I loaded the clubs and drove to the driving range. Once again, I had the first tee time at 7:30 A.M. After warming up on the range, my forecaddie, Mac, met me at the practice green. Mac was in Bend for the summer. A Pennsylvania native, he was a student at Indiana University in Pennsylvania. A forecaddie rides on the back of a golf cart and except for carrying the bag, does everything a bag carrying caddy would.
Bend, OR is the “land of the fit”. World class bikers, runners, and mountain climbers make their home in Bend. And it has fantastic scenery. The Cascade peaks are a fixture in the background.
Bend, OR is the “land of the fit”. World class bikers, runners, and mountain climbers make their home in Bend. And it has fantastic scenery. The Cascade peaks are a fixture in the background.
Mt. Hood in the Background at Pronghorn
I left Pronghorn a little after 10:00 and headed for Tetherow Golf Club. What should have taken less than an hour took a bit longer as the route took me right through the heart of Bend’s downtown. Since it was Saturday, they closed many of the streets for a weekly Street Fair. My tee time was 1:50 and with a four hour drive facing me that evening, I was hoping to get an earlier tee time.
When I arrived at Tetherow, it was PACKED! I have never seen more activity at a golf course. I learned they were preparing for an evening gala charity auction and most of the traffic was from the people setting up the event. There were three tents and several bands getting ready for the evening.
I learned non-member play begins at 1:30 which meant I had almost two and a half hours to kill so I determined to have a little patience. I also learned about the great restaurant at Tetherow and thought I could eat a good lunch. But the main kitchen was closed in preparation for the 350 dinners to be served that evening and all I could be served was a turkey sandwich and chips. I did wash it down with a Deschutes River IPA.
I still had time to kill so I spent some time on the range and practice green. Finally, I decided to relax and took a seat on the patio high above the golf course. A short time later, Caleb Anderson, Tetherow’s PGA Head Professional took a seat opposite me. Caleb had noticed the Streamsong logo on my shirt. I had played the two Streamsong courses in Florida in early spring. We spoke a bit about Streamsong and I mentioned to Caleb that my caddy in Florida had raved about Tetherow where he loops every summer. Caleb chatted with me for at least 15 minutes--on one of the busiest days I’ve ever seen at a golf course. I’m sure he needed a break. We spoke about my trip, about courses at which he previously worked, and the Tetherow course itself, which has received mixed reviews. It was a nice touch.
My caddy experience at Tetherow was unique. Dean Egertson drove the cart and played golf along with me. Dean and I have similar games so it worked out perfectly. In addition to his caddie job, Dean has an interest in a local electric bicycle shop.
I found Tetherow to be extremely playable and not at all as penal as I had read. The only ball I lost was at the first par 3 on the back nine where I pushed my tee ball and unluckily hit a cart path. And that low draw I had been hitting worked well at this “linksy" feel course.
When I arrived at Tetherow, it was PACKED! I have never seen more activity at a golf course. I learned they were preparing for an evening gala charity auction and most of the traffic was from the people setting up the event. There were three tents and several bands getting ready for the evening.
I learned non-member play begins at 1:30 which meant I had almost two and a half hours to kill so I determined to have a little patience. I also learned about the great restaurant at Tetherow and thought I could eat a good lunch. But the main kitchen was closed in preparation for the 350 dinners to be served that evening and all I could be served was a turkey sandwich and chips. I did wash it down with a Deschutes River IPA.
I still had time to kill so I spent some time on the range and practice green. Finally, I decided to relax and took a seat on the patio high above the golf course. A short time later, Caleb Anderson, Tetherow’s PGA Head Professional took a seat opposite me. Caleb had noticed the Streamsong logo on my shirt. I had played the two Streamsong courses in Florida in early spring. We spoke a bit about Streamsong and I mentioned to Caleb that my caddy in Florida had raved about Tetherow where he loops every summer. Caleb chatted with me for at least 15 minutes--on one of the busiest days I’ve ever seen at a golf course. I’m sure he needed a break. We spoke about my trip, about courses at which he previously worked, and the Tetherow course itself, which has received mixed reviews. It was a nice touch.
My caddy experience at Tetherow was unique. Dean Egertson drove the cart and played golf along with me. Dean and I have similar games so it worked out perfectly. In addition to his caddie job, Dean has an interest in a local electric bicycle shop.
I found Tetherow to be extremely playable and not at all as penal as I had read. The only ball I lost was at the first par 3 on the back nine where I pushed my tee ball and unluckily hit a cart path. And that low draw I had been hitting worked well at this “linksy" feel course.
The Par 3 17th Signature Hole at Tetherow
Like Pronghorn, Tetherow had great scenery with Mt. Hood, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, Mt. Bachelor, Broken Top, and The Three Sisters peaks visible as a backdrop.
The course was not crowded--we played through one group early on the back nine and I was on the road to Ontario, OR at the Idaho border by 4:45. And 267 miles, four hours plus an hour for the time zone change later, I checked into the hotel a little before 10:00 P.M.
Next: Summer Trip 2013: Colorado
The course was not crowded--we played through one group early on the back nine and I was on the road to Ontario, OR at the Idaho border by 4:45. And 267 miles, four hours plus an hour for the time zone change later, I checked into the hotel a little before 10:00 P.M.
Next: Summer Trip 2013: Colorado
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