Don Anderson

Tiger Woods once said that the exciting thing about golf is that no matter how good you get, you can always get better. The Seaside area is fortunate to have three public golf courses available year round for both committed golfers and duffers who like an occasional weekend game. Each of our local golf courses has its own personality, quirks, beauty, and difficulties.

Wayne Fulmer, manager of the Seaside Golf Club, the citys only public golf course, says that Ben Holladay, an early entrepreneur in the area, once owned the property that the golf course now lies on. Originally from Kentucky, Holladay travelled to California where he became known as the Stagecoach King. After selling over 2000 miles of stage line to Wells Fargo for $1.5 million, in 1866 he came to Oregon and set up business in the Willamette Valley and built a large estate in Seaside to escape the summer heat.

The city of Seaside actually got its name from his property, Fulmer said. The Seaside House was a lavish hotel where Holladays guests could feast on trout from the Necanicum River, as well as local venison and elk. Holladay Drive in Seaside is named after Ben Holladay.

The Seaside golf course is a 2700 yard 9-hole course that was created in 1923. It is great if you need a quick golf fix, said Fulmer. It is a difficult course, unless you are a good player. The course follows a bend in the Necanicum River, which it crosses twice. It is a flat course, with two par-5 holes, four par-4 holes, and three par-3 holes. Its longest hole is 485 yards and its shortest is 113.

The Seaside Golf Club has a restaurant & lounge, The Putter Room, and a full line pro shop. While there is no need of a tee time at the Seaside Golf Club, you can call Fulmer at (503) 738-5261 for course information. Green Fees for the course are $32.00 for 18 holes on weekends, $28.00 on weekdays. Nine holes is about half as much.

Gearhart Golf Links is the only 18-hole public golf course on the north Oregon coast and is the oldest golf course in Oregon. At 6,218 yards, it is by far the longest golf course in our area as well. In 1888, enthusiastic golfers who were visiting the resort town of Gearhart helped to start interest in the game among locals by setting up a game in nearby meadows. The attention was so great that by 1901 an official golf course opened. Over the years, it has expanded and improved, undergoing a major renovation in 1999.

The layout of the Gearhart Golf Links is in two main sections, a southern one with holes 1 plus 9-18 laid out in a north-south orientation, and a northern section, with most of the holes flowing in an east-west orientation. The Gearhart course is exciting and challenging enough for a professional golfer, but not too intimidating for the average golfer. It is the home golf course of the Seaside High School golf team.

Playing on the Gearhart Links is a premier golf experience. Besides the challenging and well-kept course, there is fine dining at the McMenamins Sand Trap Bar & Grill, an excellent pro shop, and lessons by pros Jason Kunde and Z. Barbic.

Green Fees for Gearhart Golf Links are $60 for 18 holes on weekends from March through September, $40 from October through February. Weekday fees and fees for youth are proportionately less. Call (503) 738-3538 for tee reservations, or go to www.gearhartgolflinks.com for information on the history, prices, food, and accommodations available at Gearhart Golf Links.

The shortest golf course in our area is The Highlands. At just 1,852 yards and 9-holes, The Highlands may seem like the easiest of the three courses, but in reality, it can challenge the best golfers. Immaculately kept, this golf course in Gearhart is located just north of Gearhart Golf Links. One of The Highlands claim to fame is hole 5, a 95-yard par-3 hole that has the only ocean view of any local golf course. Hole 5 is a great place to get a birdie, but unless you are careful, you can wind up with a bogey. Either way, the view is fantastic.

Highlands other claim to fame is its pro shop, Discount Dans Golf, which offers the lowest prices in the USA on all kinds of golf equipment from clubs to shoes and bags, etc. The Highlands pro shop is a destination point in itself, but there is no better place to practice a new set of clubs than on The Highlands golf course. A good set of golf clubs can run anywhere from $200 to $1,200.

PGA pro Matt Brown, manager of The Highlands says that while his golf course is challenging, it is a fun course for everybody; it is a good, family course. The Highlands has only par 3s and 4s, no par 5s. It is the only local course that is a walking only course, with no golf carts allowed.

A game at the Highlands will cost you $16 for 9 holes and $28 for 18 holes. Brown says he also offers local discount cards: a $99 pass good for 10 rounds, and a $500 unlimited year pass. Brown also says that persons who just want to come and walk the course for exercise are welcome at no charge. Call (503) 738-5248 for tee times and information, or go to www.discountdansgolf.com.

Local citizens are fortunate to have three fun and challenging golf courses for them to enjoy. While golf may seem to be an expensive sport, once the equipment is purchased, it will last for nearly a lifetime, and the health benefits of walking several thousand yards in pursuit of a pesky little ball are undeniable.