I've lived (and golfed) in Portland, OR for almost five years, and this course is by far the best track in the area. When I first moved to Portland, my golf buddy Joe was very excited to take me to The Great Blue. He told me that he had first played it while in Portland on a business trip several years ago when he lived in The Bay Area.
As we teed off on number one, he said to me, "This course is the reason I moved to Portland." And after playing it, I understood why. In the last five years, I would guess that I've played it at least a hundred times.
The course is built in some wetlands just north of Portland on a huge property that has another 18 hole golf course, The Greenback. It is very common to see bald eagles, hawks, and of course their namesake, the great blue heron. I even once saw a coyote running around in the fairway one warm fall day.
On a clear day, many holes have great views of Mt. Hood on the horizon. Pay close attention when teeing off on number thirteen, as cars on Portland's light rail can be seen cruising along the tracks in the distance with Mt. Hood framing them in the background.
The best thing about the golf course is how fine of a shape they keep it in. I've been lucky enough to play a number of private country clubs, and I would rate The Great Blue in that category as far as how well the greens roll and how well the fairways are maintained. What's more is that $40 is as much as you will ever pay to play it, even in the peak season.
I would recommend this course to all golfers, but especially to lower handicaps. The course is very tough, especially the back nine. For higher handicappers looking for an easier go-around, play The Greenback. It is maintained just as well, and you have the same beautiful views.
May 21st, 2010 at 3:43 pm
[...] Golf Course shares its property with one my favorite golf courses in all of the Portland area, The Great Blue. One of the reasons it's my favorite is because it is always in such great shape. And of course, [...]
May 23rd, 2010 at 3:56 pm
[...] you lower handicappers who are looking for a little more bang for your buck, go play The Great Blue at Heron Lakes [...]