Course Details - Design

Mt. Hood/Portland Golf Course

The three nine-hole tracks cater differently to golfers. Beginners enjoy Thistle as it gives them confidence by offering up low scores, despite the fact that par has been adjusted! Pine Cone is marketed to players who prefer playing “older” courses. And Foxglove, with its narrow fairways, provides a test to the more avid golfer.

The walk-ability of the golf course is key; there are no long stretches between holes. And the trees are important features, too; they literally define each hole. Golfers can’t hit over ‘em, but they can hit around ‘em!

And if it’s peace and quiet a golfer desires, The Courses is the ideal destination. Here players hear no airplane noise, no automobile traffic, and need withstand no other unnatural distractions. The joint focus is pure golf and nature.

An extensive renovation of The Courses is planned beginning in Fall, 2008 under the direction of John F. Harbottle III of John Harbottle Design in Tacoma, WA.

Harbottle is an acclaimed ASGCA member, well recognized for his design and remodeling work of some of the nation’s top courses. A graduate of the University of Washington with a degree in Landscape Architecture, Harbottle began his career with Pete Dye collaborating on projects around the world. His commitment to environmentally-sensitive designs makes Harbottle a natural to facilitate The Courses’ renovation.

Some of Harbottle’s award-winning layouts include Ridgecrest Golf Course in Nampa, ID, The Savannah Course at Stevinson Ranch in Stevinson, CA, The Olympic Course at Gold Mountain in Bremerton, WA, and The Golf Club at Genoa Lakes near South Lake Tahoe, NV. All were awarded “Best New Courses in the United States” by Golf Digest.

Notable in his remodeled/renovated course portfolio are The Los Angeles Country Club North & South in Los Angeles, CA, Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach, CA, Stanford Golf Club in Stanford, CA, Del Rio Country Club in Modesto, CA and Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles, CA.