Emerald Valley Golf Club

Emerald Valley Golf Club is a public golf course located in Creswell, Oregon in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The Emerald Valley course was the first regulation-length public golf course in the Eugene metropolitan area. The course runs along the west bank of the Coast Fork of the Willamette River.

Emerald Valley Golf Club
Club information
Coordinates43.92255°N 122.99445°W / 43.92255; -122.99445
LocationCreswell, Oregon, U.S.
Owned byJim and Hal Pliska
Total holes18
Websitewww.emeraldvalleygolf.com
Designed byBob Baldock (1966) and Dan Hixon (2002)
Par72
Length7,143 yards (6,532 m)
Course rating74.0

History

The Emerald Valley Golf Club was begun in 1966 by Eugene Russell, James Russell, and Marv Ruby. It was built on the site of a 160 acres (0.65 km2) dairy farm northeast of Creswell. Before the course opened, Ruby purchased the Orenco Woods Golf Course in Hillsboro, Oregon from the Russell brothers and left the partnership. The first nine holes were opened in 1967. The site’s original dairy barn was remodeled and converted into a clubhouse and was opened along with the first nine holes. The second nine holes were opened in 1968, making Emerald Valley the first regulation-length public golf course in the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area.[1][2][3][4]

In 1974, the Russell brothers sold the golf course to Peter Murphy, owner of the Murphy logging company. Over the next four years, Murphy installed a new drainage system and made other improvements. In 1978, Murphy sold the golf course to the Mazama Timber Products Company, which was owned by the Forrest Solomon family. Mazama planned to build a modern clubhouse and health spa as well as homes and condominiums adjacent to the golf course.[2][3][5]

Mazama began construction of a clubhouse, restaurant, and health spa complex in 1979. The 46,000-square-foot (4,300 m2) facility was finished a year later at a cost of $4.5 million. In addition, Mazama invested over $200,000 in course improvements.[6] The company also applied for zoning changes to allow residential development on the property around the golf course. The city of Creswell approved building permits for 54 homes and a 250 unit motel on the Emerald Valley property, but financial problem delayed construction.[2][7][8][9]

The Oregon Bank took over the golf course in 1984 after Mazama went bankrupt. In 1987, the bank offer to sell the Emerald Valley golf course and sports complex to Lane County, but the county decided not to purchase the property.[10] A year later, the bank sold the golf course to a group of investor headed by Chicago businessman Steven Klemen. The Klemen group bought 150 acres (0.61 km2) adjacent to the golf course where they planned to develop 360 homes; however, they built less than a dozen.[2][11][12]

In 1993, the golf course was sold separately from the rest of the property to the Paloma Golf Group. This formally separated the golf course from the troubled resort and housing developments. Paloma invested in some course upgrade that improved the general aesthetics of the course and increased the operation’s revenue. Paloma sold the golf course to Arnold Palmer Golf Management Company in 1997.[1][2][12][13]

In 2002, the Palmer group sold the Emerald Valley golf course to Jim Pliska, a Portland area businessman and former member of the University of Oregon golf team. Pliska restored the course and added a new driving range and practice facility on 25 acres (100,000 m2) of undeveloped land at the northeast corner of the property.[1][2] A new irrigation system was installed in 2005.[14] Today, Emerald Valley is one of the best golf courses in the state and is the home of the University of Oregon golf team.

Course
Original Emerald Valley golf course layout, circa 1970

Emerald Valley Golf Club is one of Oregon’s premier public golf courses. It is located is on 170 acres (0.69 km2) along the west bank of the Willamette River's Coast Fork northeast of Creswell. It is known for its tree-lined fairways, well groomed greens, and excellent course conditions. Emerald Valley was built on a flat tract of land along the river so the course gets its character from meandering doglegs and the tree-lines fairways. Well placed sand traps help narrow the approaches to greens. The greens are nicely contoured with some tricky slopes.[14][15]

The original course was laid out in 1966 by Bob E. Baldock. In 2002, parts of the course were redesigned by Dan Hixon, a Portland golf course designer who had player at Emerald Valley when he was at college. The redesign added elevated tee boxes for the 2nd and 3rd holes, providing a view of the Willamette River from the 3rd tee. The redesign project also enlarged the pond in front of the 2nd green, added new bunkers near the 3rd and 8th greens, and expanded the 9th green.[1][14]

The course challenges golfers of all abilities. There are four tees settings, Gold being the longest. The first nine holes are a par 36, measuring 3,431 yards (3,137 m) from the Gold tees. The second nine holes are also a par 36 and measure 3,712 yards (3,394 m) from the Gold tees. The total length of the par 72 championship course is 7,143 yards (6,532 m). The shortest course is 5,421 yards (4,957 m).[14]

Emerald Valley Scorecard[14]
Tee Rating/Slope 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Total
Par 43543454436 4345445353672
Gold 74.0 / 130 4221674954052094535583004113431 43022142460545339044018255737127143
Blue 71.9 / 129 4031534753851744374632913733154 41217038854543035639414953233766530
White 69.7 / 125 3801344533751554074472813572989 39016037547241834338213752131986187
Red 71.6 / 131 3691254173161373263692713442674 31912631040040533129911943827475421

Membership

The Emerald Valley Golf Club offers a variety of membership option. There are seven day and week day memberships for both individuals and families. There is also a special membership rate for golfers under 17 years old. Daily rates for 18 holes of play range from $40 to $50. The fee for a 9-hole round is between $24 and $30. The course offers discount for students, seniors, and players under 17.[16]

Over 200 golfers, play in the Emerald Valley Men's Club program. Club competitions are held on Saturday and Sunday from March to October, except for weekends when the golf course is hosting a special event. The club hosts the Emerald Valley Amateur in June, the Firecracker Open on the 4th of July, the Club Championship in August, and the Ray Davis Memorial tournament in September. The club also sends a team to the Oregon Golf Association team championships as well as individual players to the association’s Net Championship.[17]

The Emerald Valley Women's Club is open to golfers of all abilities regardless of handicap. The women’s club hosts weekly competition and an annual club championship. During the summer months, there is a junior golf program as well. The junior program includes instruction from Emerald Valley’s professional teaching staff every Thursday from July though August. There is also a junior club championship tournament and a parent/youth ice cream social tournament at the end of August.[17]

Location

The Emerald Valley golf course is located in Creswell, Oregon at the southern end of the Willamette Valley. To get to the Emerald Valley Golf Club from Interstate 5, take exit 182. Turn onto the Emerald Parkway heading east and go about one quarter of a mile; make a left turn onto Dale Kuni Road. The Emerald Valley Golf Club parking lot is on the right side of the road about one hundred yards from the junction.[15]

References
  1. Stahlberg, Mike, "Making Emerald shine again", Eugene Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, 12 April 1997, pp. 5E-6E.
  2. "A Short Course in Emerald Valley History", Eugene Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, 12 April 1997, p. 5E.
  3. "Emerald Valley changes owners", Eugene Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, 25 April 1974, p. 3C.
  4. Hoefflin, Walter, "Homeless Public Links Tourney Looking for New Sponsor", Eugene Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, 6 July 1968, p. 1B.
  5. "Mazama purchases the Emerald Valley course", Eugene Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, 23 February 1978, p. 2B.
  6. Conrad, John, "Emerald Valley starts showing itself off", Eugene Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, 29 July 1980, p. 1C.
  7. "Residential building declines", Eugene Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, 13 March 1979, p. 7C.
  8. "Court gives more time to Mazama", Eugene Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, 24 February 1984, p. 1B.
  9. "Mill won’t be sold, says its owner, but two interest bidding for sports and restaurant complex", Eugene Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, 24 February 1984, p. 2C.
  10. "Golf course offer: No thanks", Eugene Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, 24 February 1984, p. 8A.
  11. "Former Lumber firm owner dies", Eugene Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, 20 February 1991, pp. 1C-2C.
  12. Wihtol, Christian, "Homeowners play a waiting game as resort owners look for a buyer", Eugene Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, 12 April 1997, pp. 1C-2C.
  13. "Emerald Valley Golf Club", Paloma Golf Group, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, 24 April 2010.
  14. "Emerald Valley Golf Club" Archived 2010-05-20 at the Wayback Machine, on-line Course Finder, Oregon Golf Association, Woodburn, Oregon, 24 April 2010.
  15. "Course Information" Archived 2010-08-06 at the Wayback Machine, Emerald Valley Golf Club, www.emeraldvalleygolf.com, Creswell, Oregon, 24 April 2010.
  16. "Membership" Archived 2010-08-06 at the Wayback Machine, Emerald Valley Golf Club, www.emeraldvalleygolf.com, Creswell, Oregon, 24 April 2010.
  17. "Men's/Women's Club" Archived 2010-08-06 at the Wayback Machine, Emerald Valley Golf Club, www.emeraldvalleygolf.com, Creswell, Oregon, 24 April 2010.
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