In 1901, at the hands of Marshall Kinney, Gearhart was officially opened as a 9 hole course. In 1913-1915 Gearhart grew to 18 holes and began a long heritage as one of the state's premiere golf venues. Between1926 and 1935 the course underwent a series of changes including a redesign by Chandler Egan resulting in the layout which remains relatively unchanged.
It is a little tight on some of the fairways, so you have to be careful in the summer that you don't get hit by a wayward drive. Luckily there are not as many people out there in November, so I felt pretty safe. The course is short, playing 6218 yards from the back tees, with a 71.3 rating and a 134 slope, but we didn't get any roll with the amount of rain we have had lately. There are some challenging holes, number five demands a precise second shot to a very small green with water on the left and the 18th hole is 581 yards uphill with a small green tucked back in the corner, which makes it hard to reach in two, even for big hitters.
They also have a nice clubhouse called The Sandtrap which is run by McMenamins. It has been redesigned since they took it over, so it has the flavor of many of their other pubs. They have a great deck, which is the perfect place for a beer after your round in the summer. The food and beer is great, but as with all McMenamins the service is pretty slow.
I know it is a little out of the way, but this is a great course to include on your Oregon golf tour.
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