Stone Creek Golf Club, in Oregon City, OR, is a young, modern course, yet authentically Northwest. Portland’s own Peter Jacobson contributed to Stone Creek's design, so it’s no surprise that the course highlights the beauty of its surroundings, maintains the integrity of its natural setting, and can withstand considerable rainfall. With an excellent drainage system, this is one of the area’s best winter tracks. In addition to it’s impeccable condition, the diverse array of course characteristics is a standout quality. Stone Creek provides a new test at every turn. There are beautiful, luxury homes bordering the south and west side, but the rest of the course is surrounded only by nature. Near the clubhouse, you can see Mt. Hood peering over the trees to the east. And true to it’s name, there are large stone boulders aesthetically plotted throughout several holes; an unofficial signature for this detailed track.
Stone Creek Golf Club is cohesively aligned with its constantly changing features. Ranging from open, links-style holes to tight, tree-lined dog legs, each hole is vastly unique. The front 9 contains a few of the wider holes, with expansive fairways, rolling terrain, deep-set bunkers and challenging greens. But the majority of the course, and most of the back 9, requires accurate navigation through Douglas firs, wetlands and large hills. The back 9 is arguarbly much harder than the front, due to this extensive elevation change and plethora of trouble areas. Holes 12-15, a notably difficult stretch, has the potential to take you out of your game prematurely with blind shots and hazards abound. Due to the excellent drainage at Stone Creek, the greens also remain in excellent shape year round. They provide a true roll and very fast speeds relative to the season. Overall, reaching the putting surfaces, not rolling them, will likely be your biggest challenge here.
In addition to a sophisticated test of golf, Stone Creek Golf Club provides nice practice grounds for Clackamas County golfers, and other nearby residents. They have a large, grass-surfaced driving range with well-marked targets. You can also practice the full array of short-game shots at their large practice green. The clubhouse is currently a manufactured structure, as the emphasis and focus of Stone Creek lies appropriately within the most important feature, the course itself. The clubhouse, though modest, is fully functional with a small café/dining area, as well as a standard merchandise selection.
Have you played Stone Creek Golf Club recently? Share your thoughts on the course in the comments section below.
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