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Santiam Golf Club, near Salem, OR in the town of Aumsville, is an ordinary course in design, yet adequately maintained to provide a pleasant round of golf. As a relatively affordable course, and straightforward layout, Santiam is user-friendly for beginners or casual golfers. With tree-lined holes and steep greenside bunkers, nothing is a given, but experienced golfers will view this course as an opportunity to score well. Another notable trait serving all skill-levels of golfers, are their unintimidating and wonderfully smooth putting surfaces. Beginners can putt without fear, and skilled golfers can putt with a strong sense of confidence. Overall, Santiam offers a good balance of favorable and moderately challenging features, making this an enjoyable round for all who visit, and a nice home course for nearby residents.
Santiam is built upon flat grounds, and has a simple course layout with average distances. The holes consist of straight tracts and mildly gradual doglegs around tree-lined roughs. Landing zones are relatively spacious, but errant tee shots are likely to end up behind one of many varieties of trees. However, very errant shots may cross over to the next fairway, as many of the holes run parallel to each other. There’s little water that comes into play, although a narrow creek traverses several holes and a few small ponds exist off some of the fairways. A couple of large ponds are also present, including one with a nice fountain, but they are rather avoidable. On approach shots, the main challenge is to avoid the predominantly steep sand traps guarding most greens. The greens are mainly flat or have simple contour. They are in fantastic shape and provide a very true roll. Their speeds are slow to average, making them manageable and conducive for aggressive putting.
Santiam has modest practice facilities for an all-inclusive golf venue. They have a short driving range with a handful of hitting stations; better suited for warming up versus practicing the entire range of shots. They also have a servicable practice green. The clubhouse includes a standard pro shop with merchandise, and a restaurant/bar area.
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