Designed by Bob Cupp and opened in 1991, Pumpkin Ridge – Ghost Creek is the premier public golf facility in the greater Portland area. It was voted the best new public course upon its opening and has routinely been included in assorted Top 100 lists.
Pumpkin Ridge is the current host of the Web.com Tour’s WinCo Foods Portland Open. It previously hosted the LPGA’s Safeway Classic (2009-2012), the US Women’s Amateur (2006), the US Junior Amateur Championship (2000), US Women’s Open (1997, 2003) and the 1996 US Amateur. I think it is a true statement that most, if not all, that play actually occurred at Ghost Creek’s private sister course – Witch Hollow. Still, the fact this facility was chosen to host such events is a testament to the overall quality one can expect to encounter here.
I had the pleasure of playing the course again this past weekend and would like to share it with the rest of you through this review.
The Pro Shop entrance to the clubhouse
Practice Area(Grade: A-)
Ghost Creek offers excellent practice facilities which are more than suitable for golfers to either warm up for a round or work on their game.
The putting green is located just outside the Pro Shop’s front door, between the driving range and first tee. The green features distinct flat and undulating sections, perfectly replicates the speed and conditions of the course and is so large that it easily accommodates 10 to 15 putting holes while still having ample space for others to practice lag putting. Very well done.
A separate pitching and chipping area is located just west of the practice range. While smaller and offering fewer holes than the putting green, it is the perfect place to practice the short shots we’ll encounter during our round. I was particularly impressed to see clearly defined first and second cuts of rough all around the chipping green. This area also mimicked course conditions perfectly.
The Range (member's hitting area in the distance)
Approximately one third of the driving range’s stations were covered by a portable device that kept golfers out of the weather. This is an extremely nice – and unusual – feature to see at a public facility. On this day we were only allowed to hit from matts, leaving the grassy tee area just in front of us more time to recover from the winter. The range offers a wide assortment of well-marked targets at a wide variety of distances which easily allows the golfer to use every club in their bag. To help put this in perspective, understand that the members use the same range, but from the other end. Even the longest hitters will never come close to reaching the people at the other end of the range.
I did not look for (or see) bunkers so I cannot confirm their availability, though it seems highly unlikely, if not impossible, that this type of facility would not offer them. I am lowering the overall grade to an A- only because I am not 100% sure about the bunkers.
Course Conditions (Grade: B+)
I distinctly remember the first time I played at Ghost Creek. The fairways were pristine carpets of grass that seemed to support your feet like they were atop spongy pillows of air. I had never experienced such luxurious and perfect conditions. It was incredible.
When I played here in late August the course was showing wear and tear – tee boxes and fairways had plenty of divots and the greens showed pitch marks. Although somewhat understandable considering it was the end of the high season it was still disappointing, especially when juxtaposed against that memory of my first time on the course.
After playing the course this past weekend I am happy to report the course is back to something approximating that first experience. Its bent grass fairways and greens were perfect. Bunkers had an appropriate volume of sand and were in excellent condition. Tee boxes showed virtually no signs of play. The greens were perfect and ran pure. The course was expertly mowed to present multiple cuts of rough, the first of which was playable without much penalty, the second of which was appropriately penal. All in all, the course conditions were great.
So why the B+ grade? Because the course doesn’t drain very well. To be completely fair, the fairways were something just short of firm - balls weren’t really plugging - and the greens were perfect. But if you got off the fairways it could be pretty muddy. In my opinion, if a course is going to charge top dollar and present itself as a premiere facility then it should do better here.
Finally, be aware that the “cart path only” rule is very commonly in effect at Ghost Creek. This is probably due in part to the drainage issues as well as management’s commitment to keeping the course in superior condition. Still, if this is an issue for you a call to the clubhouse in advance of making a tee time may be in order.
The view from the practice green looking out over the 10th, 1st and 9th fairways as the morning sun rises
Layout (Grade: A+)
There is a subtlety to Ghost Creek’s layout that can falsely give us the impression it borders on the pedestrian. I think it is more correct to say the course’s design is like an umpire or referee that we never notice: they were there in full force the entire time but their performance was so superior that it never drew our attention away from our primary purpose. The ability to experience without being forced to notice can be a sign of true greatness. That is certainly the case at Ghost Creek.
Playing Ghost Creek is a wonderful aesthetic experience. Much of the course traverses rolling farmland, giving the golfer expansive views of the Tualatin Valley, the Cascades and the coastal mountain ranges. Other parts of the course are more traditionally wooded parkland. The course also features several protected wildlife areas, and it is common to see deer, geese, ducks and other wildlife during your round. Finally, the course’s use of water features - numerous holes offer lakes, ponds and creeks – enhances the visual appeal of the track.
Over and above the visual appeal, Ghost Creek offers a superior layout that should make you think your way around the course and give you plenty of opportunities to use every club in your bag. This is due in part to great diversity within the layout and a myriad of very smart and subtle design choices which enhance the golfing experience.
The course offers four sets of tees:
A testament to how the course is simultaneously challenging yet accessible to all occurred during my round when my 83 year old playing partner broke 100 on this 136 slope course.
The Par 3 14th hole (234/219/201/167 yards). The 15th tee, 18th green, practice green, clubhouse and coastal mountain range directly ahead; 1st tee to the left; driving range to the right of the clubhouse
Pace of Play (Grade: C+)
The good news is it is common to see marshals on the course and management is proactive and serious about pace of play. Unfortunately, the challenging nature of the layout doesn’t necessarily lend itself to especially fast rounds. The course earns the C grade because it literally takes an average amount of time to play a round here – let’s say 4:30 – but I am giving Ghost Creek the “+” because management is trying.
Price (Grade: A)
Prices at Ghost Creek vary by season, day of the week (i.e., week vs weekend) and time of day (i.e., morning, midday and twilight). Rates can be reduced further by participating in the “Ghost Creek Pass” program, a $149 membership card which includes several promotions, such as one free round of golf and pro shop discounts.
Rates vary between these highs and lows:
These are the highest prices for public play in our area that I am aware of. However, they are very fair considering the overall quality of the facility, and the fact rates also include range balls and a power cart.
A view from the Par 4 9th hole's fairway (469/443/419/368 yards). The red stake lower left denotes a creek that dissects the fairway at a common landing spot for tee shots. The second shot is commonly much more over the lake than is apparent from this vantage point. First tee and clubhouse visible to the far right.
Amenities (Grade: A)
The facilities at Pumpkin Ridge are on par with the rest of the course, which is to say they are very nice.
In my round Saturday I saw the cart person at least 3 times (and they were driving larger than normal golf carts which seemed to be more full service in nature than what I’m accustomed to seeing). The staff members driving these carts were very helpful and friendly.
Bathrooms are available on the course. They are housed in small buildings, not the porta-potties we sometimes see elsewhere. They were clean and pleasant.
The clubhouse includes a very nice grill with large windows which provide views of the practice green, the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] and 10[SUP]th[/SUP] tees and 9[SUP]th[/SUP] green. The décor of the room is special, as the walls are adorned with very large photos of the 6 US Amateur Champions from events held at Pumpkin Ridge (men and ladies, junior and regular), including Tiger Woods from 1990. If views of the course or pictures of past champions is not your thing you can watch sporting events on one of the many televisions in the room.
I did not look for a locker room, and do not know if one exists.
One last thing about amenities. The middle area of the clubhouse is a central gathering space that is naturally accessed from the front, pro-shop and practice area entrances. All of the walls to that central space are adorned with photos and memorabilia from the numerous professional and US Amateur events that have been held at Pumpkin Ridge. This adds to the ambience of the facility and experience of playing a round here.
Overall (Grade: A)
It would be nice if pace of play and drainage was just a little bit better at Ghost Creek. But in the grand scheme of things those are very minor quibbles. This course is a must play for anyone traveling to Portland. The course is extremely well maintained; the staff is attentive and helpful; the layout is fun, fair and challenging; and it is unique to experience a facility where so many premiere events have been held. While there is a lot of very good golf in the Portland area, this is the only course which very clearly is THP event worthy. That about says it all.
Pumpkin Ridge is the current host of the Web.com Tour’s WinCo Foods Portland Open. It previously hosted the LPGA’s Safeway Classic (2009-2012), the US Women’s Amateur (2006), the US Junior Amateur Championship (2000), US Women’s Open (1997, 2003) and the 1996 US Amateur. I think it is a true statement that most, if not all, that play actually occurred at Ghost Creek’s private sister course – Witch Hollow. Still, the fact this facility was chosen to host such events is a testament to the overall quality one can expect to encounter here.
I had the pleasure of playing the course again this past weekend and would like to share it with the rest of you through this review.
The Pro Shop entrance to the clubhouse
Practice Area(Grade: A-)
Ghost Creek offers excellent practice facilities which are more than suitable for golfers to either warm up for a round or work on their game.
The putting green is located just outside the Pro Shop’s front door, between the driving range and first tee. The green features distinct flat and undulating sections, perfectly replicates the speed and conditions of the course and is so large that it easily accommodates 10 to 15 putting holes while still having ample space for others to practice lag putting. Very well done.
A separate pitching and chipping area is located just west of the practice range. While smaller and offering fewer holes than the putting green, it is the perfect place to practice the short shots we’ll encounter during our round. I was particularly impressed to see clearly defined first and second cuts of rough all around the chipping green. This area also mimicked course conditions perfectly.
The Range (member's hitting area in the distance)
Approximately one third of the driving range’s stations were covered by a portable device that kept golfers out of the weather. This is an extremely nice – and unusual – feature to see at a public facility. On this day we were only allowed to hit from matts, leaving the grassy tee area just in front of us more time to recover from the winter. The range offers a wide assortment of well-marked targets at a wide variety of distances which easily allows the golfer to use every club in their bag. To help put this in perspective, understand that the members use the same range, but from the other end. Even the longest hitters will never come close to reaching the people at the other end of the range.
I did not look for (or see) bunkers so I cannot confirm their availability, though it seems highly unlikely, if not impossible, that this type of facility would not offer them. I am lowering the overall grade to an A- only because I am not 100% sure about the bunkers.
Course Conditions (Grade: B+)
I distinctly remember the first time I played at Ghost Creek. The fairways were pristine carpets of grass that seemed to support your feet like they were atop spongy pillows of air. I had never experienced such luxurious and perfect conditions. It was incredible.
When I played here in late August the course was showing wear and tear – tee boxes and fairways had plenty of divots and the greens showed pitch marks. Although somewhat understandable considering it was the end of the high season it was still disappointing, especially when juxtaposed against that memory of my first time on the course.
After playing the course this past weekend I am happy to report the course is back to something approximating that first experience. Its bent grass fairways and greens were perfect. Bunkers had an appropriate volume of sand and were in excellent condition. Tee boxes showed virtually no signs of play. The greens were perfect and ran pure. The course was expertly mowed to present multiple cuts of rough, the first of which was playable without much penalty, the second of which was appropriately penal. All in all, the course conditions were great.
So why the B+ grade? Because the course doesn’t drain very well. To be completely fair, the fairways were something just short of firm - balls weren’t really plugging - and the greens were perfect. But if you got off the fairways it could be pretty muddy. In my opinion, if a course is going to charge top dollar and present itself as a premiere facility then it should do better here.
Finally, be aware that the “cart path only” rule is very commonly in effect at Ghost Creek. This is probably due in part to the drainage issues as well as management’s commitment to keeping the course in superior condition. Still, if this is an issue for you a call to the clubhouse in advance of making a tee time may be in order.
The view from the practice green looking out over the 10th, 1st and 9th fairways as the morning sun rises
Layout (Grade: A+)
There is a subtlety to Ghost Creek’s layout that can falsely give us the impression it borders on the pedestrian. I think it is more correct to say the course’s design is like an umpire or referee that we never notice: they were there in full force the entire time but their performance was so superior that it never drew our attention away from our primary purpose. The ability to experience without being forced to notice can be a sign of true greatness. That is certainly the case at Ghost Creek.
Playing Ghost Creek is a wonderful aesthetic experience. Much of the course traverses rolling farmland, giving the golfer expansive views of the Tualatin Valley, the Cascades and the coastal mountain ranges. Other parts of the course are more traditionally wooded parkland. The course also features several protected wildlife areas, and it is common to see deer, geese, ducks and other wildlife during your round. Finally, the course’s use of water features - numerous holes offer lakes, ponds and creeks – enhances the visual appeal of the track.
Over and above the visual appeal, Ghost Creek offers a superior layout that should make you think your way around the course and give you plenty of opportunities to use every club in your bag. This is due in part to great diversity within the layout and a myriad of very smart and subtle design choices which enhance the golfing experience.
The course offers four sets of tees:
Red (5111 / 71.0 / 132)
White (5921 / 69.8 / 136)
Blue (6386 / 72.1 / 139)
Black (6839 / 74.5 / 147)
White (5921 / 69.8 / 136)
Blue (6386 / 72.1 / 139)
Black (6839 / 74.5 / 147)
A testament to how the course is simultaneously challenging yet accessible to all occurred during my round when my 83 year old playing partner broke 100 on this 136 slope course.
The Par 3 14th hole (234/219/201/167 yards). The 15th tee, 18th green, practice green, clubhouse and coastal mountain range directly ahead; 1st tee to the left; driving range to the right of the clubhouse
Pace of Play (Grade: C+)
The good news is it is common to see marshals on the course and management is proactive and serious about pace of play. Unfortunately, the challenging nature of the layout doesn’t necessarily lend itself to especially fast rounds. The course earns the C grade because it literally takes an average amount of time to play a round here – let’s say 4:30 – but I am giving Ghost Creek the “+” because management is trying.
Price (Grade: A)
Prices at Ghost Creek vary by season, day of the week (i.e., week vs weekend) and time of day (i.e., morning, midday and twilight). Rates can be reduced further by participating in the “Ghost Creek Pass” program, a $149 membership card which includes several promotions, such as one free round of golf and pro shop discounts.
Rates vary between these highs and lows:
Winter: $35 ($25 w/ pass) - $55 ($45 w/ pass)
Spring: $55 ($39 w/ pass) - $90 ($59 w/ pass)
Summer: $65 ($45 w/ pass) - $125 ($75 w/ pass)
Spring: $55 ($39 w/ pass) - $90 ($59 w/ pass)
Summer: $65 ($45 w/ pass) - $125 ($75 w/ pass)
These are the highest prices for public play in our area that I am aware of. However, they are very fair considering the overall quality of the facility, and the fact rates also include range balls and a power cart.
A view from the Par 4 9th hole's fairway (469/443/419/368 yards). The red stake lower left denotes a creek that dissects the fairway at a common landing spot for tee shots. The second shot is commonly much more over the lake than is apparent from this vantage point. First tee and clubhouse visible to the far right.
Amenities (Grade: A)
The facilities at Pumpkin Ridge are on par with the rest of the course, which is to say they are very nice.
In my round Saturday I saw the cart person at least 3 times (and they were driving larger than normal golf carts which seemed to be more full service in nature than what I’m accustomed to seeing). The staff members driving these carts were very helpful and friendly.
Bathrooms are available on the course. They are housed in small buildings, not the porta-potties we sometimes see elsewhere. They were clean and pleasant.
The clubhouse includes a very nice grill with large windows which provide views of the practice green, the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] and 10[SUP]th[/SUP] tees and 9[SUP]th[/SUP] green. The décor of the room is special, as the walls are adorned with very large photos of the 6 US Amateur Champions from events held at Pumpkin Ridge (men and ladies, junior and regular), including Tiger Woods from 1990. If views of the course or pictures of past champions is not your thing you can watch sporting events on one of the many televisions in the room.
I did not look for a locker room, and do not know if one exists.
One last thing about amenities. The middle area of the clubhouse is a central gathering space that is naturally accessed from the front, pro-shop and practice area entrances. All of the walls to that central space are adorned with photos and memorabilia from the numerous professional and US Amateur events that have been held at Pumpkin Ridge. This adds to the ambience of the facility and experience of playing a round here.
Overall (Grade: A)
It would be nice if pace of play and drainage was just a little bit better at Ghost Creek. But in the grand scheme of things those are very minor quibbles. This course is a must play for anyone traveling to Portland. The course is extremely well maintained; the staff is attentive and helpful; the layout is fun, fair and challenging; and it is unique to experience a facility where so many premiere events have been held. While there is a lot of very good golf in the Portland area, this is the only course which very clearly is THP event worthy. That about says it all.
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