First off, I live near Eastmoreland GC, so I play and practice there often. It's a Portland Municipal course that gets a lot of play, so rounds can be very slow depending on the time of day and how crowded the course may be. Plus, you get a lot of novice and inexperienced players out there that can really slow things down.

Despite all that, Eastmoreland is a wonderful value and golf experience. It's a classic, tree-lined layout with a great mix of short and long par 4s, reachable par 5s and demanding par 3s. The greens are small and their condition has really improved over the last 2 years (new superintendant). Your short game will have to be sharp to shoot a good score. The main defense for the course are the tight, tree-lined fairways. There are lots of doglegs that require well thought and executed strategy. Often you'll have the choice to hit driver to cutoff a dogleg or play a more conservative route with a fairway wood/hybrid/iron. It's not a long course, but it's a great strategic test for any level of player.

The back 9 is much more interesting visually as it winds around Crystal Springs Lake and several creeks that feed into the lake. The front 9 is a little more straightforward with a number of straightaway (though heavily tree-lined) holes. There's a lighted driving range (mats only) and a good putting and chipping area.

People in the area seem to either love or hate Eastmoreland GC. The haters don't like all the trees and/or pace of play. The ones who love it enjoy the strategic test, walkability and value. Overall, it's a an above average municipal course across the board. Decent conditioning much of the year (very muddy in the winter), good test of golf and good value. I feel lucky to have this course just down the street and it's a place everyone should play at least once. The course was built in the 1920s and hosted professional events in the mid-20th century. The "classic" nature of the course is very evident and serves as a refuge for the game we love.

Chehalem Glenn is one of the toughest public courses in the area. Lots of forced carries and big undulating greens. You have to take advantage of the first 8 holes where things are flatter and more open than the rest of the course. Holes 9 thru 14 are the teeth of the course. Lots of those forced carries, elevation changes, tight fairways, and difficult greens.

The course is normally in very good shape. The greens used to be 'off-the-charts' outstanding, but they have dropped off in quality over the last year or so. The greens are still generally good, but more in line with other similar priced/maintained courses in the area. The practice facility is ourstanding (grass range, huge putting/chipping green) and the staff is very pleasant.

I enjoy playing here in terms of the test of golf. You have to drive the ball well to shoot a good score first and foremost. Because the course is so hard, pace of play can be slow. Most players either aren't skilled enough to enjoy the course or don't play from the best set of tees. I've never seen anyone play from the Black tees. I play from the Blues (3 hdcp, drive it 260) and it's all the course I can handle. Most folks should play the Whites or even further up to really enjoy themselves. The course is within a housing development (only noticeable on holes 5 - 8) and is run by the city of Newberg, so you get a fair number of novice golfers.

The course is a tough walk. The elevation changes from 9 thru 14 can really put some hurt on ya, so be prepared. Plenty of people walk, but just beware that it's more of a hike in the park rather than a walk. This is one of the best courses to play in the winter time. The drainage is great as all that elevation helps move water away from the playing surfaces and the entire course was redone (used to be just 9 holes) about 5 years ago, so there's modern drainage.

Overall, the course is very good value and is a stern test. It's definitely on my short list of regular places to play in the area.

As has been mentioned, the entire facility is top notch. From the clubhouse, to the range, to the staff, to the restaurant and the courses. It's a semi-private facility with 2 courses (North & South). The 1st half of the month (1st - 15th), the South is open to the public and the North is only for members. 2nd half of the month is switched. The South course has 120+ bunkers with a few double greens and a fair number of trees. Many of the bunkers have steep faces, so it's important to keep your ball out of there. Having a yardage book is very helpful the 1st few times around to know where the bunkers come into play off the tee and for layups, but the course is pretty straightforward. Much less quirky than the North course. The greens are fairly large and pretty easy to read, not too tricky. There is a fair amount of undulation, but the slopes are well defined.

Overall, it's a big golf course. Pleny of room to hit driver on most holes. The tight holes do have bail out areas, so it's not an overly penal course other than all the bunkers. The South is my favorite of the 2 courses and conditions (especially in the Summer and Fall) are some of the best in the area. It's very comparable to Pumpkin Ridge at about half the price. That being said, the Reserve is priced as a "premium" golf course in comparison to the rest of the Portland/Vancouver area. You definitely get what you pay for. For most of us, it's not a place we can afford to play every week, but we'll surely look forward to playing there a few times a year.

In the winter, conditions are typically slightly above average for the area. There are better courses to play in the winter and I usually don't consider playing the Reserve until things dry out in the Spring or early Summer.