Course Tour

Because there are not a lot of trees, the openness of Stone Creek’s front nine suggests a European feel. The first hole is a dogleg right, and the tee shot straight away puts you on a hill overlooking a round green. The green bunker on the left side (between #1 and #8 green) looks like four or five bunkers, but is actually one large bunker.

This is the longest part 3 on the course. Any shot to the right will miss the green and fall 15 to 20 feet below the putting surface, but you can still chip up onto the green. Hit the ball long and left. There are no trees to block the wind, which at times can dramatically affect your shot. No bunkers surround this hole.

This is a dogleg left, short par 4. Your drive over the ridge to a semi-blind landing area sets up a short iron second shot to a green, guarded on the front left by a deep bunker. Don’t go too long or you’ll fall away sharply into heavy rough.

This medium length hole is reachable in two. It’s framed by large Douglas firs on the right and left side of the fairways, with wetlands bordering the left. The second shot is tricky – you must guard against bunkers located on the front right of the green. Miss long and don’t go too far left to the “Valley of Sin” or you are stuck with a very difficult shot. This hole can be more of a 4-1/2 par, depending on the wind.

This is the toughest hole on the course. The tee shot is framed on the left and right by Douglas firs. There’s a slight dogleg to the right which is longer than the yardage indicates and the second shot is up hill (and plays longer than you think). There are a couple of bunkers on the right side of the green that may not be in view. The green is flat, yet has a subtle putting surface.

In my opinion, this is Stone Creek’s most beautiful par 3. You are forced to carry your tee shot over water. There are a couple of pot bunkers on the front and to the left of the green. The green is not very deep and fairly wide. Accuracy is very important as trees guard the left side.

Hole 7 is a short, “risk/reward” par 4. Play a 3 wood or long iron to avoid a fairway bunker on the right, or challenge yourself by driving over the fairway bunker and give yourself a short wedge shot to the green. The green, which is narrow from north to south but wide east to west, is well bunkered on the front right. Pin placement is key, as a small ridge crosses the green.

The tee shot must be straight and true down the middle in order to hit a reachable green in two. It plays like a 4-1/2 par if your second shot can thread the needle. Bunkers are on the left and right of the green with an ample amount of fairway space leading to the putting surface. The putting green has subtle breaks and isn’t easy to read.

This is my favorite hole. There is a double fairway dogleg to the left. Hit your driver down the left fairway, which is short, but guarded by bunkers on both sides. Or, take the longer route on the elevated right side with a 3 wood or long iron, then it’s a middle iron shot down to the green.

The tee shot is the same direction as the 1st hole – straight up the fairway. There’s a subtle dogleg to the right and a large Douglas fir tree short and right of the putting surface, so it may be hard to judge your second shot. The green slopes back left and front right and is guarded by deep and difficult bunkers.

Reachable in two, this dogleg left provides one of Stone Creek’s most challenging tee shots. Go left to miss the large bunker on the right side. Once your ball is on the fairway, hit a 3 wood second shot to the green. The ball will kick forward and run on to the green. To your right is Beaver Creek. Good-bye ball!

This is a spectacular “risk/reward” hole with wetlands on the left side of the fairway. In the summer, hit with a 3 wood or long iron. In the winter, go with a driver. Stay to the right side to get the best approach shot. The green has a lot of movement with a bunker on the right side.

This is the most difficult hole on the back side. There is a blind tee shot over a hill, so you can’t see the ball land. The fairway is guarded on the left by a creek about 300 yards off the tee. The second shot is uphill about 185 yards to a green surrounded by large Douglas firs. I feel this hole captures what golf in the Northwest should be.

Hole 14 is a beautiful short par 3 with a tiny postage stamp green. Play a short iron or wedge to the green which is 15 to 18 yards deep. The front left pin position is enough to scare even the best of players.

This is a blind tee shot, so stay on the right side of the fairway (there’s a hazard on the left). It’s a semi-blind uphill second shot, with a middle to short iron shot to get to the green, The green is guarded by bunkers on the left. Allow your ball to run to the green.

This subtle par 3 presents an optical illusion from the tee. The two eyebrows on the left and right bunkers may fool you into thinking the fairway is narrow, but it is actually quite wide. A short to middle iron depending on wind will suffice, but make sure you guard against going over the green as your ball will fall into Stone Creek.

This is the toughest driving hole on the course. Douglas firs shape the left and right of the fairway, so accuracy is most important. The second shot is intimidating. You must hit a middle to long iron to a flat green that sits out in the middle of a pond. There’s water on the right of the green, and it’s long, so make sure the ball is missed short or left, otherwise, you’ll find yourself in the water.

This finishing hole plays into a panoramic view of Mt. Hood. The tee shot over a short ridge is a little bit blind, as you can’t see the ball land. Lay the ball up with a middle line, or attempt a second shot to the green. Bunkers are on the right and to the left is a water hazard. This hole is a little narrow, but rewards accuracy and patience.