Started our way back to Portland by back tracking to Florence to stay for a night and play a round before the four-hour drive to PDX. This round at Florence Golf Links would be our last round on this trip and I only booked it because it the only course in the vicinity that had anything resembling a reputation. When we arrived the place was empty and the club house (a large building up on a bluff) was looking a little worse for wear. We checked in and were told we could go out early if we wanted to, which is normally another warning sign. Off to the tee we went without a warm up and get hooked up with a couple locals who did not look like golfers. The one guy wore two batting gloves and had skater tats everywhere. Once again in Oregon, looks can be deceiving. Turns out both of these young guys had played on the high school golf team and could get the ball around. Better yet, they knew the course really well, which would be a huge advantage.
As we stood on the first tee the place really started to look like a diamond in the rough. The conditions were excellent. The tee boxes pristine and the fairways in better shape than Bandon. As we worked our way around the wooded section of the course we found the design to be extremely challenging but also beyond fair. The hazards were clearly defined and reachable, but also with bailout areas for smart players to take advantage of. The greens were some of the best we played, being receptive but extremely quick, especially if you found yourself above the hole. Each hole made it feel like you had the course to yourself, which is a testament to the designer, who just happened to be Rees Jones! After the front nine through some trees you get to play a little more traditional links style golf out on a plain surrounded by sand dunes and a huge pond where the final three holes played. The contrast was cool and made it that much more interesting. What we thought was going to be a throw away round turned into the truly hidden gem of the trip. A fantastic layout with some of the best conditions south of Portland. If you're even driving the Oregon coast, do yourself a favor and stop in for a round here. You will not regret it!
|