Back
Rose City Golf Course
Rating Snapshot
About
Rose City Golf Course is the second oldest municipal track in the Portland area. In 1921, A.H. "Jay" Gould played his first round of golf ever at Eastmoreland Golf Course. After returning home, he decided to look for a good place to hit golf balls and came upon The Rose City Speedway. He spoke with C.P. Keyser of the City Park Bureau and obtained permission to burn the tall grass on the infield so that golf balls could be found.
Jay and friend Herbert George used shovels and hoes to carve out a nine-hole course on the speedway infield. Tin cans were used for cups, packing cases for tee-boxes, and iron rods and rags for flags. The Oregonian and Journal Newspapers ran a story on the new golf course and 30 golfers showed up the following Sunday to hit balls around on the burnt grass and dirt. The main hazard was a head-on train collision that occurred earlier in the summer and partially blocked the seventh green.
After a few weeks, the Rose City Golf Association was founded which marked the beginning of the course. Full cooperation from the city and donations from businesses and individuals solidified the construction. George Ott drew up a nine-hole plan and work began in the spring of 1922. Play continued in the spring, but was stopped in the summer due to long grass and no mower. Play started again in the fall, but stopped again due to motorcycle racing. In the winter of 1922-23, the viaduct on the west end of the track washed out and put an end to the races. On Jan. 31, 1923 the first green fee ticket was sold to Jay Gould and in the spring, more than 800 played in one day. The city then took over the course completely.
Today, Rose City Golf Course is an 18-hole, par-72 course with rolling fairways that are lined with a variety of large trees. Water comes into play on holes 10, 11, 14, and 15 and greenside bunkers are well placed.
| Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | 72 | 6552 yards | 71.7 | 123 |
| White | 72 | 6164 yards | 69.8 | 119 |
| White (W) | 73 | 6164 yards | 75.3 | 126 |
| Red (W) | 73 | 5589 yards | 71.8 | 118 |
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tournament M: 71.0/120 | 367 | 388 | 502 | 341 | 171 | 425 | 364 | 216 | 384 | 3158 | 475 | 465 | 200 | 367 | 329 | 133 | 473 | 414 | 423 | 3279 | 6437 |
| Blue M: 70.9/119 | 367 | 388 | 502 | 341 | 171 | 425 | 364 | 216 | 353 | 3127 | 475 | 465 | 200 | 367 | 329 | 133 | 473 | 414 | 423 | 3279 | 6406 |
| Blue/White M: 69.4/116 | 343 | 362 | 502 | 323 | 171 | 390 | 333 | 216 | 326 | 2966 | 475 | 465 | 200 | 351 | 320 | 133 | 473 | 378 | 405 | 3200 | 6166 |
| White M: 68.6/116 W: 74.5/120 | 343 | 362 | 476 | 323 | 154 | 390 | 333 | 190 | 326 | 2897 | 450 | 446 | 180 | 351 | 320 | 120 | 462 | 378 | 405 | 3112 | 6009 |
| White/Green M: 67.4/112 | 325 | 351 | 476 | 308 | 154 | 369 | 303 | 190 | 280 | 2756 | 450 | 446 | 180 | 298 | 262 | 120 | 462 | 353 | 395 | 2966 | 5722 |
| Green M: 66.5/108 W: 71.4/114 | 325 | 351 | 447 | 308 | 123 | 369 | 303 | 142 | 280 | 2648 | 424 | 432 | 166 | 298 | 262 | 120 | 416 | 353 | 395 | 2866 | 5514 |
| Red M: 62.7/103 W: 66.4/109 | 241 | 262 | 383 | 240 | 123 | 288 | 262 | 142 | 220 | 2161 | 353 | 365 | 142 | 260 | 262 | 77 | 416 | 275 | 294 | 2444 | 4605 |
| Red/Gold W: 70.1/111 | 241 | 262 | 383 | 240 | 123 | 288 | 262 | 142 | 205 | 2146 | 340 | 312 | 142 | 260 | 262 | 77 | 340 | 275 | 294 | 2302 | 4448 |
| Gold M: 62.1/100 W: 65.0/105 | 241 | 262 | 383 | 240 | 123 | 288 | 262 | 142 | 205 | 2146 | 340 | 312 | 142 | 253 | 230 | 77 | 340 | 220 | 294 | 2208 | 4354 |
| Handicap | 7 | 3 | 15 | 13 | 17 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 11 | 6 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 14 | 18 | 16 | 4 | 2 | |||
| Par | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 37 | 72 |
| Handicap (W) | 11 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 13 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 3 | 10 | 4 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 8 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
Bar, SnacksAvailable Facilities
Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities
Reviews
Reviewer Photos
Great value
Greens were in great shape, fairways in great shape too. The price with a cart is totally worth it. Cart didn’t work very well we had to change the cart because it ran out of fuel and the brake didn’t work.
City central course really surprised me!
Worth the price and a great inner city course! Hats off to the maintenance crew of keeping the course in great shape. Yes, the club house is old, really old but the Rose City golf course is playing really good.
Middle of summer and was playing great
For a muni course at a reasonable price in the middle of the city the course played great ! Green fairways and putting greens. Way to go crew!! Pass it on to the staff.
Nice course, will come back again
My first time played this course. Nice layout and decent maintained course. Fairways are wide, and Greens can be challenging. Wish they have water coolers and ball cleaners thru out the course but they do have a beverage cart girl drive around a few times for purchase. Definitely will come back again
Golf course Played really nice considering it was the heat of the summer!
Surprisingly, for a public city course, it played really nice! Green fairways and putting greens. You can tell the love and experience with the crew who takes care of this course.
Quite a history with this course in the middle of a metropolitan
Older historic clubhouse may not have the best first impression inside. Take it in and think of how the building looked inside many many decades ago.
Nice Course
Course was in good shape but pace of play was a little slow. Tee boxes and greens were well kept.
Great greens
Was a bit disappointed when our golf cart ran out of battery o. The 7 hole. A person did replace with a charged cart. However no apologies or any form of recognition about the inconvenience.
First time this ever happened with all the years of golfing and renting a cart.
Nice course but no driving range
Nice course with nice layout. Sadly no driving range just putting and pitching green.
Nice layout with some demanding holes. Very friendly staff.
Nice to play but…
Overall Rose City is a nice golf course with a nice layout with up and down holes. Unfortunately there was no driving range to warm up, just a putting and pitching green. Staff very friendly and helpful.
Pace of play was poor, due to a very slow foursome in front of us. 4 and a half hours for 18 holes on cart is to much.
Anyway I would play there again.
The lady at the starter was extremely friendly and helpful,
Good, almost great.
The course is in the best shape it's been in years. Change in management is going ok. Just can't believe they don't have a beverage cart on the course on a weekend 😔
Tetherow Golf Experience Package
Pronghorn Golf Experience Package
If able to, have you ever tried walking the course? No hassling with golf buggies and great exercise, good walk spoiled!