Three thousand, two hundred and ten miles…that’s 3,210. That might be a Guinness World Record for the most miles to drive to play a 9-hole course. We traveled from Wesley Chapel, NC to McMinnville, OR to play The Nines at the Preserve. Now to be clear, we did play a few courses along the way, but since our days living in Bend, OR I’ve wanted to venture out to McMinnville to play this course that was formerly know as Bayou Golf Club. It’s also one of the courses along the Oregon/Washington, Always Time for 9/McMenamins, Golf/Beer Trail.
The course has gone through a closure and sale during the early 2020’s, so I wasn’t sure what I would encounter. The “clubhouse” is a small trailer (temporary?) with few amenities. It was a quiet afternoon so I was able to go right out to Hole #1. Playing from the white tees (3103 yards), this par 4 has a slight dogleg to the left and plenty of trouble way left. The opening fairway is wide, with camouflaged colors of green, brown, tan, and gray – not a pretty sight. The condition of the green made the fairway look pristine in comparison. Another reason to keep your shots to the right – there is a large tree to the front right of the green that may cause an issue.
Let’s move to Hole #2 and see if the first hole is just an outlier. For a straight 422 yard par 4, this is not an easy hole, and I can see why it is the number one handicap hole. There is tree trouble left, right, and center of the fairway. If you can avoid the trees on this hole, I commend you on your precise shotmaking ability. The par 3 third hole plays from a chute of trees with no hazards by the putting surface – unless you count the putting surface as a hazard (please read – bad shape)!
The par 5 fifth hole is a tight and difficult driving hole. Large trees channel the right side and the dense growth of brush impinge from the left. I chose to play from beneath the trees on the right! Even if your drive finds the fairway, your second shot will have to get airborne to once again clear three medium-sized trees that intersect the right side of the fairway. Strange design, but quirky (and you know I like quirky)! Hole #5 is a dogleg right with trees blocking the bend in the fairway and a small body of water just left of the green. There are plenty of large trees and just enough water to keep you continually thinking about club selection.
At Hole #6 this old, senior golfer emerged with a feeble swing on this 391 yard par 4. Your drive has to carry a small pond and even though I thought I hit a very nice drive, the small blast of water told me otherwise. There is a generous landing area out there if you have the strength to hit it that far. I will address my issue a little more in the summary. Hole #7 is a 152 yard par 3 with a lilly-filled pond to carry to a slight uphill green.
Hole #8 is a straight par 4 with tree trouble on both sides of the fairway. Hole #9 is the second most difficult hole on the course. It’s a par 5 of 496 yards and even though the fairway looks wide, it slopes to the left. What I thought was a good drive, finally came to rest next to the large bushes on the left side of the fairway. Once you get around the bend, its wide open. As you exit the green you will cruise past the once (and future?) driving range that is now in disrepair.
Rating – Par (32 out of 60): The course routing and hole designs were good…but it ends there because the greens ranged from subpar to very bad. There are three sets of tees: Blue (3221 yards); White (3103); and Red (2610). The course from the whites was a little long and difficult for me, and the reds probably would have been too short. The course just did not fit my game very well.
As I mentioned earlier the amenities are minimal, so since McMinnville is in the heart of Oregon wine country, a glass or two downtown may be in order after your round (or in this case, maybe before).
Of course, paired with The Nine should be McMenamins Hotel Oregon. Built in 1905 it was home to some legendary hangouts, characters, and boom-or-bust business ventures. The McMenamins’ 1999 renovation reopened all four floors that now house: the Pub, Rooftop Bar, Carter the Great Bar, the Cellar Bar, the Paragon Lounge, and the Hotel Oregon.
Even though The Nines was not worth the 3,210 mile trip – a few more Always Time for 9/McMenamins pairings made this journey a highly successful Oregon adventure.
9301 SW Bayou Drive, McMinnville, OR 97128; 503-857-2478; www.theninesgolf.com
