Oregon has an excellent climate for golf because we can typically play year-round. Even if it might get hot in the summer, golfers get out early and play through the rain in the winter. Golf courses around Marion County run the gamut from courses that hold national events to in-town 9-hole public courses, which means there is something for any golfer, no matter the age or ability. Here is where to go golfing around Salem and Marion County.
9 Hole Courses
Meadowlawn Golf Course
3898 Meadowlawn Loop SE, Salem
If you’re looking for a golf break in Salem or need a stop along I-5, the 9 holes at Meadowlawn Golf Course is a great option. Located in the Four Corners neighborhood at the intersection of I-5 and U.S. 22, the course is a former dairy farm that was repurposed in 1969.
Four holes have water hazards (a creek and a pond), and the plantings are well cared for. The small course is also very affordable – rates currently top out at $18, and multiple weekly specials exist.
Woodburn Golf Club
7899 OR-219, Woodburn
Advertising itself as “one of Oregon’s most unique and oldest golf courses,” Woodburn Golf Club is a 9-hole course on the flat, with incredibly reasonable prices. Rounds range from $4-7 (you read that correctly), and you’d be hard-pressed to find a cheaper way to get in some golf.
The course doesn’t require you to sign up in advance – just show up ready to play. Experienced golfers report that it’s an excellent way to get in some practice, and the course has events and groups for juniors, men and women.
18 Hole Courses
Santiam Golf Club
8724 Golf Club Road, Aumsville
Santiam Golf Club was founded in 1957 by men from the rural Marion County communities of Stayton, Sublimity and Aumsville. The towns wanted to create a community golf course, and the result of their dream lives on in Aumsville. The 18 holes at the Santiam Golf Club wind through deciduous trees, a creek, and a pond.
Open to everyone and with some solid deals (for both 9 and 18 holes) depending on the day and time you want to golf, Santiam Golf Club is a solid rural golf course with lovely views. The club has a pro shop and restaurant for those needing gear or wanting to celebrate after a successful round.
McNary Golf Club
155 McNary Estates Drive N, Keizer
McNary Golf Club, located in Keizer, is a beautiful 150-acre course open to the public and club members. With four different sets of tees, the course is accessible to golfers of all abilities. Claggett Creek loops through the course and includes an array of other features, making for an exciting and rewarding round.
The club has a pro shop and restaurant with patio dining, which is very popular with golfers in the summer. Rates for the public in the summer top out at $65, but many deals are available based on the day and time.
OGA Golf Course
2850 Hazelnut Drive, Woodburn
For that special golf outing, you might want to head to the OGA Golf Course in Woodburn. It’s owned and operated by the Oregon Golf Association (OGA), one of only six amateur golf groups in the United States that operates a course open to the public. The course was created specifically to host OGA and Juniors events, and it continues to hold these, often 100 days per year.
This course is amazing because of its versatility – four different sets of tees are based on the golfer’s skill. So a party of experts, beginners, or a family can play together and have a good time. The course features a hazelnut orchard, marshy areas, and the requisite long grassy stretches that everyone knows and loves at golf courses, interspersed with deciduous and evergreen trees. The website even includes walk-through videos of each tee for those golfing it for the first time.
Rates are between $50 and $75 for non-members and fluctuate depending on the day, time, and weather. The course has robust offerings for those learning to golf, from juniors to adults, and clinics and clubs for more experienced golfers.
Golfers in Marion County and Salem and those wanting to travel to or through the county have an incredibly varied set of options for courses. In addition to these courses highlighted, the county also has a number of members-only clubs with some truly memorable greens, but these are not open to the public, making them inaccessible for many golfers.
As these featured golf courses show, you can choose to spend an hour or two and less than $10 to play or make it an event and spend the time and money to go to an expansive 18-hole course designed for everyone from beginners to professionals. Whatever you choose, Marion County has good options for any golfer.
