On Friday December 29th I was invited to play Langdon Farms in Aurora Oregon. It has been raining in northwest Oregon over the last few days (go figure), however, the course was relatively dry. There were a few wet spots, and your ball might plug here and there, but overall the course drained well and was very playable.
At Langdon, they have a large bar/restaurant area so I decided to start by getting there early and having breakfast with my wife. They have a great breakfast menu, including items that you can take to the course with you, i.e. a breakfast sandwich or burrito. The staff at the restaurant were very friendly and engaging. After breakfast I began preparing for the round. The course has a driving range, but I don’t usually use it as you hit off of mats. They have two greens to practice putting, one of which you can also practice chipping if so desired. Both of these greens are in great shape and the one next to the first tee box mimics the greens on the course. The pro shop/check-in area is very small, but they get you in and out quickly and are very cordial. When getting to the first tee box, you will be met by a very nice starter who will check you in and advise you when to tee off to begin the round.
Here are my caddie notes:
The course starts off with a straight away par four with very little trouble. The 2nd hole is a par 4 dogleg to the left. Play your tee shot out to the right to get a better look at the green for your second shot. Beware, the green slopes from front to back, so landing on the green may cause you to fall off the back of the green making it difficult to get up and down. The 3rd hole is a downhill (doesn’t seem to play that way) par 3 that is guarded by bunkers right and trees left. Fairly simple par 3 that can turn into a 6 very quickly. The 4th and 5th holes are pretty straight away par 4’s. On both holes keep your drive to the middle right of the fairway. This will allow you to view the greens and select the right club for your second shot. The 6th hole is a short par 3 that plays a little uphill into a mounded green. Tee shots that hit the green on the right or left will trickle off into valleys that will make getting up and down difficult for par. Hole 7 is a long par 5 that requires a good tee shot and a second shot decision on whether to lay up right or cross the creek to the left. Either will leave you with a nice view of the green for your third shot. The green slopes middle to back right so if the flag is in the back, play to the middle to catch the slope to leave you a short put for birdie. Holes 8 and 9 are long par 4’s that requires a nice tee shot to the middle or right side of the fairway. This will leave you a long iron or hybrid shot into the green. Beware of this green on hole 8 as it has a false front and has a large hump in the middle that pushes your ball either way right or left if landing on the green. The green on 9 runs along the water left, but is relatively receptive to a good second shot. The green runs front to back uphill so leaving it short is a good strategy.
The back nine is fun to play and can be challenging, especially the last few holes. Hole 10 is a straight-away par 4 that leads you to a green that runs front to back. Hole 11 is a challenging par 5 as you really cannot see the green until your third shot. You need to get a good tee shot to improve your odds of clearing a large mound on your second shot. If you do clear the mound, you will be able to see the green, which is somewhat downhill and protected by bunkers on the left and a hill with rough on the right. Overall, a pretty easy par five, depending upon our first two shots. Hole 12 is a long par 4 that plays a little uphill. Don’t be afraid to take a little more club to reach the green on your second shot. The green is guarded by bunkers right and a berm running from left to the back of the green. 13 is a longish par 3 that protected by a pond on the left and hills and trees on the right. Additionally, if the flag is in the back of the green, you may feel like you are hitting into the group in front of you on hold 14 as the tee box is directly behind the green. The green on 13 is pretty flat so fairly easy to get up and down if you miss the green. The safe shot here is short right. Hole 14 is s straight-away par 4 that always seems to play longer than it is. Stay middle to left side of the fairway on your tee shot as it will open the green to a better second shot. Hole 15 has always been interesting to play. Although it is fairly straight-away, it plays to an uphill green that is protected on the right by bunkers, and left by a fallaway area that will require some skills to get it up and down. As you enter the last three holes, you cross back under the road to hole 16 which is a par 4 that plays long. The green has as false front so make sure to have enough club to get to the back of the green. If you reach the back of the green you will be rewarded as the ball will drift back as the green slopes pretty good from back to front. Hole 17 is a long par 3 that depending upon flag placement is either a hybrid, or a long iron. The green is positioned left to right, guarded by a deep bunker left front and has a ridge in the middle that can cause issues if putting across the green. The final hole, hole 18, is a beautiful par 5 that plays a little downhill into a large green. However, the green is narrow in the front, protected by bunkers and valleys on the left and a pond on the right. The best strategy for us normal hitters, is to play it as a three-shot par 5 to the green and hope for a birdie putt.
Overall, it was a great round of golf and a course that I will play many times going forward, especially if it has been raining due to the course having sufficient drain systems to keep the course playable. Have fun.
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Course Condition – Birdie
Course Amenities – Birdie
Course Personnel – Birdie
Overall Course Rating – Birdie
