Off Course with Run Oregon: Meadowlawn Golf Course

There are a lot of things I know very little about. Golf is currently pretty high on that list.

But that’s kind of the point of Off Course with Run Oregon. We spend a lot of time talking about running, trails, races and all the other things that get us outside. But every once in a while, it’s fun to step a little bit off the beaten path — or, in this case, off the running trail — and try something else.

So, as I’m trying my hand at golf, I figured I might as well bring you along for the ride. Next up: Meadowlawn Golf Course in Salem.

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Before You Tee Off

Because this is still Run Oregon, we’re obviously going to start with the running. This is probably one of those courses where you don’t necessarily need to build an entire day around the golf.

Meadowlawn is right in Salem, so there are plenty of running options nearby if you want to get some miles in before or after your round.

The easiest location to get in some miles is at Riverfront Park in downtown Salem. It’s probably a 10-12 minute drive from the course, but is much more pleasant than running on the side of a busy street as it has tons of maintained paved trails that eventually give way to the famed Minto Brown Park. 

This is a nine-hole course and the round itself doesn’t require the better part of your day. You can get some miles in, play nine holes and still have plenty of the day left.

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The Main Event

Meadowlawn Golf Course sits near the intersection of Highway 22 and Interstate 5, making it one of those places you can easily spot from the freeway without necessarily knowing much about it. 

At $14 for a round ($30-ish if you use a cart), Meadowlawn is pretty compelling.

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Toeing the Line

Meadowlawn is a pretty simple course. It’s only nine holes and plays to a par 32, so you’re not going to get the massive fairways or long, sprawling layout you might find at some of the bigger courses around Oregon.

But you’re also getting nine holes of golf for $14.

I told my brother about that price, and considering he lives in Salt Lake City, he was basically befuddled that a round of golf could still cost that little. And yet, here we are.

For that price, I was extremely impressed with the course. The fairways, rough and greens weren’t immaculate, but they also weren’t a letdown by any means. Everything was perfectly playable, and the course far exceeded my expectations from a $14 nine-hole course. You can hardly even get a mini-golf game for that price!

One thing that surprised me was how little the surrounding neighborhoods come into play. When you’re looking at the course from the freeway, it can seem like this course would be completely surrounded by houses – which is always intimidating. But once you’re actually playing, they aren’t nearly as much of a factor as I expected. Even though my first round there was pretty crappy – I lost NO balls.

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Finding My Stride

Meadowlawn doesn’t have the sweeping country views of somewhere like Cross Creek. Instead, it feels much more like a neighborhood course that happens to have been tucked into a surprisingly open piece of land.

There are plenty of trees, open fairways and enough greenery to make it feel like you’re away from the freeway, even though I-5 is right there. It’s also a relatively quiet course, which I appreciated.

For me, the most intimidating part of Meadowlawn might actually be the first hole. Hole 1 is one of the most heavily surrounded-by-houses holes on the course, and standing there with a golf club in your hand when you’re still figuring out your straight trajectory can be a little unnerving – even if the fairway was pretty forgiving..

I’m still very much in the “I hope this goes roughly in the direction I’m aiming” stage of golf. So, standing on the first tee and seeing houses nearby was not exactly a confidence boost. Fortunately, once you get past that, the course opens up considerably and you get two short par 3’s (including one that barely exceeds 100 yards).

Hole 9 coming back in is another spot where you’re aware of the surrounding neighborhood, but there is still plenty of open fairway to work with. The course is short enough that it doesn’t feel overwhelming, but there are still trees to deal with, even if water and bunkers were kept to a minimum.

More experienced golfers probably won’t find Meadowlawn to be the biggest challenge of their lives, but it’s good for beginners and for those who may want to work on more middle-distance options at an affordable price.

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Course Notes

Meadowlawn wass built back in 1969 on land that was once a dairy farm. Luckily there are no bovine in the area any longer that can mess with your handicap.

Another thing I noticed is how easy it is to get out here as a solo golfer or a group of two. There is enough availability throughout the day that you’re unlikely to feel like you’re constantly fighting for a tee time or being forced into a group. We were paired up, but most of the golfers seemed to be in the more casual playing world than low handicap amateurs.

And the summer schedule can be particularly appealing. Tee times can be available as late as 7:30 p.m., at least during the summer, which gives you a pretty ridiculous amount of flexibility. You could theoretically finish work or run a ton of miles, head over to Meadowlawn and still get nine holes in.

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Crossing the Finish Line

 

Meadowlawn isn’t trying to be something it’s not. It’s a nine-hole, walking-only golf course that costs $14.

If you’re a beginner looking for somewhere to get comfortable with the game, this is a really approachable option. You don’t have to commit to four or five hours of golf, you don’t have to spend a ton of money and you don’t have to worry about playing some massive, intimidating course. You can just walk nine holes and figure things out.

For more experienced golfers, Meadowlawn probably isn’t going to provide the same challenge as some of the larger courses around the area. But if you’re looking for a quick nine, a cheap round or somewhere to squeeze in some golf after work, it’s hard to argue with $14.

And for a runner who is slowly learning that there are other ways to spend time outside besides logging miles, Meadowlawn might be about as approachable as it gets.