159. Eugene Country Club
Robert Trent Jones (1967) / John Harbottle (2010)
Eugene Country Club has occupied the same site since H.C. Egan laid out the original course in 1924. But in the 1960s, Robert Trent Jones was retained to upgrade the facility. Trent Jones totally remodeled the 18, reversing the direction of most holes, built long tee boxes, all new greens and stylized bunkers that pinch targets and turn doglegs. Eugene Country Club was always known for its towering Douglas fir trees that framed every hole and added a third dimension to every round. After Trent Jones was finished, Eugene was also known as one of the Pacific Northwest’s most challenging layouts.
100 Greatest/Second 100 Greatest History: Ranked on America’s 100 Greatest, 1967-1968 and 1979-2012. Ranked on America’s Second 100 Greatest, 2013 to current. Highest ranking: No. 28, 1985-1986. Previous ranking: No. 128.
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Panelist comments, Eugene Country Club:
“After spending 4 days at Bandon, I decided to stay an extra night and play Eugene CC and WOW am I glad I did. Eugene is now in my top-five of my favorite courses I’ve played—not just in his region, but anywhere.”
“An arborist’s dream routing through the most magnificent pines, oaks and maples in the northwest United States. The superintendent told me that some trees are over 200 years old. The transitions from green to next fairway saw a mowing pattern that I haven’t seen at many courses and it was executed to perfection.”
“Clubs that rely so heavily on beautiful Douglas Fir trees have to be so careful with their tree removal plans. Only removing the necessary trees for maintenance/strategy purposes will preserve the integrity of the design while enhancing turf conditions and shot values. Eugene’s trees are a signature element of the course that have so far been dutifully maintained.”
“I’d have liked to have seen a little more imagination required to navigate Eugene Country Club. Mostly, you’re just asked to hit the ball long and straight, and hit your approaches high and below the hole. The holes are too similar…tree-lined fairways, greens tilted back-to-front, par 3s guarded by ponds, similar bunkering around greens. There a number of false fronts with traditional tiered greens that we see with many Robert Trent Jones courses.”
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The first hole at Eugene Country Club.
Another angle at the Trent Jones bunkers at the first green.
The approach to the third green.
The fourth hole at Eugene Country Club.
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