Changes are common this season at area golf courses.
There are physical changes such as eight new greens at Illahe Hills Country Club. And there are personnel moves, with new owners at Evergreen Golf Course in Mount Angel.
Illahe and Evergreen are two of five area courses involved in major changes, either on the course or in management.
"It's the nature of the industry," said Ron Rawls, general manager/director of golf at Illahe Hills. "People are looking to move up, and it creates a domino effect. It's a competitive environment. You want to stay competitive and keep up."
Rawls, who has been at Illahe since 1995, is part of the changes. He's moving to his former hometown, Boise, Idaho, for a similar position at Crane Creek Country Club next month.
Ken Forster, an Illahe member, said heavy demands on personnel result in many personnel changes at golf clubs.
"Change in direction happens a lot, especially with power structure changes at country clubs," he said. "Public courses are more in it to make money than please the customer. The changes end up being exciting, but usually result in more expenses to the consumer."
An example of the latter is at Salishan Lodge and Golf Resort in Gleneden Beach, where a $3 million renovation included rebuilding all 18 greens and all the bunkers at the coastal course. The weekday cost to play 18 holes with a cart stayed at $95, but the weekend rate has risen $20 to $115.
Here's a look at the major changes:
Illahe Hills
Rebuilding eight greens was the first of a four-phase, $500,000 project. The greens at holes 5, 7, 9, 10, 13, 14, 16 and 18 were changed between the middle of February and early May.
"We took the worst greens at first," said Keith Banks, head golf pro. "They'll get quicker as they mature and get established."
Another change involves new tees on No. 9 and No. 18. Later, there will be new tees on five other holes.
"We think the course plays long," Banks said. "We're trying to make it a funner experience by giving folks another tee option."
Phase 2, scheduled to start in February, involves rebuilding greens on seven additional holes.
Replacing sod and drainage in bunkers is Phase 3, scheduled for 2006.
Completing and upgrading cart paths is Phase 4 in 2007.
Banks said this entire project is being paid for by the club's capital improvement budget.
A new irrigation system, installed in 2001-02 for $1.1 million, was paid for by club members.
Oak Knoll
Course owner Val Barnes is seeking someone with experience in managing a golf course.
"We're looking for a pro or general manager," he said. "Right now, we're cleaning areas and finishing up mounds on the course. The trenches on No. 1 have been filled up."
Bob Wilson is leaving Friday as general manager. Shortly after he was hired last month, his wife got a new job in Las Vegas. Wilson previously had worked at Corvallis Country Club and was head pro at Fiddler's Green in Cottage Grove.
Other new employees at Oak Knoll are Mike Richeson, tournament director; Tim Halfman, course superintendent and Kip Loy, head chef at the restaurant. Halfman, formerly at Santiam GC, replaces Pat Cook, now at Salemtowne.
Barnes, who has owned the course since 1979, has periodically tried to sell it. As recently as March, a deal fell through.
Evergreen
The golfing Redding family of Hillsboro purchased the nine-hole course in mid-March from Joe Druley, the former pro.
The Reddings also own McKay Creek, a nine-hole course in Hillsboro. Jeremy Redding, the manager at Evergreen, said the family was looking to buy another course when they heard about Evergreen. The extended family owns seven courses in the Pacific Northwest.
Jeremy Redding, 25, said the first goal is to improve the course.
"We've brought in new equipment for airification and new mowers," he said. "We'll be adding a few sand traps, and we're bringing in 120 tons of sand. It hadn't been airified and sanded for 4-5 years. We want to rebuild some greens, especially No. 8 which has a severe slope."
The kitchen also is being remodeled and is scheduled to be open for dinner on Tuesday with chef Mark Iverson. It has been open for lunch only during the remodeling.
Cross Creek
The nine-hole 3,409-yard layout northwest of Dallas off Highway 22 will get an additional nine holes by next spring.
Tim Tarpley, brother-in-law of John Redding (new Evergreen owner), said he hopes to finish the back nine this year.
"We're getting the trees and greens shaped, we're laying dirt for the mounds and installing irrigation," he said. "Then we'll haul dirt to build up the tees."
The new nine-hole project, east of the current nine holes, is another phase in an ongoing improvement that began after the course opened in 1998.
The course is starting a new fun event at 3 p.m. Sundays for mixed couples.
Salishan
The coastal resort course was closed for eight months during the project, which included an improved drainage system. It reopened May 29.
Mark Swift, director of golf, said the main emphasis in making the change was to accommodate as many types of golfers as possible.
"We wanted to make it fun," he said. "Some of the (old) greens used to be tough, especially if you like to putt. "We've shortened the 14th from a par 5 to a par 4, and we've reversed the par-3 15th."
The 15th green used to sit on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Now, the 15th tee is on the hill with the green at the lower elevation.
Source: Statesman Journal (Salem, Ore.)