Seattle or Portland?

[Mark Johnson]

Have a friend who is being transferred to the Pac NW.   He can pick either Portland or Seattle to live since his company has business in both places.

He is even a bigger golfer than I.  He would like to find an affordable private club but also play good public courses.    Based on golf alone, which one would you pick?

[Garland Bayley]

Portland is closer to Bandon and not that much farther from Chambers Bay.
Portland is also closer to Bend.

EDIT: Come to think of it Oregon residents get the low fees at Bandon without having to stay on site.

[Bill_McBride]

Did you mean affordable private?

In Portland there are very good privates in the $20,000 range initiation.   Columbia-Edgewater actually drains well during the six month rainy season - relatively speaking!

I don't know much about the public situation in Portland but imagine it's like all big cities, crowded and slow.  

[Sean Leary]

Its about a wash golfwise. Seattle is better otherwise.

[Mike Hogan]

I would choose Portland.
3 reasons
1. Very nice public golf courses. Eastmoreland, Heron Lakes.
2. Weather is way better. Much less rain then Seattle
3. Closer to Bandon and Bend

[Kalen Braley]

Seattle = No State Income Taxes

Portland = Massive State Income Tax if you in Oregon.

Thats all I would need to know.

[Garland Bayley]

Seattle = No State Income Taxes

Portland = Massive State Income Tax if you in Oregon.

Thats all I would need to know.

Seattle = Massive sales tax

Portland = No sales tax

That's all I would need to know.

[Kalen Braley]

I would choose Portland.

2. Weather is way better. Much less rain then Seattle

Sorry Mike,

Thats a huge myth.  Actual averages:

   Seattle   Portland
Jan   5.4   5.4
Feb   4   3.9
Mar   3.5   3.6
Apr   2.3   2.4
May   1.7   2.1
June   1.5   1.5
July   0.8   0.6
Aug   1.1   1.1
Sept   1.9   1.8
Oct   3.3   2.7
Nov   5.8   5.3
Dec   5.9   6.1
Total   37.2   36.5

[Kalen Braley]

Seattle = No State Income Taxes

Portland = Massive State Income Tax if you in Oregon.

Thats all I would need to know.

Seattle = Massive sales tax

Portland = No sales tax

That's all I would need to know.

The 6.5% you pay on State Sales tax in WA, (food and Rx excluded)

Is far less than the 9-10% you'll pay in State Income Tax.

Once again, Seattle wins!

[Joe Stansell]

This long-time resident of Seattle (well, Redmond) favors Portland for both golf and non-golf reasons. From a golfing perspective, Portland is within striking distance of both Bandon and Bend, and not any farther from Wine Valley than Seattle. Chambers Bay is "relatively" close, too. (But not, as Garland claims, anywhere close to equidistant.)

I don't know much about public golf in the Portland area but I can't imagine it being any thinner than the Seattle area. At the same time, the Privates seem generally more accessible and affordable. For whatever reason, Royal Oaks sounds interesting to me.

From a non-golfing perspective, Portland has a lot going for it. I like Seattle a lot and am happy to live here, but could easily see myself making a move to Portland someday.

PS - If it comes down to taxes, one can live in Vancouver, WA and enjoy the benefits of no income tax on one side of the river and no sales tax on the other.

[Kalen Braley]

PS - If it comes down to taxes, one can live in Vancouver, WA and enjoy the benefits of no income tax on one side of the river and no sales tax on the other.

And that right there would be the one reason to indeed live in the Portland area.

And it would be very nice to only be 4 hrs from Bandon...

[Garland Bayley]

I would choose Portland.

2. Weather is way better. Much less rain then Seattle

Yearly average University of WA in Seattle 38.21
Yearly average Portland airport 37.07

That's a pretty big inch to qualify as "much less".

[Garland Bayley]

PS - If it comes down to taxes, one can live in Vancouver, WA and enjoy the benefits of no income tax on one side of the river and no sales tax on the other.

And that right there would be the one reason to indeed live in the Portland area.

And it would be very nice to only be 4 hrs from Bandon...

If you work in Portland and live in Vancouver, you pay Oregon income tax.

[Garland Bayley]

Seattle = No State Income Taxes

Portland = Massive State Income Tax if you in Oregon.

Thats all I would need to know.

Seattle = Massive sales tax

Portland = No sales tax

That's all I would need to know.

The 6.5% you pay on State Sales tax in WA, (food and Rx excluded)

Is far less than the 9-10% you'll pay in State Income Tax.

Once again, Seattle wins!

I see you are as good with tax knowledge as you are with golf. 
Nobody pays 9% in Oregon.

[Steve Lang]

   both have a Salty's ...

i have a bud who lived for years in Hood River, OR

he's finally moved across river there to WA.. for no income taxes

[Pete_Pittock]

Mark,
Most private courses in and around Portland are looking for members and deals can be made. In general the Portland dues/initiation structures are lower than Seattle. It is also cheaper to join Sagebrush from OR than it is from WA. That said living in Pierce County and getting a plan for Chambers bay looks good.

[Mark Johnson]

one more question guys-- How long is the golf season in both cities.

Keep in mind, we have no issues playing in 40 degrees in Minneapolis.

[Will MacEwen]

I'd go Portland.  I think the golf is  little better and the city seems more manageable. 

[Pete_Pittock]

Golf is year round, but the courses get soft. Scores don't post Dec. thru Feb. How old is your friend? Accurate or wild? The affordable Portland privates are Columbia Edgewater, Riverside G&CC, Tualatin, Willamette Valley. Reserve Vineyards is semi-private. Washington privates close to Portland are Royal Oaks and Orchard Hills, but you would haave to deal with Garland. . You most likely can get in for under 5K. I'd try CECC and Royal Oaks first.

[Bill_McBride]

Golf is year round, but the courses get soft. Scores don't post Dec. thru Feb. How old is your friend? Accurate or wild? The affordable Portland privates are Columbia Edgewater, Riverside G&CC, Tualatin, Willamette Valley. Reserve Vineyards is semi-private. Washington privates close to Portland are Royal Oaks and Orchard Hills, but you would haave to deal with Garland. . You most likely can get in for under 5K. I'd try CECC and Royal Oaks first.

Wow, CECC was $20,000 last year!

[Michael Dugger]

Way less traffic in Portland.  Will allow you to get to and from work and the golf course much quicker.

[Pete_Pittock]

Golf is year round, but the courses get soft. Scores don't post Dec. thru Feb. How old is your friend? Accurate or wild? The affordable Portland privates are Columbia Edgewater, Riverside G&CC, Tualatin, Willamette Valley. Reserve Vineyards is semi-private. Washington privates close to Portland are Royal Oaks and Orchard Hills, but you would haave to deal with Garland. . You most likely can get in for under 5K. I'd try CECC and Royal Oaks first.

Wow, CECC was $20,000 last year!

l,
I may have misled. Some good courses can be joined for 5K or under. I don't know what theCECC inititation currently is, but if I was to join CECC and Royal Oaks would be my first contacts, then Riverside, Tualatin and WV, then the next step down, golfing wise. I know Portland GC is looking for members and well as Pumpkin Ridge. Waverley is undergoing a year long refurbishment and backgrade.

[Terry Lavin]

I'd have to question the wisdom of anybody who would really rely on this advice when deciding where to live.

[Kalen Braley]

I'd have to question the wisdom of anybody who would really rely on this advice when deciding where to live.

C'mon, of course golf course selection is the most important.  And we mixed in some good taxation info to boot.  What else is there? 

[Joe Stansell]

I'd have to question the wisdom of anybody who would really rely on this advice when deciding where to live.

I don't know, what's wrong with looking for more data points before making a decision?