As some of you may have already seen or will be seeing later this week, the Forecaddie with Golfweek has written an article on a new golf course development coming to the Southern Oregon Pacific Coast called Pacific Gales. The story is in the Nov. 22 issue of Golfweek — and the digital issue is already available via iTunes.
The location is set near Port Orford, Oregon, approximately 30 minutes south of Bandon Dunes. It will be a sandy soil-based links course set firm against the coast. The landscape and location offer a tremendous opportunity for a golf course. A natural sand dune runs the length of the property and several holes will be along the coast with holes 9 and 18 sharing a cliffside green. The Cape Blanco lighthouse will offer a back drop as one plays to the north.
Jim Haley of Highland Golf Services is the Managing Partner for the Pacific Gales development and worked on the original Bandon Dunes. His journey to put Pacific Gales together began in the 1990s. He has made an entire career of building golf courses, including Nanea, Huntsman Springs, TPC Stonebrae, Queenwood (England) and many others.
The golf course architect will be Dave Esler of Esler Golf Design in Chicago. Dave has been involved in a lot of restoration work in the Chicago area as well as the original design at Black Sheep Golf Club, which many of the Chicago GCAers are probably familiar with.
The Pacific Gales website includes more information as well as pictures and video at
www.pacificgales.com and media inquiries can be e-mailed to marketing@pacificgales.com