I didn’t want to hurry my round at The Cascades so I ended up playing the afternoon by ear. My phone signal was spotty so I pulled over once I found good coverage. I knew that Cliff View Golf Club wouldn’t be much of a detour on my way home and decided to give them a call. Cliff View is a little ways off the interstate and not the most convenient course to get to. So it made sense to knock it out on this trip.

The proshop told me that it wasn’t a busy afternoon. I got over to the course about ten minutes later and sure enough, there were maybe four cars in the parking lot. It appears that a nice couple own the course and the attached inn. The wife (I’m assuming) checked me in, giving me the early, super-twilight rate of $20 and the husband took me out to the 1st tee. He explained a bit about the course’s routing and how they have temporarily closed the 9th hole because of all the recent rain. He said that I could play the 1st again after the 18th, if I wanted.

Essentially, as you stand on the 1st tee at Cliff View the front nine is off to your right while the back nine is to the left. The course sits on a reasonably flat bend in the Jackson River and it looks like most of the land was cleared out at some point. The holes are mostly parallel, lined by a few trees. The 14th through the 16th offer a different feel, but more on that shortly.

The main benefit of the open layout is that you can enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Just across the river is the “cliff view”, after which I’m assuming the course was named. If you scroll through my pictures you cannot miss what I’m talking about. Mountains surround the course in the other directions, so pretty much no matter where you turn the views here impress.

Cliff View is a shorter par-72 course, as it maxes out at 6,035 yards from the blue tees. The rating and slope are 68.7/126, respectively, from the blues. The course actually has five par-3’s, five par-5’s and eight par-4’s, so you’ll have your share of scoring opportunities. The course is open and short, but somehow I didn’t end up with many legitimate birdie looks. For whatever reason, I never could get an iron shot close on the smaller greens, which are the course’s main defense.

The front nine doesn’t have a bunch to talk about when it comes to individual holes. The par-3 4th was my favorite hole on the front nine. It is 171 yards and plays to a green that is perched on a hillside. I ended up short of the green and had to bump my chip shot into the hill just perfectly to save my par.

The back nine is the better nine at Cliff View because it includes the course’s signature stretch. The 14th, 15th and 16th holes make their way along the river and these holes are highlighted by the par-3 14th. The 14th is 141 yards. The view from the tee box is outstanding and it is a solid hole to play as well. The hole drops about a club to a green that sits right on the river. The shadows hid much of the green complex, but the sound of the river flowing by made the 14th an intriguing hole. While the 15th and 16th are still located on the river’s floodplain, they are less dramatic.

The conditions at Cliff View were about what you’d expect for a “country course”. The types and heights of grasses varied throughout the course and there was a mix of soft and dry spots. I played a lot of bump and runs and putted from some spots that I’d normally chip – just because the lies weren’t the cleanest. The greens were impressive as they were smooth and full. They rolled at a medium pace.

Because of Cliff View’s remote location, the course isn’t likely going to draw a large amount of play. It is a course mostly for residents of nearby communities or those staying at the inn. Unless you are nuts like me, I wouldn’t go too far out of your way to play here. If you live within an hour and want to check it out though, I’d encourage you to do so as it is a not-too-penal course with good views.

Course Pictures (click any picture to scroll through the gallery):