Gearhart Golf Links

Gearhart Golf Links occupies a narrow strip of land along the northern Oregon coast, roughly fifteen miles south of the Columbia River mouth and just north of Seaside. Established in 1892, it ranks among the oldest courses in the American West and claims to be the oldest golf links west of the Mississippi. The original layout evolved through contributions from several figures in the early decades, with Scottish professional H. Chandler Egan credited with significant design work in the 1920s that shaped much of the routing still in play today. The course runs through coastal terrain marked by shore pines, native grasses, and relatively modest elevation changes compared to dramatic dune landscapes found elsewhere on the Oregon coast. The routing plays out-and-back in traditional links fashion, with holes threading through corridors of vegetation and occasional glimpses of the Pacific. The front nine moves generally westward toward the ocean, while the back nine returns inland. Wind is a frequent factor, and the firm, fast conditions typical of links golf apply when weather permits. The course measures modest by modern standards, placing emphasis on positioning and ground game rather than length. Gearhart maintains a quiet, unpretentious character reflective of its small-town setting and long history, drawing golfers interested in traditional seaside play and the continuity of early American golf design.