I have to admit, Portland’s got it going on…

I’ve always had a good time when visiting Portland, but I think I really do have to attest that it is the best place for disc golf on the west coast.

Not only do they have a great disc golfing scene there, with events happening pretty much every day of the week, but they’ve also got some fantastic places to play. A few of the notable courses are Pier Park (my all time favorite urban course), Dabney, and the immaculate Riverbend Disc Golf Course at Milo McIver State Park (currently the top ranked course on DGCourseReview.com). Most people, I think would agree with me that those three courses are the best in the immediate Portland area. To be fair, some of Portland’s courses aren’t all that special, only 9 and 12 holers. I haven’t played many of those, because well, when visiting courses on a roadtrip, you want to go to the biggest and the best. Still, it’s great for the local players to have options. Ideally all courses could be at least 18 holes with plenty of variations in terrain and elevation, but having a number of less than remarkable courses is a hell of a lot better than no courses at all.

I had the pleasure of getting to play on extraordinary “dinker course” at my friends’ wedding this past weekend. Yes, disc golf, at their wedding. The wedding was held at McMenamins Grand Lodge, an old Masonic lodge renovated to be a completely hip and offbeat hotel and general entertainment center that of course, includes a 10 hole disc golf course. The idea is a simple one, that I’m sure many of us have had somewhere around hole 9 or so.

“Dude! How cool would it be to have like, a disc golf course, like, with a bar RIGHT THERE, man? You could buy a pint of beer and carry it with you for a couple holes, and when you’re ready for another, you’re right back at the bar, ready to buy a new one! And you could even have, like, picnic benches scattered around the course for people to chill at when the want to. Yeah, man, that’d be bitchin’….”

Yeah, we’ve all had those kinds of thoughts, but the folks at McMenamins actually ran with it, and built what does an excellent job of satiating one’s PG rated hedonism (OK, maybe PG-13, there could be some language involved). The course isn’t the hardest I’ve played, but that’s beside the point. At Grand Lodge, it’s not about score as much as it is about having a great time. Beer and disc golf are natural companions, but at many courses alcohol is downright illegal, and even if it is allowed, you have to pack enough with you for your round. Here, you’re not only allowed, but encouraged, and while your hand never has to be empty, your bag never needs to be full. Oh yeah, and the beer is damn good too.

I know there are other areas that can probably boast a superior scene in terms of popularity and number of courses, like Charlotte, NC, Austin, TX, or Minneapolis, MN. If you’re looking for the unique vibe of the Northwest, gorgeous scenery, and disc golf, though, Portland can’t be beat. Just remember a towel if you’re not there in the summertime.