The Blue Mountain eagle., March 25, 2015, Image 34

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LIKE A LOCAL
GOLF
RON LUNDBOM
Grant Union High School Golf Coach
Ron Lundbom says the John Day Golf Club sports
the “best greens in Eastern Oregon.”
He keeps busy as John Day’s mayor and owner of
John Day NAPA Auto Parts and R&S Self Stor, but makes
time to enjoy golf, his favorite sport.
Lundbom, who’s lived in John Day since 1966, said
he enjoys hiking and piloting his ultralight plane.
“I like the outdoors,” he said. “The people here are
friendly and it’s a great place to raise your kids.”
A member of the local golf club, Lundbom describes
the course as difficult, yet short, with short wait times.
“People say there isn’t a flat spot on it,” he said. “The
undulation of the course makes it challenging.”
The nine-hole course has different tee boxes for the
back side and there are four bunkers.
“The maintenance staff is very competent – they
keep our greens perfect,” Lundbom said.
He doesn’t keep his enjoyment of golf to himself, he’s
been the Grant Union High School golfing coach for 10
years and runs a junior golf camp at the end of June.
Lundbom noted the Club holds several popular
tournaments that keep the local and visiting golfers
coming back for more.
“It’s a testament to the course, to the membership,
and we like to feed them a good meal when they visit,”
he said.
His favorite tournaments include: the Wapiti Tourna-
ment, the last weekend in July; Two-Man Best Ball, the
second weekend in August; and the Last Chance Scram-
ble, the fourth week in September.
He tells visitors it’s a tough course to walk, but he
enjoys walking it; also, the greens are small with an op-
portunity to score well, “but it can also penalize you.”
“I would tell them to have their A Game,” he said.
Grant County offers two golf courses,
the John Day Golf Club in John Day and
the Bear Valley Meadow Golf Course in
Seneca.
The course in John Day, open to club
members and visitors alike, offers a unique
experience with a lush green nestled in
between high-desert hills. The clubhouse
perches on a hillside for a full view of the
golf course from the patio. Golfers can
practice at the driving range and putting
green adjacent to the clubhouse which
are open year-round.
Golf cart rentals are available, or bring
your own. Some rental golf clubs are also
on hand.
The nine-hole green fits regulation
standards and has varied terrain, with
beautiful views. There is a row of mature
trees on the fairway, a small pond with two
sturgeons and Jack and Jill trout in a larger
pond as well as four sand bunkers. Golfers
use the surrounding hills to spot their
shots. The course is open year round,
weather permitting.
Many visitors to the area enjoy partici-
pating in the tournaments and scrambles
at the golf club.
Seneca’s 9-hole course offers a beauti-
ful, rustic experience. The Silvies River runs
through the green and a bridge leads
golfers to the other side of the course.
GOLFING EVENTS
John Day
April 11 - Volunteers Recognition Dinner
July 18-19 - Club Championships
April 19 - Hellofit Scramble
July 25-26 - Wapiti Tournament
April 26 - Nathan Gehley fundraising scramble.
Nathan is raising funds to go to Australia to repre-
sent Oregon on the Pacific Conference Golf Team.
August 8-9 - Two-Man Best Ball
May 17 - Club Memorial Scramble
September 7 - Cross Country Scramble
May 29-31 - Jackson’s Razzle Dazzle Golf
Tournament
September 26-27 - Last Chance Scramble (3 Man)
June 3-5 - 25th Annual Winnemucca Blast
June 10 - Cattlemen’s
(Course may be closed)
Association
August 23 - Blue Mtn. Healthcare Foundation
Benefit Scramble
October 3 - Rally For the Cure Ladies Scramble
Golf
October 4 - Rally Mixed Scramble
June 13-14 - Jack N’ Jenny Tournament
November 15 - Club Thanksgiving Dinner
June 20 - CASA Benefit Scramble
December 13 - Club Christmas Party
July 13 - Eastern Oregon Senior Golf Association
(Course closed until after play)
Seneca
May 16 - Seneca Oyster Feed Golf Scramble