Chris Wenz talks about his plans for the Golf Club of Oregon on Monday, July 15, 2024.
The new owner of the Golf Club of Oregon has one main and immediate goal: Improve the condition of the course.
In the long run, he wants to keep the course what it has been for 95 years: a public course where the “average golfer” — his words — can enjoy playing the game at not much expense.
Cornelius “Chris” Wenz bought the 18-hole golf course at 905 Spring Hill Drive at the beginning of July for $1,555,000. I reported on the purchase on July 12 but didn’t have a chance to chat with the new owner until Monday.
Wenz, 40, moved to Albany from Phoenix, Ariz., 11 years ago. He and his family live in North Albany. Their two sons attend North Albany Middle and West Albany High schools. He owns rentals and runs a business building 4×4’s and performance trucks at a shop on Water Avenue in Albany.
On the golf course he has played on for years and now owns, Wenz told me the first job is to get all the greens back into shape. Among other things that requires daily watering, a task that takes some 14 hours.
Water comes from two wells. Two other wells, dormant for many years, may be reactivated later.
Also on the list of items needing attention: Tee-boxes, fairways, sand traps, and eventually trees that need trimming.
As we talked, I sensed the man’s strong determination to whip the course back into great shape as quickly as possible, even though the details went over my head because I don’t play golf. (I confessed to Wenz that I tried my hand at playing only once in my life, at a company picnic at Golf City in Corvallis.)
Later this summer, Wenz hopes to schedule a public open house to show off the improvements made by then.
The Golf Club of Oregon has been an Albany institution, open to the public at affordable rates, since it was built as the Bridgeway Golf Course in 1929. Chatting with its new owner, I got the impression that this tradition will live on. (hh)
Cant wait to see the improvements. Would be great to see the disc golf course take off there too!
No thx, go play at the park
Looking forward to the restoration of the beautiful old course.
No disc golf please
GCO has a special place in my heart. I’m excited to see it brought back into shape!
Disc golf is so so lame
Disk golf and traditional golf do not belong on the same track. It would set back this course to even lower level than it is now.
This golf course has a lot of good attributes and I would hope that it gets restored in a way to show off its great parts. It has empty, overgrown ponds that should be fixed. Tree management, green management get the fairways to at least decent shape I will come back.
Please give the other golf course in N Albany a run for their money. GCO has a chance to do it, if done properly.
What is “disc golf?” — answered in ten seconds thru the miracle of internet 1.0 (no need for 2.0 or 3.0) — oh, THAT’s what it is! — biggest laugh of the day at my own ignorance.
I’ve seen it in Willamette Park (Corvallis). Y’all are right, it belongs in a park, not a golf course. No need for manicured lawns or expensive(?) equipment. Hopefully no golf carts or caddies either. Looks like it could be more active and sociable and less boring than regular golf. One question though: Do players exhibit the same unique and legendary sportsmanship as in regular golf? Or is my understanding of golf incorrect?
All this stuff about disc golf is irrelevant here. There is no plan for disc golf on this course.
Disc golf was a sad attempt to make money because previous owner had let the course get so bad it was almost unplayable. New greens and some water will make a huge difference and I’m excited to see the transformation. congrats to the new owners