The Oldest Golf Course in Oregon (and West of the Mississippi): Gearhart Golf Links (Est. 1892)

If you’ve ever played the Oregon Coast and felt like golf just belongs there—like it’s been there forever, whipped by the salty wind and grounded in the dunes—you’re not far off. Oregon is home to one of the oldest golf courses in the entire United States: Gearhart Golf Links, founded in 1892, making it not just the oldest in the state, but the first golf course west of the Mississippi River.

Photo Credit to Gearhart Golf Links

Where West Coast Golf Was Born

Before Bandon Dunes put the Oregon Coast on the global golf map, there was Gearhart. Nestled just a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean in the quiet beach town of Gearhart (about 15 minutes north of Seaside), this historic links-style course is where it all started.

It began humbly—just a few holes laid out on sandy dunes behind the Gearhart Hotel, carved by guests who brought golf clubs on vacation. By 1892, those sand “greens” and natural fairways became an official golf course, modeled after the coastal links of Scotland.

There weren’t many courses in the U.S. at the time, let alone the Wild West. And yet here was this rugged, seaside gem, already offering a distinctly Northwest flavor of the game.

A Course That’s Weathered the Ages

Gearhart Golf Links didn’t just survive the next century—it thrived. Over the decades, it expanded from 3 holes to 9, then to 18 by the early 1900s. And in the true spirit of Oregon golf, it has always embraced the natural environment.

Originally built to blend into the windswept dunes and shore pines, Gearhart stayed true to its roots even as it modernized. The layout has seen tweaks over the years, but never lost its classic, walkable flow or its signature coastal character.

Some highlights from its storied history:

• Hosted Oregon’s first formal golf tournaments in the early 1900s

• Home to the Gearhart Hotel, a vacation destination tied to golf since the 19th century

• Visited by hickory players and golf traditionalists, preserving the old-school spirit

• Underwent a thoughtful restoration in the 2010s, returning it to more authentic links conditions

  
  

This is the kind of course where you can feel the layers of history under your feet.

Gearhart Golf Links Hole 8, Par 5

What It’s Like Today

Fast forward to now, and Gearhart is as special as ever. It's public, it’s playable year-round (coastal turf, baby), and it delivers one of the most unique golf experiences in the Northwest.

Here’s what you can expect:

• Firm, fescue-lined fairways that encourage creative ground game

• No cart paths or housing developments, just pure golf and natural scenery

• Ocean air and unpredictable winds that keep you on your toes

• A classic, walkable layout that feels like stepping into another era

In short: it’s a links course in the truest sense—something still pretty rare in the U.S., especially outside of private clubs or mega-resorts.

Bonus points: the Sand Trap Pub next door serves post-round burgers and beers that taste even better after a blustery 18.

Gearhart’s Living Legacy

Gearhart Golf Links isn’t just a historical footnote—it’s a living piece of golf’s western journey. This course helped introduce the game to the Pacific Coast, and it continues to welcome golfers from around the region (and beyond) who want to experience where it all began.

So next time you find yourself staring down a tricky punch shot into a coastal breeze, remember: folks were doing the same thing here over 130 years ago—probably in tweed jackets, with hickory shafts, and just as much hope for par.

And that’s the beauty of Gearhart. It’s not just old—it’s timeless.