Pros:
Champoeg State Park is home to what's now a 23 hole course. It currently shows it as an 18 hole course, which it can also be played as just as easily. The 23 hole layout that we played is all the original holes along with holes 1A and holes 14A, B, C and D to make it a 23 hole loop. Any of the letter holes can be easily skipped too if you want the original layout. Either way you decide to go the course is a completely flat, light to moderately wooded affair.
The navigation out here is very easy to figure out. There's not much in the way of walks between holes and the entire course plays in a circle around the parking lot in the center. Even the letter holes are easy to find and don't lead you out of your way whatsoever. Honestly it's just a well designed layout as far as flow.
The baskets are all Mach X's. All are in great shape and catch nicely. There's a single basket but up to four pin positions per hole from what I recall. Great variety which really amps up the replay value here.
Nice sized concrete tees on each hole. These are all well done, poured level and have good grip to them. There's short tees on 8 of the holes too, all of which are longer ones. Love to see this when possible. All five letter holes have single tees.
Great mix of shot shapes off the tee in regards to the limited amount of trees in play here. Most holes have multiple routes to take but there's some mandos in play that are part safety, part added challenge. Sometimes a little of each. These really keep the course safer, and surrounding areas, plus add some challenge to what would otherwise be pretty simple holes. Honestly the design is really good here for the land available.
The tee signs are fantastic. These are mounted on large wood posts and the signs themselves are great. Pretty simplistic hole map as for as the trees in play but it shows the basic hole shape, all pin positions, OB and mandos plus a next tee arrow. In addition to that they have the hole #, Par and distances to each pin placement and the hole nickname. There's eye bolts below each position too to indicate which one is in play. Everything you could possibly want in a tee sign. Plus they just look sharp.
The park was very clean and well maintained looking. There's numerous benches and picnic tables spread around the course as well as some restrooms by hole 14's basket and 15's tee.
Cons:
There's a park road and some walking trails that can, and most likely will, come into play at various points. It's a very busy park so be aware of walkers and cyclists during your round.
As great as the signs were. There were no holes that utilized the eye bolts to show which pin position was in play. Extra annoying when you have the set up to do this and then don't.
Very similar terrain and tree cover on the majority of the course. Lots of holes, not a lot of variety. The design is good the problem is that there's only so much that could really be done here.
A few somewhat longer walks between holes. This seemed to be done mostly to space the fairways apart a bit, which makes sense. That said, it doesn't elevate any of the holes either. Still the same hole just further away.
The course gets lots of play, for good reason. If you're looking for a quick round it'd be best to avoid this one at peak times. Lots of larger groups of chuckers out there.
Other Thoughts:
This is a fun course, just an unremarkable or even memorable one. Well worth a visit if you don't mind paying for a day pass. There's just nothing here that stands out. Fun park style course that's in a State park. Worth a visit I suppose, but you won't be sad if you miss this one either. Solid 3 at best.