More than halfway into conquering our Quest to play every course in Oregon, I am constantly reminded every time I play at home what a great course we have in Newberg. Chehalem Glenn is not a course for the faint of heart, but the outstanding scenic views of Oregon's wine country and the challenge of carding a good score make Chehalem Glenn a delight each and every time I play — though admittedly I'm not always thinking that way immediately after I walk off of No. 18.

Things will only get better over the next year as the local park district that owns and operates Chehalem Glenn has recently hired an expert landscaper who will spend much of his time at the course. I am anxiously awaiting the next phase in the course's beautification.

The other course that really struck me to date on The Quest is Tokatee. While Don and I don't do much course repeating right now in an effort to whittle courses off the list, I recently had the opportunity to return to Tokatee with some teacher friends from Newberg and happily did so.  Tokatee reminds me of my hometown area of Kalispell, Montana. It's a beautiful setting and a great golf course. That's a tough combination to beat.

More to come ...