There are a lot of things I know very little about. Golf is currently pretty high on that list.
But that’s kind of the point of Off Course with Run Oregon. We spend a lot of time talking about running, trails, races and all the other things that get us outside. But every once in a while, it’s fun to step a little bit off the beaten path — or, in this case, off the running trail — and try something else.
So, as I’m trying my hand at golf, I figured I might as well bring you along for the ride. First up: Cross Creek Golf Course near Dallas.
Before You Tee Off
Because this is still Run Oregon, we’re obviously going to start with the running.
Cross Creek is just about a 15- to 20-minute drive from one of the Mid-Valley’s most underrated and quietest trails: the Ellendale Creek Loop.
It’s a little difficult to find on Google Maps, but there is a good map on AllTrails that will get you there. The loop is just shy of five miles. If you run it counterclockwise, you get some climbing in the first half followed by some fairly steady downhill in the second half.
Depending on the time of year, there are some pretty decent views along the way, and the forested sections are incredibly quiet…