The Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club
Designed by John Fought
History
The Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club opened its doors in 1997, the product of an era when the Pacific Northwest was staking its claim as a serious golf destination and Hillsboro’s rolling farmland offered the kind of open canvas developers dream about. The club was conceived as a dual-course facility from the outset, an ambitious undertaking that required not one but two distinct golf identities on the same property — a decision that speaks to the scale of investment behind the project rather than the modesty typical of a single-course private club.
John Fought, a former U.S. Amateur champion turned architect, took on the North Course and shaped it with the sensibility of a player who understood shot values from the ground up rather than the drafting table alone. Fought had cut his teeth working alongside Robert Trent Jones II before striking out on his own, and The Reserve arrived early in his solo career as a proving ground — a chance to demonstrate that a Tour-caliber golfer’s eye could translate into lasting architecture. His work here helped establish his reputation in a state that would come to rely on him for several notable designs in the years following.
In the time since its opening, The Reserve has held a steady place in Oregon golf, hosting Oregon Golf Association championships and qualifying events that have kept it in the conversation among the state’s serious tournament venues. The club’s twin-course structure — Fought’s design paired with a companion course by Bob Cupp and John Fought jointly credited on the South layout — has allowed it to serve both member play and competitive golf without one course wearing thin under the burden of both.
Playing Notes
With 36 holes split across two distinct layouts, plan on carts for your first visit until you know which side suits your game—both courses roll through varied terrain that mixes open, valley-style holes with tighter, tree-lined stretches, so bring your full shot shape repertoire rather than relying on one go-to swing. Wind can pick up in the afternoon given the exposed sections, which matters more on approach shots than off the tee, and the greens run quick enough that lag putting deserves attention on the practice green beforehand. Water and bunkering come into play at key moments rather than constantly, so the bigger test is often adjusting to elevation changes and reading how the ball reacts on faster, well-maintained surfaces. Pack extra balls for the vineyard-adjacent stretches where errant shots can wander into rough or natural areas, and expect a full day if you're tempted to play both 18s.