b'GOLF OREGONShortlandan experiment in larger-scale synthetic golf coursesT hose who have missed golfing atFritz, a golfer himself, said heFritz has loved the game since Sandelie Golf Course now have a newwanted to open a course near southwestchildhood. His dad, Dennis, passed option in the same spot. Located nearPortland that is similar to the Edgefielddown the basics to him and his Wilsonville in West Linn, the SandelieGolf Course in Troutdale and saw anyounger brother, Ben, when they were course closed in September 2022 andopportunity to do so when the Sandeliein elementary school. They played in was divided into four parcels for sale.course was put up for sale. The cost ofhigh school, won a couple team state The propertys new owner, Mikeland and zoning laws preventing a newchampionships, then Fritz drifted away Fritz, purchased the land with the ideagolf course made it difficult to build awhile studying business at Oregon State of creating a par-3 course, which is nowcourse on land that was not already aUniversity. He worked for Nike for a called Shortland Golf Club.golf course. decadethe last three years for Nike And its not just any golf course.We just kind of lucked out with theGolf, where he focused on footwear Opened in April of this year,fact that Sandelie was closing, honestly,development, and where he started on Shortland is an outdoor layout consistingFritz said. I dont know where else wethe same August 1996 day that Tiger of synthetic tees and greens.would do this. Woods signed with the company. Plenty separates Shortlandwhich isShortland will offer a small drink andHe left in 1999 to help his parents run scheduled to open throughout this springsnack stand midway through the coursetheir engineering automation business, and summer, first the front nine holes incalled Slams, named for a deceasedDWFritz. After his mother, Susan, died April, then the back 10, then a 19-holefriend Fritz used to golf with at Sandelie.in 2007, he took over operations, and chipping and putting course, and finallyA snack stand will be available on Thehelped grow the business from 19 an 11,000-square-foot putting green withNest course as well, and a food truckemployees to 550. The family sold the natural grassfrom other courses withwill be placed outside the remodeledcompany in 2021.synthetic tees and greens. clubhouse this spring.Shortland is using synthetic tees and greens for all of its 19 holes, with no hole measuring longer than 99 yards. (Shortland Golf Club)12 GOLF OREGON|JUN 2025'