Golf course grows, expands over the years

One doesn’t normally think of taking younger children to the golf course but Mary Remer would like that to change. She, along with husband Mike, own Skyline Golf Course in Cathlamet.

“We want golf to be a family event,” said Mary. “The sport is a lot like life in that it has success and failures and it’s a great learning tool for parents to teach their kids about fair play, dedication and hard work.”

The Remers moved to Cathlamet six years ago when they bought the nine hole golf course behind the Shell station at milepost 37.

“I felt I was on the front of a wave when we moved here. I could see this location, being so close to Portland and the coast, had everything here for an new generation to come and enjoy,” she said.

Remer said before arriving in Cathlamet, she and her husband had spent 35 years developing tourist attractions.

“We developed the Old Genoa Store in Lake Tahoe and spent 10 years running sternwheeler dinner/tour boats on Lake Shasta and the Siuslaw River near Florence, Oregon."

Remer said one of the first things she noticed about the golf course was that it wasn’t well known.

“In 2006 we added to the building,” said Mary, “We also added 18 holes of disc golf which is very popular in Portland and on the East Coast.”

Mary said she and her husband have worked hard to bring back the golf greens, and this past February added a new mini golf course inside the golf shop. “You know, I don’t think the community is really even aware this course is here,” said Mary.

She also said the mini golf course area is a great place to have birthday parties and the kids love to hit balls on the driving range.

“We had some fourth graders here last week for a birthday party, and I was amazed at the hand-eye coordination of the kids who’d never hit a ball before,” she said.

Remer said it's a shame some kids don’t get to try and develop their golfing skills. She also considers the golf course to be about community.

“We really have a very laid back presence here,” she said, “and this is not a pushey-shovey golf course. It’s about people like John Hannah; he had three generations in one golf cart this morning.”

Remer said kids who learn to play golf at Skyline are better golfers because the course is very difficult,

“This is about people like the golf team boys. These boys started with us when still in middle school and now they have an 18-0 record,” Mary said.

Remer said Skyline has all the tricks and traps you’d find on the bigger courses and those who learn to play at Skyline, when they get on a flat course they “clean up.”

“Since our kids are grown, Mike and I have sort of taken a low-profile approach to running our business,” said Mary. “Really, we’re retired, but Mike still does the maintenance while I try to stay away from being in the spotlight.”

Remer also said that in the beginning it was her two sons that did most of the training.

“When they were here they ran the youth groups and they had the women’s groups,” said Mary.

The sons are gone now.

One is a golf pro in Palm Desert, Calif. “Our kids were why we did this but now they’ve grown up and moved on,” she said.

Remer pointed out that Skyline offers a multitude of entertainment opportunities for the community to get involved in. The course itself offers two pin placements at each of the nine holes making Skyline an actual 18 hole golf course. There’s also an 18 hole disc golf course and 18 holes of mini golf.

The Skyline Golf Course also includes The Caddy Shack Bunkhouse, and Overlook Lodge. Caddy Shack is a bunkhouse/meeting room next to the eighth green that sleeps 10 guests. Mary says it comes with a full kitchen, dining area and makes a great family getaway.

“We also have the Overlook Lodge at the top of the course,” said Mary. The lodge’s three rooms are perched high above the golf course overlooking the Columbia River. Each room has private access to a wrap-around deck that offers panoramic views of the golf course, Puget Island, the shipping channel and Oregon.

Remer said she’s looking for change and that there is a ton of business out there but her kids are gone and it's only her and her husband left to run the golf course. “I’m ready to retire, said Mary, “I’ve been in promotions for 35 years and I’m tired.”

She also said the golf demographic has changed and golfing today is more of a family affair, full of interpersonal dynamics.

“There is a family bonding process that takes place on the links,” said Mary. “Learning how to like yourself when things aren’t going well on the course. Golf also teaches you how to have manners and when families play together, they stay together.”

Mary said she’s open to new management for the golf course and that she would consider selling the business to the right person.

“I just want to garden all day long, so if someone were to come in here and promote this place they could take it over and make it a success,” she said.