This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

As can be the case with any private golf club, comments from members sometimes head toward what’s wrong with a particular facility, or what can be improved.

No problem with advocacy for improvements, so long as comments are designed to be constructive, not destructive.

But the tension is why I would never want to be a high-level manager of a private facility.  Too many bosses.  Too many views.

But, my thoughts have been going lately to what there is to like about where I play golf, Illahe Hills Golf and Country Club in Salem, Oregon.

Better, I submit, to focus on the positive, not the negative.  The goal is not necessarily to convince others that I am right, but just to focus on good news.

So, here is my list of pluses.

A HIGH-QUALITY GOLF COURSE:  Illahe, after more than 60 years of existence, is starting to be recognized as one of the top-quality private tracks in the region.  So much so that GolfWeek Magazine recently listed Illahe as one of the 10 best private courses in the state.  It was the first time in my memory that Illahe made the list.

It ranked ninth and some who read the GolfWeek story thought Illahe should have been higher.

RELATIVELY EASY ACCESS:  As some private tracks in our region have limited access, if only because of a large number of members who want to play golf at those facilities, access at Illahe is, overall, excellent.

I use the word “overall” because, on occasion, the course is closed to charity or other events and, if members are not allowed to play at such times, angst results.

But, I am among those who advocate taking a “big picture” look at access.  If you do – and avoid “snapshots,” which can deliver an inaccurate picture – then those of us at Illahe are very fortunate.

It is not unusual to head out in the mid-afternoon on a good-weather summer day and find yourself almost alone on the course.  No need for a tee time.

To buttress this point, I kept track of my last 10 days of golf:

• August 1 – 10:30 a.m. for five holes; 2 p.m. for seven holes

• August 2 – 2:08 p.m. for 9 holes

• August 3 – 8:08 a.m. for 18 holes

• August 4 – 3:04 p.m. for 9 holes

• August 5 – 7:40 a.m. for 18 holes; 9 more holes for 27

• August 6 – Could not play because of my own schedule

• August 7 – 12 noon for 18 holes

• August 8 – 10:08 a.m. for 18 holes

• August 9 – 12 noon for 18 holes

• August 10 – 8:16 a.m. for 18 holes

• August 11 – 9:44 a.m. for 9 holes

By the way, I should add that I have talked with a number of friends about the access issue and I always enjoy the discussion in the spirit that there is “no right” answer; just various perspectives.

What’s required is to do what is often difficult, which is to strike the right “balance” between member play and outsider play.  And, this also means that the right answer might change from time to time.  As long as all of us can talk civilly about the issue, good.

STAFF WHO WORK HARD AND CARE:  We have a great staff at the course, including those who serve in the Clubhouse, those who take care of golf clubs, those who take care of the course, and those who organize golf for members.

The golf course maintenance staff is supervised by one of the best superintendents around, Steve Beyer, who leads his staff by working hard himself. 

Long-time golf pro, Steve Bowen, uses his experience to make playing run smoothly.

Don Austin runs the “back-shop” where golf carts and clubs are stored.  He does his work selflessly.

BEYOND GOLF, MULTIPLE ACTIVITIES:  Beyond many comparable golf clubs, Illahe has a lot of activities for members.  The list:

• A large swimming pool

• Two new bocce ball courts

• Multiple new pickle ball courts

• Two indoor tennis courts

So, as I have tried to look on the bright side, I relish my family’s good fortune to be members at Illahe Golf and Country Club and enjoying the Club for more than 30 years.

And, oh yeah, one more thing:  At this time of year, there are many blackberry bushes within easy reach on the course, which means I get free desserts from time-to-time.

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Full disclosure:  Regarding golf course access, I am often an advocate for allowing Illahe to be used by the Oregon Golf Association and the Pacific Northwest Golf Association, so those who criticize the lack of access have me at least partially to blame.