BUFFALO PEAK GETS STATEWIDE MENTION

The Oregonians Travel section on Sunday was aimed at people who like to golf, now that people are starting to think about spring and getting back outdoors. The feature article highlighted 10 golf courses around the state two from each of five regions. For Eastern Oregon, the writer chose to highlight Unions Buffalo Peak Golf Course and Pendletons Wildhorse course.

IT WAS GOOD to see that Buffalo Peak was mentioned, especially considering the fact only 10 courses were featured. Unions municipal golf course has struggled financially, so being highlighted in a statewide publication that mentioned some of the states best courses comes as good news. The article made the course sound challenging, which it is at first, but anyone who has played it more than once or twice knows that the links-style course isnt nearly as difficult or long as it first appears.

The biggest challenge facing Buffalo Peak isnt getting golfers to accept the course design. The challenge facing Buffalo Peak is getting the word out that Union County has a public course. The course needs a marketing strategy that targets local people and golfers from the surrounding counties. Despite a little trepidation at first, people who visit the course grow to like it.

The City of Union needs its municipal golf course to be a success, and Union County needs a public golf course. The article in Sundays Oregonian cant do anything but help spread the word that Union has a respectable course. Now its up to the folks at Buffalo Peak to build on it.

RECRUITING WAR

From the boys will be boys file: The head football coaches at the University of Washington and UCLA were reprimanded last week for their comments about other programs recruiting tactics, and the University of Oregon was reprimanded for showing an unflattering video of the Washington coach during a home game.

The accusations revolved around Washington coach Rick Neuheisel complaining that Oregon was trying to show Washingtons program in a negative light. Neuheisel even scheduled a press conference to complain about Oregons recruiting tactics.

The Pacific-10 Conference issued the reprimands but took no other formal action. The complaints amounted to much ado about nothing other than competitive jealousy. By building a winning football program, Oregon has made some inroads into the recruiting wars and has upset the balance of power in the Pac-10. Neuheisel isnt taking it too well.

The Oregon program needs to strive to be a class act. With the success its had, it doesnt need to bother with showing other teams in a negative light. Coaches like Neuheisel take care of that all on their own.