History – The Children’s Course 

The Children’s Course is nestled between the Clackamas and Willamette Rivers in Gladstone, OR. The golf course originally opened for play as Rivergreens Golf Course in 1961 as an 18-hole, par 3 course. In 1989, following the development of apartments on the perimeter, the course was redesigned into a 9-hole, par 3 course, and became Rivergreens Golf Club. 

In the meantime, a successful local businessman named Duncan Campbell had a passion for helping children, and envisioned using golf to provide positive youth development by focusing on instilling integrity and making kids of rich character. He dreamed of purchasing a golf course and dedicating it to children. After a two-year search, Duncan became aware of the availability of the Rivergreens Golf Club. Duncan and his wife Cindy purchased the golf course, naming it The Children’s Course. Operations began on June 30, 1996 with program development teaching youth core values and life skills through a variety of programs that continue today. 

See here for a full video on this story! 

Welcoming the First Tee 

In 2000, The Children’s Course became a chapter of a national youth development program, the First Tee organization, and now operates additional programs for children and youth aged 5-18 under the name of First Tee – Oregon, and at multiple other sites throughout Portland and Eugene. In 2021, The Children’s Course celebrated its 25th anniversary, and temporarily renamed the golf course to The Campbell Course – Home of The Children’s Course | First Tee – Greater Portland to honor its founders, Duncan and Cindy Campbell. In late 2024, the organization was honored to be asked to join a small number of First Tee chapters with state-wide service areas. Subsequently, in 2025 the organization was rebranded to The Children’s Course I First Tee – Oregon.