Santiam Golf Course is 12 miles southeast of Salem, bordering the Santiam Highway, surrounded by farmland and fields.

The course is a straightforward, classic design over level terrain with a few slight doglegs along fairways lined with mature hardwood trees. Mill Creek traverses the southwestern third of the layout, along with several ponds and deep sand traps guarding many of the ample, oval, or kidney-shaped greens. Fred Federspie designed the course, which has four sets of tees overall, with the tips playing to 6,326 yards, 69.7/120, course/slope ratings.