At first glance, Wednesday, April 26, 2017 seemed like any typical Oregon spring day at The Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club. A light breeze chased clouds around the sky, and spots of blue up above teased golfers below. However, on this Wednesday there was an air of excitement and camaraderie as Intel employees arrived to play in the Intel Golf League’s first play day of the season. Intel Corporation’s 15,000+ employees in the Portland area are best known for their semiconductor technologies, but they are also a leader in providing healthy, community-based opportunities around the game of golf.

The Intel Golf League was founded in the late 1980s by eight employees who were looking for something fun to do together outside of work. In June of 1997, the group became an official OGA Member Club, allowing them to play net games based on the USGA Handicap Indexes they could then offer their members. Thirty years since its initiation, the club has grown to 70-80 active members each year. Every Wednesday during the Spring, Summer, and Fall, a mixture of 30-40 of these employees meet at The Reserve, which is just a few miles from the Intel campuses, for a nine-hole game.

The first group tees off at 4:45pm, but the league is kept casual. Group tee-off orders are formed on a first-come-first-serve basis so that employees with varying schedules can come at a time that works best for them. Gross and net scores are tabulated and prizes awarded, but the group prides itself on being inviting to players of all skill levels.

“There are good players and bad players,” says Bob Noradki, a 19-year employee in Intel’s labs, “we don’t care, we don’t judge.” Frank Raimondi, now-retired, chimes in that he enjoys the flexibility that the league offers. “Part of [the appeal] is that it’s nine holes and you don’t have to worry about it being on the weekend or interfering with family stuff.” Employee and frequent player, Steve Ashby, also asserts that the league “has introduced me to the OGA, getting a handicap, and all the perks that come with that bigger community.” Aside from being a fun midweek activity, the Intel Golf League also serves as a tool for organizational wellness. 

League President Ray Stach emphasizes the importance of the league in relation to employees’ psyches. “Wednesdays give us something to look forward to during the summertime, alleviating some of the stresses of work.” Other players nodded in agreement that Wednesday night is a time of peace amongst the hustle and bustle of the workweek. However, the connections between employees that are fostered on the fairways and greens are perhaps the most beautiful way that the league gives back to the company.

The aforementioned Noradki and Raimondi teed off together along with 34-year Intel veteran Tim Farrell. The trio shook hands and introduced themselves, having never crossed paths at any of the company’s Portland-area campuses. “Intel is so big, [Bob] is in Labs, and I was in another [work] group,” explains Raimondi, “it’s easy to get insular.” The three shared laughs and batted around Intel chatter, gaining new perspectives on their co-workers’ worlds. “[The league] is a good place to meet friends, and I’ve made some business connections,” Noradki affirms. As awesome as these connections are internally, the Intel Golf League is working on creating a more positive Portland business community externally as well.

Ife Hsu, another passionate member of the league, describes how the Intel group plays Tektronix, another big tech company headquartered in Beaverton, every year for what they call the “Blue Silicon Cup.” Hsu excitedly gushes about this Ryder Cup style competition between the local tech giants that features a mix of players and formats for a series of weeks in June. The Intel Golf League also has plans to play a match with the Federal Employees Golf Club, another Portland-based OGA member club that brings together co-workers.

The league has played various courses, but calls The Reserve home. However, that begs the question; do local courses welcome this kind of league? “Definitely, we are fortunate to build rapport with Intel and have [this] relationship,” confirms Chris Rogers, PGA Director of Golf at The Reserve. “Not only do they utilize the golf course but the restaurant as well. It’s mutually beneficial.” The Intel players agreed and described the cheerful atmosphere at The Reserve that welcomes them in from their round, complete with a full-service restaurant, drink selections, and live music on the patio many summer evenings.

In the fast-paced business world where work often takes precedence over sanity, the Intel Golf League is a bright spot. As the final groups finished on the 9th green and turned in their scorecards Wednesday night, the beauty of the community was obvious. Regular, familiar players brought in their scorecards with smiles and witty banter about their first rounds of the year, and also provided advice and a welcome to a new player looking to get started with the league. For 30 years, the Intel Golf League has fostered this community of wellness, encouragement, and friendship, and set a standard in the balance of golf, business, and life. Here’s to the next 30 years.

Interested in setting up a golf league with your employees or co-workers?

Contact the OGA Membership Department:
membership@oga.org
503-981-4653