Hitting the Trail
With no shortage of sunshine and stunning views, central Oregon is ready to hold its own as a golfing mecca. Even though it doesn’t (yet) enjoy the kind of high-profile attention that many pros say it deserves, players are starting to take note. The area landed in Golf Digest’s list of top 50 golf destinations worldwide, and if the courses didn’t offer enough reasons to stay and play, the weather certainly does.
Central Oregon has already been discovered by outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy skiing, rafting, cycling, fishing and other outdoor activities. The more than 300 days of sunshine each year and a dry, temperate climate make it an ideal area for playing golf. And, to help golfers discover just how much they’ve been missing, the Central Oregon Visitors Association has created the Oregon Golf Trail, a bucket list of 30 stunning, unique courses that are well worth exploring.
To add lots of variety to the game, the courses on the trail cover every type of topography a golfer is looking for: resort courses, mountain courses, links courses, target courses and desert courses. Among the designers’ names behind these courses are Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, Gene “Bunny” Mason, Robert Trent Jones Jr. — and the list goes on.
Three of the courses on the Oregon Golf Trail rank in the Top 100 public golf courses in the nation as ranked by Golf Digest and GOLF magazine; here’s a closer look at those three courses and what they have to offer.
BLACK BUTTE RANCH
Against a backdrop of the Cascade Mountains in Sisters, Oregon, Black Butte Ranch serves up two award-winning courses and added a putting course in 2020.
Its original course, Big Meadow, opened in 1972, and has been hailed by Golf Week as one of the Best Courses You Can Play in Oregon. It winds through a ponderosa pine forest for plenty of dramatic visuals, but its signature 14th hole alone makes it worth the trip. Considered one of the most spectacular golf holes in the world, it offers an unusual view of the volcanic peak known as Three Fingered Jack.
Glaze Meadow, Black Butte’s 18-hole course, designed by Gene “Bunny” Mason, originally opened in 1980 and has earned a reputation as one of the region’s most breathtaking courses. It reopened in 2012 after a refresh by John Fought, and the updated version boasts slightly elevated greens, square tee boxes and deep grass-faced bunkers. blackbutteranch.com
PRONGHORN RESORT
The views at Pronghorn begin with the 1,000-year-old juniper forest, but that’s not where they end. This acclaimed resort near Bend, Oregon, also features ancient lava formations, steep canyons, and a pair of world-class golf courses that play off the natural beauty of the area.
Its Jack Nicklaus’ Signature Course is designed for players of all skill levels, and when it opened it ranked No. 2 on the list of America’s Best New Private Courses of 2004. Today, it’s open to the public, and the variety of short and long holes make it an excellent place to sharpen one’s game. For the back nine, Nicklaus took full advantage of the volcanic rock and created an adventurous and unusual twist.
Two years after Nicklaus’ course opened, Pronghorn unveiled its private Tom Fazio course, and like Nicklaus, Fazio used the petrified landscape to
his advantage. That’s particularly evident on the eighth hole, known as the “lava tube” hole, which features a 45-foot canyon and a fully exposed lava tube that has become home to many great horned owls. But it’s on the 18th hole, where he really pulls out the stops and uses Mother Nature’s full arsenal of hazards — from sand and water to rocks and trees — to provide what promises to be a memorable finish to every game. pronghornresort.com
TETHEROW
You may already be aware that Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is Oregon’s highest profile golf course, but did you know it isn’t the only course in the state designed by David McLay Kidd? Tetherow, in Bend, Oregon, is home to a frequent flier on Golf Digest’s Top 100 course list, thanks in no small part to the striking views that set the stage for a visually dazzling round of golf.
The creatively designed course is routed to use the Cascades as a beau- tiful backdrop, providing a memorable combination of unparalleled views and a challenging but rewarding course. Since opening in 2008, it has racked up numerous awards, and it also is no-table as being the first golf course in the state to be certified as an Audubon International Certified Signature Sanctuary, thanks to its commitment to environmental excellence.
Kidd’s Tetherow design is a firm, fast course that is heavily contoured, so nothing about it is going to be easy. It’s demanding, often frustrating, and it requires a sufficient amount of skill. However, that could be part of what makes it such a favorite among golfers. tetherow.com