Central Oregon Golf Map

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Central Oregon golf courses From Redmond to Klamath Falls, some of the best golf to be found in the Northwest

Running Y Ranch: One of the top courses in Oregon
Outdoor recreation has always been a main attraction in Klamath County, Oregon. From hiking, biking, canoeing, camping to fishing. Crater Lake National Park, the only National Park in Oregon, is one of the main visitor attractions.

But with the opening of the Running Y Ranch in 1997, golf took on a new presence and put the area on the golf map. The resort overlooks Klamath Lake, the largest natural lake in the Northwest. There are several ponds, wetlands and 100 bunkers guarding the course as it plays through rolling terrain and pine forests.

The course is the only Arnold Palmer designed course in Oregon and ranked among the top six courses in the state. The Running Y Ranch was named the nation’s “Best new affordable public golf course” in 1998 by Golf Digest. A showcase of natural landscape The Running Y Ranch is a member of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System. Other courses in the region include Shield Crest and Harbor Links Golf Courses.

Crosswater: Listed among America’s Greatest 100 courses
Sunriver’s Crosswater course, designed by Bob Cupp and John Fought, is perhaps one of the most visually pleasing courses you will ever see.

The Little Deschutes River runs through the course and comes into play on many holes. Mount Bachelor is visible from several holes and the Deschutes River also can be seen.

The course is among the top 100 Greatest in the country by Golf Digest and is ranked third in the state.

The course plays 7,683 yards from the tips and has shots that force you to carry wetlands. The condition of the course is outstanding as you might expect.

Lost Tracks: Old railroad bridge to a par-3 island green
Lost Tracks Golf Club in Bend opened in 1996 and was carved out of a stand of Ponderosa pines with lava rock outcroppings and small lakes that give the course a nice peaceful charm.

The bridge to the par-3 16th green is a railroad car, complete with everything you would find in a passenger car. An interesting curiosity are the many bag tags left by golfers from other courses.

The course got its name when construction workers found old railroad spikes and train tracks during early course preparation.

Under owner Brian Whitcomb, Lost Tracks has made significant changes to its first hole by adding a lake, lowering the fairways on the ninth and 10th holes and adding an indoor teaching studio.

Aspen Lakes: The views and red rock stand out
If you had to pick two things that stand out at Aspen Lakes Golf Course it would have to be the unique red volcanic crushed rock sand used in the bunkers and the great views of the mountains in the Cascade range.

In a phrase: this course is a visual experience.

Designed by Northwest golf architect Bill Overdorf, the course was named one of the “Top Ten Affordable Golf Courses” for 2001 by Golf Digest.

Ponderosa pines, scented juniper trees, pristine lakes and outstanding views of the Cascade Mountains at almost every turn make the experience at Aspen Lakes take on a surreal feeling. It’s no wonder it is a popular place for families and corporate outings. A new rustic clubhouse has also opened.

Sunriver: Three championship courses get your attention
If you are seeking a variety of great golf and want to stay in one place, then Sunriver Resort has three courses for you. The Meadows and Woodlands courses are both interesting and challenging and often are overshadowed by the attention given to the award-winning Crosswater. A popular resort for families in winter and summer with all of the outdoor activities that you would expect to find at a top resort.

Eagle Crest: Plenty of golf and other outdoor recreation
A full-service destination resort that has all of Central Oregon’s outdoor activities within reach. From world-class fishing, rock climbing, river rafting, skiing-both water and snow, and of course golf. The Resort Sport Center has two indoor tennis courts, weight and aerobics room with state-of-the-art fitness equipment, kids game room, three racquetball courts, an outdoor pool and hot tub. The Ridge Sports Center and Spa has much of the same except the pool is indoors and it has a half-court basketball court and a full service spa for massages and skin treatment.

There are three golf courses to choose from at Eagle Crest Resort, each with their own unique look and feel. The Ridge Course and the Resort Course are two championship-caliber layouts and the Challenge Course is a tough par-63 track.

Black Butte: Big Meadow has a new look, Glaze Meadow is next
Black Butte Ranch is one of those special places that not only has plenty of family activities, but also offers two golf courses to choose from.

With the Big Meadow and Glaze Meadow golf courses, Black Butte is a golfer’s paradise. Each course is unique and provides a different experience, both are worth the trip to Central Oregon.

Big Meadow underwent a scheduled bunker renovation three years ago. With the new and remodeled bunkers, the course is even more challenging. The Big Meadow course also now features new tee boxes on every hole. The Glaze Meadow course takes the golfer on a scenic trip through the trees, with enough water and sand to keep your attention. It is also scheduled to undergo the same type of re-modeling that Big Meadow did.

Widgi Creek: Tough layout through the trees looks great again
Widgi Creek Golf Club in Bend seemed to be in trouble in December 2004 when the course went into bankruptcy. But Portland businessman Barry Helm stepped in, bought the course and immediately has made some noticeable changes.

In order to get the course back to pristine condition, Helm purchased a new fleet of maintenance equipment. That’s made a big change already. He also improved the irrigation system and has renovated the clubhouse, including the kitchen and restaurant. Helm has made Widgi Creek again, a place you want to stop at when playing golf in Central Oregon, especially when you consider the trees you have to negotiate, the sand to get over and the water to avoid. It’s all there.

Meadow Lakes: If you like water, this is your kind of place
Meadow Lakes Golf Course in Prineville has a unique background. When the city of Prineville was looking for a way to treat its water, it decided to build some water treatment ponds – and build a golf course around the ponds.

Meadow Lakes is an environmentally friendly golf course that presents a links-style layout with several water hazards to keep you focused.

Crooked River: The fifth hole along the river gets your attention
At Crooked River, the fifth hole is perhaps one of the most dynamic golf holes you will come across. There’s a great view and a tough shot. The dogleg left hole, a 260-yard par-4, may not seem intimidating on the scorecard, but from the tee box it’s pretty awesome.

The Crooked River runs along the left side of the hole in a large deep canyon and the desert sits on the right side. The green can be driven, but it’s a tough shot. Any shot to the left, and you’re left looking straight down 12 stories at your ball floating away in the Crooked River. In his book on Oregon Golf, author Paul Linnman calls the hole “the most spectacular golf hole in Oregon.”

Private clubs: Private clubs are among the top in the state
There are plenty of private country clubs in the Central Oregon area as well as public courses. In Bend, there are three of the top courses in the state in Bend Golf and Country Club, Broken Top and Awbrey Glen.

Bend Golf and Country Club is the oldest, having opened its original nine holes for play 75 years ago. It became an 18-hole course in 1974 and renovations have helped keep the course up to date. Both Awbrey Glen and Broken Top opened in 1993. Awbrey Glen opened as a public course in 1993 but turned private in 2000. The sloped greens give this course a lot of character. Pronghorn is the newest private golf community with two courses.

River’s Edge: If it’s hills and views you like, this is the place
River’s Edge Golf Course in Bend has been known as a challenging layout for years – and for good reason. The course sits on a hillside and features rolling fairways and undulating greens. Tee boxes have been leveled, the fairway on the second hole has been made level, trees and limbs have been removed for better sight lines and the fairway on the par-5 17th hole has been widened.

Centennial: Medford-area course well worth the side trip south
Centennial Golf Club in Medford is one of the newest courses in the Pacific Northwest and has been a standout from day one. Northwest architect John Fought has designed an 18-hole gem in Medford, that offers a links-style layout with plenty of length and challenges. The course stretches to over 7,300 yards from the tips and has 73 bunkers and four ponds to navigate around and over. Fought said he had plenty of inspiration when he came up with the design for Centennial Golf Course.

The course provides golfers plenty of room to hit their golf shots. The entire site encompasses over 400 acres and the greens are all challenging and come in wide variety of shapes and sizes – the fourth green measures 9,948 square feet while the 17th green measures 5,085 square feet. There are a total of five different tee boxes, providing golfers with option of playing anywhere from 5,244 yards to 7,309 yards.

Juniper: Young course with high praise
Juniper Golf Club has undergone some serious changes over the years. The original golf course opened in 1952 with nine holes and added a second nine in 1972. The course was located near the Redmond Airport and when it began to get too costly to keep the land, the city of Redmond began to look at other options. The best option was to acquire new land from the Bureau of Land Management and have Northwest architect John Harbottle design a new course.

In 2001 ground was broke on an entirely new course which would eventually open in 2005. Although it was a new course in a new location it retained the Juniper Golf Course name.

In 2007 the course knew it had arrived on the golfing landscape when it hosted the Oregon Open.

“We’ve got ourselves a winner with the new Juniper,” said head professional Bruce Wattenburger, who has been with Juniper for over 20 years.

The new Juniper plays to over 7,100 yards from the tips and has the natural Oregon High Desert scenery as a backdrop. Golf Digest took notice of the new course, naming Juniper as one of the Best New Affordable Courses (under $75) for the 2006 golf season – the first full season for the new course.

Nestled on a beautiful piece of land in Redmond, Oregon with panoramic views of Mt. Bachelor, Broken Top, the Three Sisters, Mt. Washington, Three-fingered Jack, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Hood and the natural foothills of the Cascade Maintain Range.

Resorts of Central Oregon

If you are on vacation with your family, and not everybody golfs, there are still plenty of alternatives in the Central Oregon area. From sight-seeing to hiking, from swimming to tennis and river rafting, there are several resorts to experience with plenty of activities on and off the course. Or, if you just want to play some resort golf, here is a list of resorts in the Central Oregon region.

• Black Butte: Located near Sisters, it has two terrific courses and loads of other activities. You can take your pick from horseback riding, tennis hiking, fishing and two fine golf courses. Major re-modeling at the Big Meadow course features new bunkers, tees . . . the works. More plans are on the way to upgrade the Glaze Meadow course as well.

• Brasada Ranch: New resort in Redmond has a jewel of an 18-hole course The course is a Jim Hardy-Peter Jacobsen design effort. Brasada Ranch is owned by Jeld-Wen which also owns Eagle Crest Resort, that sits a few miles away and is one of the top courses in the state.

• Eagle Crest Resort: Located in Redmond has expanded in recent years and has resort lodging, three golf courses and a spa. The Resort Course and Ridge Course are championship-caliber challenges and the Challenge course, though shorter, is a great way to hone your iron game. There are also plenty of outdoor activities nearby, which is great for fishermen and hunters.

• Kah-Nee-Tah Resort: Located in Warm Springs with activities for the entire family – including a European Spa. There is also a casino and a golf course on the property. Unique teepee camping is popular with the kids.

• Running Y Ranch: Resort in Klamath Falls features an Arnold Palmer-design course and plenty of outdoor amenities nearby. The course is the only one that Palmer has done in the state of Oregon. The Running Y offers something for everybody. For those who love the outdoors, there is an area which offers miles of hiking and biking. Nearby wetlands are bird-watchers delight. A year-round covered ice arena gives skaters a chance to show their skills on the ice. And add in tennis, a boating basin, a canoe club and a sports and fitness center, the Running Y Ranch has it all.

• Sunriver Resort: A popular resort – in both winter and summer. It’s proximity to Mount Bachelor provides skiers with a close trip to the slopes and its three golf courses allows golfers a good selection, including the award-winning Crosswater course. Sunriver has opened its new Caldera Springs, a nine-hole course with an extensive practice area. Caldera Springs features a 400-acre residential and recreational reserve near Crosswater. The Caldera Links offers holes ranging from 70 to 170 yards while a nearby Golf Park will feature three greens and several tees for more practice. The project also involves 320 single-family homes, 45 rentable cabins as well as miles of hiking and biking.