Around Central Oregon, you don’t need to hit the hiking trail or hop into a chairlift for wide-open mountain views, jagged lava flows or deep river canyons. In some cases, all you need is to tee off at your favorite golf course.
With roughly 300 days of sunshine per year, bask in one dramatic landscape after another along the Central Oregon Golf Trail, which encompasses roughly 30 courses within an hour of Bend. Options range from affordable public courses to resorts and private clubs broadening the game’s reach with wheelchair-accessible offerings.
Here’s how to enjoy your next golf getaway to Central Oregon.
Stay and Play at Luxury Resorts
Many of the region’s courses can be found at luxurious golf resorts with plentiful offerings for a relaxing weekend. Check the resorts’ websites for stay-and-play packages that may include discounts on lodging, coaching sessions with an on-site professional or savings at the pro shop.
Play in the shadow of the Three Fingered Jack mountain peak at Black Butte Ranch, just outside Sisters. Choose from two courses lined by aspen groves and stands of ponderosa pine. You’ll find floor-to-ceiling Cascade peak views at The Lodge restaurant during your stay at one of the resort’s spacious vacation homes. A few cabins and condos even line the course’s fairways.
At Tetherow, savor the surrounding high-desert views on a links-style course designed by renowned architect David McLay Kidd. The par-72 course pairs vistas of the Three Sisters and Broken Top with volcanic rock and sagebrush lining the fairways. Celebrate a below-par round over seasonally inspired dishes at Coorie, or relax in a heated outdoor pool and cozy lodge rooms.
At Sunriver Resort, spend your days on four award-winning courses, including an 18-hole putting course framed by Mt. Bachelor that winds along the Deschutes and Little Deschutes rivers. Afterward, kick back in one of five rental home communities that welcome groups of all sizes with hot tubs, in-room fireplaces and other stylish amenities.
Play on courses designed by two legends at Pronghorn Golf Club at Juniper Preserve. The Jack Nicklaus Signature Course and Tom Fazio Championship Course both work high-desert landscapes into their layouts, with the latter featuring a par-3 hole that traverses a 45-foot canyon and a lava tube. Afterward, refuel at seasonally inspired eateries and spend the night in a variety of luxurious rentals and lodge rooms between Bend and Redmond.
West of Redmond, Eagle Crest Resort hosts three year-round courses — one that winds through a juniper forest, one that delivers different experiences on the front and back nines, and a short course when you’re looking for a quick round. Experience the different courses when you book a stay in the resort’s vacation rentals and condos, and pamper yourself in the on-site spa.
Affordable Courses With Stunning Views
Choose from a number of budget-friendly municipal and public courses. Hone your game at Widgi Creek Golf Club along the Deschutes River at the southern edge of Bend. The tree-lined public course challenges players with tight fairways, lined by stands of ponderosa pine and aspen that turn bright yellow every autumn, and invites golfers to enjoy firm putting greens and a driving range.
The publicly owned Juniper Golf Course passes rocky lava flows and stands of gnarled juniper south of Redmond. In between shots, look west to see the snowcapped Three Sisters, Broken Top and other Cascade peaks.
Between Madras and Redmond, the eastern edge of the public Crooked River Ranch Golf Course runs along a river canyon that provides the backdrop for one of the region’s most famous holes. Crooked River’s fifth hole is a dogleg that encourages golfers to take a shortcut across the Crooked River Canyon.
Courses With Accessible Features and Clinics
Golfers with mobility challenges can use specially designed carts at courses throughout Central Oregon. At the southern edge of Bend, Tetherow resides near the start of the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway. During your round, head past basalt lava flows and admire the likes of Broken Top and the Three Sisters mountain peaks from atop a Finn Scooter — a lightweight, motorized ride designed specifically for golf courses.
In Prineville the publicly owned Meadow Lakes Golf Course crosses the Crooked River four times and offers loaner VertaCat standing wheelchairs — an adaptive golf cart that provides support for players who want to swing from a standing position.
Between June and September, sign up for clinics offered by Oregon Adaptive Sports. The Bend-based nonprofit helps golfers improve their skills at Sunriver Resort and at Awbrey Glen Golf Club, a private, 18-hole course that provides a SoloRider golf cart for those with mobility or balance challenges.
