Central Oregon Golf Roadtrip

[Kenny B]

On April 26, 2015 my wife and I headed to central Oregon for a week of spring golf in the high desert and Cascade mountains.  After a 230 mile drive, we stopped at Crooked River Ranch golf course outside Redmond, Oregon for lunch and golf.  The course runs along the Crooked River Gorge and Hole #5 is a short Par 4 dogleg left, but you have the option of driving over the trees and gorge to the green.  Better hope you make it!  For getting out of the car after a long drive, I shot a respectable 77 with a double on #18.

 

 

 

Monday was Lost Tracks Golf Club in Bend, Oregon.  I had never played this course before, but I would go back again.  Nice views and the signature hole is a par 3 island green with a railroad car as the bridge to the island.  Missed a hole-in-one by 3 feet!  Shot 79.  I did have to complain to the pro shop at the turn because they had posted that pin position was #1 but it was clear that it was #4 that day.  The carts also had GPS and the pin was shown on the greens in a position that was not #1 or #4!  Glad I had my laser!!!

 

 

On Tuesday we played the Big Meadow course at Black Butte Ranch, one of our favorites.  You are always playing between the trees.  Front nine is easy to walk, but the back nine has quite a bit of elevation change.  Shot 82 with a double on the last hole.  That mountain in the background is Mt. Washington.  In 1965 my buddy and I climbed to the top for some fantastic views.  However, on the way down my wallet fell out of my pocket several hundred feet down the mountain.  It's probably still there with my drivers license, SS card and 2 bucks.

 

 

We stayed the week at the Eagle Crest Resort outside Redmond, Oregon.  They have three 18 hole courses, one being the Challenge course, a par 63 mix of 3's and 4's.  It is a great place to work on your short game, but I found out why it's really called the Challenge course.  You have to climb up to the elevated tees and greens.  It's a challenge for us old people!  The Ridge course and the Resort course are normal championship courses.

 

 

On our last day we played Widgi Creek in Bend.  I had played it a couple of years ago and it's a nice mid-priced course.  Nothing spectacularly different from other courses in the area.   We played with another couple that had just returned from wintering in Tucson and it was all I could do to keep from strangling them.  Shot 84 with 2 triples!!   I had not lost a ball all week, but lost 3 here!

 

 

Our next golf road trip will probably be this summer to British Columbia north of Spokane Washington.  Already planning our trip next February to the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, FL.  Hope to meet Revkev and Fozcycle during the trip, along with anyone else in the area that would like to join us.

 

 

 

[MmmmmmBuddy]

I am really sad that I could not get away to meetup for at least one day..  Looks like you had some pretty good weather!!

 

The memorabilia in the train that you have to walk through to the 16th green at Lost Tracks is always very cool..  Take a Bag Tag from your Home course, and hang it up...

[Baseballfrk8998]

Those courses look amazing and are a far cry from what we have here in Houston.. Glad you enjoyed the trip! I hope to get to enjoy a trip like that sooner rather than later!

[Kenny B]

I am really sad that I could not get away to meetup for at least one day..  Looks like you had some pretty good weather!!

 

The memorabilia in the train that you have to walk through to the 16th green at Lost Tracks is always very cool..  Take a Bag Tag from your Home course, and hang it up...

Sorry to hear that you got sick. Maybe next trip. That train car is long! Interesting walk through it. There are even a few seats to sit if you get caught out in a rain storm.

[PlaidJacket]

I'm making a note and printout of your post Kenny. I'll be there eventually and play those courses. Hope I have as good of weather as you did. Good shooting too I must say.

[Kenny B]

I'm making a note and printout of your post Kenny. I'll be there eventually and play those courses. Hope I have as good of weather as you did. Good shooting too I must say.

 

Thanks PJ,

Bend is a great place for a golfing vacation.  There are a lot more great courses in the area, but there are some that are semi-private; meaning you have to stay on property to play.  AND they are much more expensive, especially during the summer.  Check out Pronghorn, Tetherow, Brasada Ranch, and Crosswater at Sunriver  Weather is usually good, as they are in the shadow of the Cascade range and don't get much rain.  I also like to play Aspen Lakes in Sisters, OR.  Didn't play it this trip, but it's a nice, relatively affordable course with interesting holes.

[MmmmmmBuddy]

Thanks PJ,

Bend is a great place for a golfing vacation.  There are a lot more great courses in the area, but there are some that are semi-private; meaning you have to stay on property to play.  AND they are much more expensive, especially during the summer.  Check out Pronghorn, Tetherow, Brasada Ranch, and Crosswater at Sunriver  Weather is usually good, as they are in the shadow of the Cascade range and don't get much rain.  I also like to play Aspen Lakes in Sisters, OR.  Didn't play it this trip, but it's a nice, relatively affordable course with interesting holes.

 

Second this.

 

I live 126 miles from Bend, and make the trip over to play often.  There are so many choices over there, and almost none of them are bad. The weather is nearly always perfect...  

 

My faves in order would have to be

 

Pronghorn

Tetherow

Broken Top

Aspen Lakes

Crosswater

Juniper (Redmond)

Tokatee (On the way to Bend)

 

I could go on and on....

[Txstcatman]

Those look like great courses! My only experiences have been in the Portland area. Have played Eastmoreland, Heron Lakes, and The Reserve just outside in Aloha.

 

Great post, must have been an awesome trip!