Spring Greening: 8 Great Northwest Golf Destinations
From wind-swept coastal links courses to Central Oregon’s posh high-desert resorts, we highlight some of the top spots to knock the rust off your sticks this spring.
Posted by: Kasey Cordell on Apr 11, 2012 at 12:00PM
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Salishan
Redesigned by Peter Jacobson in 2004, Salishan’s par-71 course is split between two equally exquisite but very different landscapes. The front nine cuts through thick forest before opening up to sedge-strewn links-style holes on the back nine. Punctuated by views of the Pacific and neighboring Siletz Bay, Salishan assures that—despite what Twain says—any trip to Salishan promises a good walk, unspoiled. (And even if your game leaves a little something to be desired, you’ll find solace in Salishan’s on-site spa and restaurant.) From $69 per round
Gearhart Golf Links
Even back in the 1890s, patrons of the (now-defunct) Hotel Gearhart played golf on the town’s modest green. One of the oldest courses on the West Coast, the Gearhart Golf Links got an update in 1999, but the course architect retained the former spirit of the place: The links-style course undulates with the landscape, and British-style pot bunkers are the hazards to avoid. The 1940s-era clubhouse, the Sand Trap, burned down in 1998, but the new Sand Trap, operated by McMenamins, features historic photographs of early Gearhart golfers on the walls. Play a round, then tipple a little on the deck or down in the Pot Bunker Bar, where you can relive your day, or, depending on how you fared, forget it altogether. From $25 per round
—Leslie Heilbrunn
Sandpines
Florence’s wind-sculpted par-72 course circles a stunning central lake, graveyard to many an errant shot. Named one of the best value golf courses in the states by Travel + Leisure, Sandpines promises a quintessential Oregon coast golf experience in a beautiful setting. The 9,000-square-foot clubhouse offers a prime place to post up after your round, or head into town for an unbeatable meal at the historic Waterfront Depot (reservations recommended). From $69 per round
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
When Bandon Dunes Golf Resort’s opened Bandon Trails in 2005, it was praised as a course that all golfers should play before they die. Luckily for us, crossing that item off the short list is no tall order. The resort, which took the No. 1 spot on Golf Digest’s 2011 list of best American golf resorts, is but hours away by car and remains an idyllic place to escape the vagaries of city life. In spite of the accolades, the resort’s courses actively shun any urge to pomp up its aesthetic: From the coast-hugging Bandon Dunes to the forested Bandon Trails, these are true links courses. Carts are strictly forbidden. Bandon’s newest course, Old Macdonald, has already taken top honors from Golfweek magazine as one of the country’s best new courses, and this summer, a fifth course, the 13-hole Bandon Preserve opens next to Bandon Trails. From $160 per round ($100 at the Preserve when it opens in May)
Salish Cliffs
Just opened in near Olympia in September, Salish Cliffs already needs to build a trophy case to display its numerous awards, which include being tapped as one of the nation’s best new courses, one of the best casino-course (Salish Cliffs is associated with to Little Creek Casino), and a glowing review from Forbes. Generous fairways make the course attractive to—shall we say—recreational golfers, while the length of some of the holes will challenge their more skilled counterparts. And both will love savor the clubhouse’s wrap-around porch. From $45 per round
Bend
Each year, the PGA picks only about 30 places to play its Champions Tour. There are reasons Central Oregon almost always makes the list: 300 days of sunshine, rugged desertscapes, and an audience of snowy giants watching over every drive. Of course, you don’t have to be Tiger to enjoy the best of Bend golf. With 22 courses easily accessible from town, Bend promises a delightful—and, during spring, discounted—escape from the soggy greens west of the mountains. A few of our favorites: Pronghorn, a private, gated golf community that opened to the public in 2010; Brasada Ranch, this Redmond-area golf resort boasts quiet, serene play with majestic views of the Cascades and an exceptional spa; Tetherow, created by designer of Bandon Dunes and the Castle Course at St. Andrews, Tetherow’s links-style course bobs and weaves along a rolling landscape of fescue-fringed bunkers; Crosswater, Sunriver’s private course (but open to guests of the resort) has also been the site of the Champions Tour’s Jeld-Wen Traditions Tournament; Black Butte, a Central Oregon classic with two courses, one of which (Glaze Meadow) debuts a $3.75-million renovation this summer.
Tokatee Golf Club
Established in the 1960s, Tokatee accommodates wallet-friendly golf in a picturesque mountain setting. Situated near the Blue and McKenzie rivers, the heavily wooded course’s friendly fairways are more forgiving then one might initially expect, but still reward precise chipping and pitching. And players of all ability levels win when it comes to the setting. From $45 per round
Running Y Ranch
Oregon’s only Arnold Palmer designed course, Running Y puts the best of Southern Oregon golf on display: sun-drenched meadows backdropped by rugged hillsides, pine-studded woodlands, and, on the back-nine, the challenge of Payne Canyon. Palmer himself has credited the course as one of his best tracks. Even better, the resort puts you within sniffing distance of Oregon’s premier water feature: Crater Lake. From $69 per round
April showers might bring May flowers, but they also often bring discounted green fees at some of the region’s top golf getaways. Many courses kick their rates up, come May, so now’s the time to sneak in that coveted round. After all, with the unpredictable weather we’ve been having, there’s no guarantee you’ll get a drier game come May (and so far this season April’s been pretty light on the whole shower thing anyway).
View our slideshow to get rates and find out what’s new—and what’s still great—at some of the Northwest’s favorite courses. Then consult the weather report—or your Magic 8 Ball, which might be more accurate—and schedule that tee time. Even if your game’s a little rusty, the money you save will leave you feeling like a winner.
Tags: Bend & Central Oregon, Florence, Oregon Coast, portland, travel, Bandon Dunes, Golf
