Central Oregon has the perfect recipe for an uncommonly spectacular golf experience. With more than 300 days of sunshine and a natural landscape that stretches from the snow-capped volcanic peaks of the Cascade Range, through dense alpine forests, to the High Desert, Central Oregon has been a magnet for some of the most renowned golf architects in the world.
No wonder then that Central Oregon’s destination golf resorts offer some of the best golf experiences in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. In other words, bucket-list courses are plentiful in Central Oregon. So whether you’re hitting the Central Oregon Golf Trail to score the course record or are new to the sport, we want to help plan your next golf trip with this guide to the top golf resorts near Bend, Oregon.
Top 5 Golf Resorts within 30 Miles of Bend
Tetherow Resort
Tetherow Resort, one of the top golf resorts in Bend, Oregon, is home to a Scottish Heathland-inspired gem designed by famed architect David McLay Kidd. A fixture on Golf Digest’s list of America’s 100 Greatest, Tetherow’s undulating fescue fairways, dramatic High Desert setting, and epic views of the Cascade Range (including Mt. Bachelor and the Three Sisters) make it unlike any course found anywhere in North America. Most of all, Tetherow is fun, especially while riding a Finn Scooter (low-impact electric carts suited for delicate turf). If you’re ready to hit the links, get the skinny on golfing at Tetherow Resort in Bend.
Sunriver Resort
Just 20 minutes south of Bend, Sunriver Resort has four beloved courses for golfers of all skill levels.
No Central Oregon golf course is more celebrated than Crosswater, a Bob Cupp Jr. design that has been a mainstay on Golf Digest’s Top 100 since the magazine first published the list in 2003. Crosswater has hosted plenty of NCAA, USGA, and Champions Tour championships along the way. Spread across 600 acres, Crosswater is perhaps the quintessential Central Oregon golf experience as it wends through natural wetlands and ponderosa pines while repeatedly crisscrossing the Deschutes and Little Deschutes Rivers. All the while, snow-capped Mt. Bachelor towers above.
Sunriver Resort’s Meadows Golf Course, meanwhile, was a Central Oregon pioneer when it opened in 1968. Renovated in 1999 by architect John Fought, Meadows features a gorgeous setting along SunRiver, and its sloping fairways and dramatic bunkering present a challenge to golfers of all skill levels. As is a prerequisite for any great golf design in Central Oregon, views of the Cascade Range add to the course’s charm.
The Woodlands Golf Course is an altogether different experience. Designed by legendary architect Robert Trent Jones Jr., Woodlands twists and turns through the ponderosa pines and lava rock formations that shape the course’s route. The savvy use of bunkers serves as a guide to golfers as they negotiate each challenging shot.
Considered one of the best short courses in the U.S., the nine-hole Caldera Links offers a particularly family-friendly experience with tees ranging from 60 to 185 yards. Cupp’s influence is felt throughout, often feeling as if the holes belong on Crosswater while Mt. Bachelor rises high above.
Ready to hit the links? Learn more with our guide to golf courses in Sunriver, Oregon.
Black Butte Ranch
Black Butte Ranch, about 8 miles northwest of Sisters, is an iconic resort for many reasons—including its pair of championship golf courses that challenge experienced players and offer some of the region’s best mountain views. And the 12-hole Little Meadow putting course has become a beloved addition to Black Butte Ranch, for both golfers and non-golfers.
Designed by legendary architect Robert Muir Graves, Big Meadow has been a Central Oregon stalwart for more than a half-century. Big Meadow has earned a place in the hearts of all who have played it for its sweeping fairways, eye-popping landscapes, and incredible mountain views. Ponderosa pines and aspen groves shape the course, and its 63 cape-and-bay bunkers guide golfers to the proper route to each hole. The 14th hole—with its elevated tee box looking over its aspen-framed green, with the craggy summit of Three Fingered Jack in the background—is one of the Central Oregon Trail’s great photo ops.
Glaze Meadow was redesigned by architect John Fought in 2012, offering an homage to the “Golden Era” of American golf architecture. The result is a course that perfectly balances modern flourishes with elements of classic golf design—including turtleback greens, grass-faced bunkers, and rolling fairways. Frequent views of the Cascade Range, including North Sister and Mt. Washington, enhance the Glaze Meadow experience.
After renovating Glaze Meadow in 2012, architect John Fought returned in 2020 to design the 12-hole Little Meadow putting course. Set near Big Meadow, the sloping, undulating putting course features hole lengths between 45 and 105 feet, and looks as if it was always meant to be there. Reversible and configurable into 18 shorter holes or a longer nine-hole course, Little Meadow has quickly become an irreplaceable and enjoyable addition to Black Butte Ranch’s golf experience.
Juniper Preserve
Roughly halfway between Bend and Redmond, the Pronghorn Club at Juniper Preserve dramatically showcases Central Oregon’s High Desert with a pair of inventive golf courses that embrace their natural surroundings.
The Jack Nicklaus Signature Course was designed by the legendary golfer, traversing through an ancient juniper forest and lava rock outcroppings. One of Golf Digest’s Top 100, the Nicklaus Course is a pristine example of High Desert golf at its finest. The panoramic views of the Cascade Range are stunning.
The Tom Fazio Championship Course, designed by its famed architectural namesake, features a mix of landscapes—including water features, graceful fairways, lava rock formations, and more. No. 8 is considered by many to be among the most memorable par 3s found anywhere.
Brasada Ranch
The Brasada Ranch resort sits on Powell Butte, less than 30 minutes from Bend, Redmond, and Prineville—in the heart of Central Oregon’s High Desert. The golf course, Brasada Canyons, contrasts beautifully with the desert hillside that shapes the route through sagebrush and juniper trees.
Designed by Peter Jacobsen, a former PGA Tour pro and Oregon favorite son, and partner Jim Hardy, Brasada Canyons was named by Golfweek as one of Oregon’s top 15 golf courses. Its generous fairways make it playable for golfers of all skill levels, and the panoramic views stretch from Mt. Hood in the north to Mt. Bachelor in the south. None of the course’s 18 holes run parallel to one other—making it feel at times as if your foursome is the only one on the course.
Another Favorite Golf Resort in Central Oregon
We couldn’t limit this list to just five favorites. Here’s a look at another popular golf course in Central Oregon.
Eagle Crest
Set just west of Redmond, Eagle Crest Resort is among the most family-friendly golf resorts in Central Oregon. Eagle Crest golf includes four unique golf experiences: 36 holes of championship golf, the 18-hole, par-63 Challenge Course, and an 18-hole putting course that will have everyone in the family smiling. Each course has a unique character, but one thing remains consistent: Stunning views of the High Desert landscape and the nearby Cascade Range.
Both championship golf courses will challenge players of all skill levels. The Ridge Course winds through an old-growth juniper forest. Described as a “driver’s dream,” golfers can be aggressive off the tee while staying in play. Meanwhile, the Resort Course’s distinct nines offer a varied experience. The front nine is more open and forgiving, while the tighter back nine requires accuracy. The popular Challenge Course features nine par 3s and nine par 4s, offering a fun, fast-paced experience that tests the limits of a golfer’s short game.
Eagle Crest’s 18-hole Putting Golf Course—where trees, bunkers, lava rock, undulations, and other features pose fun challenges for golfers (and non-golfers) of any age—is perfect for those who want to hone their putting skills or simply have a great time with friends or family.
Other stories
More inspiring stories, adventures, and tips & tricks for planning and experiencing the best Central Oregon has to offer.
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A Locals Guide to Golfing in Bend
Central Oregon is known for its gorgeous weather and sunny days. Bend, Oregon, the most populous city in the region, sits on the border of the Deschutes National Forest and the expansive high desert, at the base of the Cascade Mountains. With so much sunshine and such a varied landscape, golf near Bend has become a nationally recognized activity, featuring nearly 30 courses of all shapes and sizes, for all skill levels within 30 miles of Bend.
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Discover Redmond's Best Golf Courses
Redmond, Oregon, is a bustling community that shares the same amazing views and landscape that the rest of Central Oregon has, but with a smaller population that gives way to quiet courses less likely to develop a crowd. The area’s milder weather grants golfers the opportunity to hit the links nearly year-round, all while enjoying the many amenities Central Oregon offers, like farm-to-table dining and some of the best craft beer, cider and wine around. You can’t really go wrong with golf in Central Oregon, but read on to discover some amazing golf courses in Redmond.
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Central Oregon Golf: Best Par 3s
Play a good golf course and chances are that when you’re back at the 19th hole, you’re talking about the Par 3s. The short one you made double on. The bear where you snaked in a 20-footer for your only birdie all month. They’re the “short” holes that can make or break a round. Some of the signature holes on the Central Oregon Golf Trail are Par 3s. Here’s a look at some of the best.