The 10 BEST Golf Courses in Bend, Oregon (2023)

An introduction to bending.

In this blog post we will explore some of the best golf courses in Bend. But let's be real, Bend is a relatively dark place. Right in the heart of Oregon and over a three hour drive from Portland, the state capital. That is far from anywhere.

But this "get away from it all" city is a wonderful place and an outdoor lover's paradise. On one side are the snow-capped peaks of the Cascade Mountains, on the other the vast desert plateaus.

In addition, there are more than 80 public parks and forests that grace the slopes of the majestic mountains. This is a picturesque place and you are beginning to understand why it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the West.

The main activities revolve around the outdoors, although if you're golfing all day, you probably won't feel like hiking! One option would be to kayak or raft down one of the many rivers. This is a great way to experience wildlife in the great outdoors.

Bend itself is a modern and cosmopolitan city with many busy neighborhoods. Shopping is great here, as is the food scene.

But if you're in Bend, you should definitely check out one of the microbreweries that have sprung up. The number of breweries has grown exponentially over the past decade, so much so that there's even a Bend Ale Trail that visits the best breweries.

It also has some decent golf courses…

The best golf courses in Bend, Oregon

Aspen Lakes Golf Course

A half-hour drive north of Bend, just east of Sisters, is Aspen Lakes Golf Course. It is a public and private golf course not to be missed when visiting Bend.

The course is owned by the Cyrus family, who bought a 1,084-acre property next to their farm in 1988. The goal was to create a world-class golf course that was still open to the public and to oversee the project they called William Overdorf.

Overdorf was responsible for several golf projects in Washington State and was therefore a trusted and experienced contact. The first nine opened in 1996, and the second nine three years later, in 1999.

One of the main objectives of the construction was to be as ecological as possible. This means that all the bunkers are made from local red sand, made from red ash from the family farm.

There is a beautiful view of the mountains and despite the presence of some high-end apartments, you really feel one with nature. There are some wonderful holes, especially the back nine.

Resort Tetherow

Tetherow Resort sits on 700 acres on the edge of the Deschutes National Forest, just 10 minutes south of Bend. This is a beautiful place with a boutique hotel, three restaurants, a pool, and a gym.

It also boasts an excellent award-winning 18-hole golf course designed by equally acclaimed architect David McLay Kidd.

McLay Kidd has designed some very special courses in his career, none more so than the outstanding Bandon Dunes on the Oregon coast and Castle Stuart in Scotland. Ten years after Bandon Dunes was completed, McLay Kidd was hired to work on the project. In 2008, Tetherow finally opened up for gaming.

This huge terrain is very similar in style to Links. Firm, fast playing surfaces and fescue grass provide a links feel. The beautiful fairways and contoured greens are one of the main features. So much so that getting to the green is only half the challenge.

Since its opening, the course has received numerous awards, and Golf Digest regularly lists it as one of America's Top 100 Courses. If you're in Bend, take a tee time here, you won't regret it.

Crosswater-Golfplatz

Another award-winning golf course in the Bend area, Crosswater is a gem.

The course is one of three 18-hole championship designs that are part of Sunriver Golf Resort. The other two courses are Meadows, designed by John Fought, and Woodlands, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. Both are excellent, but Crosswater is huge.

We are a 30 minute drive south of Bend in dense forests and protected wetlands with amazing views of the Cascade Mountains. This is a special place, all 600 acres with the Deschutes and Little Deschutes rivers running through the grounds.

Depending on which tee shots you choose, these two rivers can come into play up to seven times. So make sure you pack a lot of balls.

This wasteland design is highly acclaimed and ranked as one of "America's Top 100 Golf Courses" by Golf Digest. It has also hosted its fair share of professional events, notably the PGA Professional National Championship and Tour of Champions events.

Stay here at the hotel and you will have full access to the course.

golf course juniper

Bend and the surrounding area are clearly blessed with a great golf course. There are some top notch golf resorts and layouts out there, but you pay a lot of money to play them. However, the public side certainly holds its own, with Juniper Golf Course leading the way.

Redmond is a small town 15 miles north of Bend and Juniper is one of the first resources you come across before entering the town. This is a large tract of land with no urban or residential buildings encroaching on the site.

With so much space, John Harbottle, the course architect, was able to create a layout suitable for all levels and abilities. From the back tees, the course extends approximately 7,200 yards. Luckily there is a selection of tees, six to be exact, for those who don't want to spend a long afternoon.

As a testament to their high standards, Juniper has hosted many top-tier tournaments, including the US Amateur Qualification tournaments and the Oregon Open. Given its proximity to the Redmond airport, this is an obvious choice to start your golf trip to Bend.

Widgi Creek Golf Club

Just 10 minutes south of downtown Bend, Widgi Creek is another public golf course that epitomizes quality, affordable golf.

Yes, guys like Tetherow, Pronghorn, Crosswater and others get praise and praise. But among places, Widgi Creek is unique.

It regularly wins awards, with Bend Bulletin readers calling it their "Favorite Golf Course." And readers of The Source, Bend's free weekly, vote it their favorite golf course year after year.

But Widgi Creek isn't just making a name for itself among the venues, because Golf Digest voted it one of the "Best Places to Play." It's fair to say that this is a decent track.

It opened in 1995 and was immediately recognized as one of the best places to gamble in Bend. Although most of the fairways are tree lined, they are wide enough to be a bit aggressive off the tee. The large, undulating greens are constantly in good condition and require precise play.

Gabelbock (Fazio y Nicklaus)

Nestled on a secluded 1,500 acres in a 1,000-year-old juniper forest sits the elegant community of Pronghorn.

This is luxury seclusion perfected, with the resort offering an array of amenities including multiple restaurants, pools, a fitness center, and incredible inns and other accommodation options.

At the same time, there are two first-class golf courses scattered throughout the extensive forest. Add to this the ancient lava formations, steep gorges, and stunning views of the Cascade Mountains, this is a great place to play golf.

The first was the Jack Nicklaus Signature design, which was open to the public. There isn't much elevation change, but the challenge comes from strategically placed large bunkers that seem to cut through every line of play.

This is a relatively minimalist course that plays tight and fast. Expect to hit close to 7,400 yards off the back tees.

Two years after the opening of the Nicklaus course in 2006 came Fazio's private facility. This excellent course is more than a worthy companion to the Nicklaus design, with many arguing that this is the better of the two.

The course is extremely playable and blends in perfectly with the environment. The intricately carved greens are preceded by spectacular water features and ancient lava rocks. At all times you will be flanked by the ubiquitous junipers.

Both courses have been immaculately maintained and Pronghorn is without a doubt one of Oregon's best 36 hole golf destinations. It's a shame that any decent design gets unfairly compared to the courses at Bandon Dunes.

Brasada Golf Ranch

Like Pronghorn, Brasada Ranch is an award-winning luxury resort. Condé Nast Traveler recently ranked Brasada Ranch among the top 30 resorts in the world. While Travel + Leisure and Sunset Magazine showered similar praise.

The complex is located remotely a half hour drive northeast of Bend through the Oregon Badlands Wilderness. The surrounding landscape is rugged with volcanic rock formations and craters. It is also found on the slopes of Powell Butte, one of the many extinct cinder cone buttes in the area.

In this setting, former PGA Tour player Peter Jacobsen and golf course architect Jim Hardy rounded out the 18 holes at Brasada Ranch. The expansive configuration means that no two holes are parallel to each other.

When walking through a gorge, there are many elevations. With elevations come great views, but also some great shots. Key shots come from elevated tees to sloping fairways. At just 7,300 yards from the back tees, it's a big course for tall players.

club superior roto

One of the closest golf courses to downtown Bend, Broken Top, is on the other side of the Deschutes River. It is one of the few private golf courses in the Bend area.

The course was designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish. Those are two names that are synonymous with producing courses that blend traditional design elements with more modern typefaces.

The location is idyllic. The view of vast forests gives way to the snow-capped Cascade Mountains in the distance. The club has a vibrant and dedicated membership, with a first-class restaurant and other amenities.

There are some great holes here, nothing more than his signature hole. We are talking about a par 11, 4, a slightly uphill fairway that turns into a drop-off along the edge of the cliff on the right, crossed by a well-protected green.

The terrain is relatively flat, apart from some differences in elevation. But this is a wonderful course worth getting an invite to.

curve golf club

In the south of the city, in the green part of the city, is the fantastic Bend Golf Club.

In recent decades, Bend has grown in popularity as a vacation destination, drawing people from all over the country. However, Bend Golf Club was formed long before Bend even appeared on the map.

The course was designed by Chandler Egan and built in 1925, making it one of the best golf courses in Bend. Over the years it has matured in its environment and now offers the perfect blend of walkability and playability.

Well-groomed, tree-lined fairways lead to beautifully contoured greens, which are definitely the highlight here.

As a testament to the quality on offer, Bend Golf Club has hosted the Oregon Open, the Oregon Amateur, the Northwest Open, and many other tournaments of similar caliber.

Awbrey Glen Golf Club

The final course on our list takes us northwest of the city past Awbrey Butte. Unlike other courses in the Bend area, the topography here is much more interesting and features significantly more elevation change.

It is also visually impressive. In addition to magnificent views, there are dense forests and spectacular rock outcroppings. These rocky outcroppings are a common feature throughout the course, with some greens flanked by steep rocks.

The course was designed by Bunny Mason and stretches from 4,700 to 7,000 yards. The layout of Awbrey Glen Golf Club has few quirks. There are challenging holes that depend on the natural undulations of the terrain, but none of them are unfairly punishable.

This is more than just golf and Awbrey Glen is well worth a detour with a stunning clubhouse to complement the overall experience. The club is private and has an active membership.

What is the best golf course in Bend, Oregon?

The best golf course in Bend, Oregon is the Fazio Course at the exclusive Pronghorn Resort. The Fazio Course, one of two golf courses adjacent to the Nicklaus Course, opened in 2008 and was designed by Tom Fazio.

How many golf courses are there in Bend?

There are 23 golf courses within a 20-mile radius of Bend, 10 of which are in close proximity to downtown.