Filling in the Western U.S. Hole

A blog about the Gurus' longest golf trip of the season; a 5 day run to Central Oregon.

Bill and I recognized at the beginning of this year that the largest hole in our area of expertise was Central Oregon. We had made a fairly comprehensive sweep of the best courses in the northwest covering the states of Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. However, there were some notable courses in the greater Bend area that begged for our attention. So, really the only legitimate solution was to plan a 5-day, 9-round trip to what turned out to be a sweet little golf destination.

July 12, 2007 - Sunriver Resort (Woodlands and Meadows)

The trip started with a flight to the Redmond, Oregon airport. Bill flew out of Pocatello, through Salt Lake City, where I met him for a convenient, one-way flight to a perfectly sized airport - one consisting of a baggage claim, a ticket counter, and a couple of car rental stops - all of these in the same room, all free of lines, and all accessible without going in and out of security. The only eventful moment was at the car rental counter where the attendant tried every slant in the book to get us to purchase an upgrade to an SUV, before finally admitting that they didn't have any other vehicles and would have to give us the upgrade free of charge. Nice try!

Our first rounds of the trip were both at Sunriver Resort. We started at the Woodlands Course and finished with the Meadows Course. Due to the speedy checkout at the airport we arrived early and requested an earlier tee time if possible. The starter accommodated our request by putting us with a golf-addicted couple in their 70s - Tom and Joyce. The course was undergoing some work and was therefore "cart path only." Geriatrics, 3 separate tee boxes, and "cart path only" is a very good formula for about 6 hour round. We endured it for 10 holes and then made the always-uncomfortable suggestion that we scoot out ahead and play it as a 2-some. We knew they would probably take it personally, but rationalized it with the idea of uninhibited golf and the fact that we would likely never see them again. We, of course, hit our next several shots in the weeds, held up the old couple while we looked for our balls, played about 2 unobstructed holes, and then directly ran into several groups ahead of us, which instantly allowed Joyce and Tom to catch back up with us - where we made the redeeming suggestion that we pair back up as our original 4-some. The Robert Trent Jones Jr. course was worth playing, especially as the warm up round of the trip, but was just an allusion of things to come.

The second round was at the Meadows Course and we were again paired with a couple that was about double our age. And, again we tried to get out play out in front of our new friends, Marsha and Terry, but again got backlogged and ended up pairing back up with them. So, we ended up 2 for 2 on the day - getting paired with the old folks, finding an excuse to play out ahead, and then hitting traffic and finishing the round with them after all. The John Fought design was the better of the two courses, with a stronger shot value and design variety, but was a very nice compliment to the Woodlands venue.

Upon playing our 36th hole of the day, we loaded up and made the 3 hour drive to Eugene, stopping briefly for some fine dining at Taco Bell, and ending our journey at our home-away-from-home, Motel 6.

5th hole at Sunriver Resort (Meadows)

July 13, 2007 - Eugene Country Club and Tokatee

Friday started at one of the great golf settings anywhere: Eugene Country Club. Wow! What a pleasure! Massive trees, impeccable conditioning, fantastic design variety, picturesque par 3s, and a108-year-old design that still dictates a start-to-finish test of your shot making ability were the perfect ingredients for an unreal experience. The club's outstanding layout is the culmination of years of commitment to maintenance and improvements, including a massive re-routing overseen by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. where tees and greens were swapped to effectively reverse the course. At just over 7000 yards, and with a couple of hundred varieties of trees, including towering 300 foot tall evergreens, making it impossible to ever cut a corner, and soft, ball-plugging conditions, Eugene Country Club played as long as any course that we have ever played. Longer by considerable measure than our current yardage leader, the 7975 yard Rochelle Ranch in Rawlins, Wyoming.

The second round of the day was an out-of-the-way gem called Tokatee Golf Club in Blue River, Oregon that was conveniently located part-way back towards our remaining 5 rounds in the Bend area. Tokatee is one of those rounds that we love to play and report on - it is under-the-radar, can be played for less than $50, and has made significant lists such as Golf Digest's Best Courses in Oregon, and America's Top 25 Public Courses. Both of these accolades occurred multiple times as far back as 1984, but had disappeared more recently from such recognition. We ended up being paired with a Tokatee-infatuated, self-proclaimed hippie that lived each year for an annual buddies tournament that was held at the course. He was in town a couple of days early to try to get a jump start on the competition. Consequently, our round was filled with incessant stories of past glories and undisciplined activities surrounding this greatest of all tournaments, and an indescribable positive bias for what turned out to be a great golf experience. While the course's first 3 holes were a very slow starting, mismatched attachment to an otherwise great course, and no single hole was anywhere near the over-inflated opinion of our twitterpated playing partner, the overall track was a real treat to play - especially for the $50 fee.

After the round we loaded up and made the 2 hour drive to Bend. This time, driving past the Motel 6 to a plush (by our pathetic golf trip standards) Inn at the Seventh Mountain, where we stayed for 2 nights due to a completely sold-out 50 mile radius around Bend that was the result of the world famous Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show that takes place each summer in Sisters Oregon. Seriously. Had we only known, we could have played less golf and allocated large chunks of time to appreciating the offspring of a kaleidoscope and blanket. Next year. For sure.

12th hole at Eugene Country Club

July 14, 2007 - Pronghorn Golf Club (Nicklaus and Fazio)

Saturday was one of our best 36-hole days ever. We played both courses, the Jack Nicklaus Course and the Tom Fazio Course, at Pronghorn. In retrospect, I almost envy myself - getting to play these two design masterpieces (in the same day) ought to be the chance of a lifetime.

The signature of both courses to me was 21st century, bar-raising conditioning. We played as a 2-some at the Nicklaus Course first and were amazed at the design; it was a true championship course, capable of testing all skill levels from its back tees. Classic Nicklaus bunkers played havoc on the psyche throughout the round - especially once you found yourself in one - you knew you didn't want to be in one again. Arroyos, mounds of rock and brush - sometimes dividing fairways and routes to the green, and a penile, ever-present high desert terrain all demanded shot-making throughout the round. However, this coarse terrain had been completely disciplined within the confines of the course by incredible course design and subsequent meticulous maintenance.

Early in the round, Bill and I noticed that we were particularly parched and that the hot, arid conditions of the day would call for ample hydration. Fortunately, the course had coolers on every other hole, or so, that were loaded with complimentary full-sized bottles of ice water. We started guzzling, thought to keep our "empties" rather than throw them away, and by the end of the round we counted 22 of them between us! We are known for our all-you-can-eat tendencies on a golf trip, but this was the first all-you-can-drink act.

The second round of the day was played with a young assistant pro named Randy. While we often play with members or club pros when playing a private facility, we had never played with someone quite like Randy. He didn't have much game, his course management tips were generally inaccurate, and he wasn't even playing with his own clubs. When we asked him "why not?", he told us that they were at home, that he hadn't thought to have them with him - either in his car or at his work - which . . . apparently he forgot . . . was a golf course. Huh? I think I might keep the sticks with me if golf was my chosen profession, or there was chance for comp'ed golf, or I was going to spend all day at a phenomenal course, or I could be assigned to play with a couple of guys during work hours, or all of the above!

The course was a brilliant track. It was the upper end of golfers should come to expect when they are playing a Tom Fazio course for the first time. It was extraordinary. It differed from its Nicklaus sister in terrain (oddly, since they were part of the same complex) and presentation. The bunkers characterized the difference. Fazio's were designed to look like they were cut out of the natural sand in terms of color, shape, and native grass-lined edges. Similarly, the course was set up to appear to be integrated with its surroundings. Even the mounding between holes was carefully done to appear as naturally occurring as possible. While the Nicklaus course, in some ways, laid in contrast to its barren setting, with perfectly cut bunkers filled with imported, whiter sand.

Fazio's course, though, was the most perfectly conditioned course that I have ever witnessed! It was flawless. It made Shadow Creek look a bit mangy. Interestingly, though, and unlike the congruent conditioning of Shadow Creek, this impeccable conditioning didn't completely jive with the natural veneer of the rest of the course. It was almost too perfect (if that is possible) - conditioning such as that should be reserved for a course that unabashedly presents itself as created not found.

The highlight of the day was one of the coolest par 3s that you will ever see (See Guru's Best Holes). The original layout of the course called for a short, par 3, eighth hole to be a slightly elevated tee shot over a bit of a lava field to a green complex about 150 yards away. While doing some aesthetic blasting at the front of the green to give full view from the tee boxes, however, the lava field collapsed revealing an unknown and breathtaking "lava tube" 50 - 80 feet below the surface. It was classic blessing in disguise, as the first reactions must have been disastrous, followed quickly by a realization that the incorporation of this new feature would provide for one of the "coolest" features ever. Fascinatingly, the natural cavern does not just provide unique appeal to the hole, but it also produces a year-round constant temperature that is delightfully cool in the summer and very temperate in the winter. (Pictures shown at Guru's Best Holes).

8th hole at Pronghorn Golf Club (Fazio)

July 15, 2007 - Crosswater and Broken Top

We stared out at Crosswater and were paired with a kid about to start college at the University of Oregon (Jason) and his dad (Dan). They were in Oregon visiting the campus, getting a feel for the area, and spending a little dad and son time. Jason was a typically young player - could hit it a mile off the tee (although not half as far as his dad thought he could), and Dan was a typical "hack" - with a foul mouth, a temper, and no personality. However, like most of our playing partners, we had warmed them up to the point of social enjoyment by the end of the round.

"Crosswater" was an accurate choice of names, as 7 of the holes had cross over the waters of the Deschutes and Little Deschutes Rivers (from the tips), and 14-15 had forced carries over either water, wetlands, or other hazard. It plays 7,683 yards from the Gold Tees and has a rating and slope of 76.5/153. This about as stiff a combination as you ever will see, which is why Crosswater has hosted (and will continue to be the site for) many amateur tournaments, and recently was named the host of the Jeld-Wen Tradition of the Champions Tour.

Our second round of the day was played at Broken Top Club, which turned out to be an under-hyped jewel. Broken Top was designed by Jay Moorish and Tom Weiskopf and opened for play in 1992. It currently a private course and is in the process of becoming a member-owned equity club.

We were checked in at the pro shop by a less-than-friendly employee that seemed very bothered that we were there to play the course - for whatever reason. He told us that he could get us out in about 35 minutes, but that we could go hit the range until his specified time. When we drove around the lake to the adjacent first tee and driving range we realized that no one else was on the course. After hitting balls for about 5 minutes, we made an executive decision to completely disregard our specific instructions to wait, and went ahead and teed off. Neither the supposed group in front of us - that we didn't catch until the 8th hole -, nor the following group - which likely didn't tee off until the next morning - ever knew the difference.

When we finally did catch someone it was one middle aged woman, and a gal who looked about 75, and we speculated that they may have just jumped on for a couple of holes. We waited on them briefly on the 8th hole, and then again on the tee box of the 9th. The 9th hole is a 356 yard dogleg left, that we speculated could be Weiskopf signature drivable par 4 - although we couldn't be sure since #1 was only 353 yards, and #11 was 364. The 9th allows a clear view of the green that is all carry over a weed-infested wasteland. It also features a large, rock-strewn mound with multiple towering pine trees lying right in the landing area. Being unsure of how to play the hole, or exact yardages to safe zones, we waited until we could see the younger woman on the green. Bill stepped up and hit a towering tee shot that wound up clearing the massive mound and group of trees. I then hit, and seemed to land right on top of Bill's line. Bill then opted to take a provisional right at the green, however, he left it slightly right and it headed toward our first 2 balls. When we arrived near the landing area we first noticed all 3 balls within 10-15 feet of each other. Great shots, that were 10-15 yards off the front, right side of the green. Next, we quickly noticed the 75-year-old gal heading our way with a look on her face that immediately informed us that we were in trouble! She nearly screamed at us, letting us know that we had nearly killed her with each of the three shots we had taken. For every accusation we made, though, we apologized to the profuse extent possible. It pretty much left her without much to say, other than a stammering version of "Well, you just need to be more careful . . ." Once she was gone, (and realizing that she hadn't been hit) we had a good laugh over the scare we gave her, and ran through few far-fetched scenarios of what could have happened.

The course was an overall treat. It had great holes, with great individual and collective character. The Memorability score ended up quite high.

11th hole at Broken Top Club

July 16, 2007 - Aspen Lakes

The trip's final round, my 35th birthday, and a great, unique course located outside of Sisters, Oregon (make sure you get good directions prior to trying to find it). We were paired with a father / son combo again - John and Scott. They were both quality players. John had a controlled game that seemed to always net a par. Scott was typical college student with long drives and a less controlled short game. (Again, a case of the dad mistakenly thinking the son was the second coming of Jason Zuback with a driver). Nonetheless, they were a much better pair than we had been paired with in a long time. So, we made the suggestion (3 holes in) that we 'best-ball" the remaining 6 holes for drinks at the turn. Luckily, John didn't take us seriously because they proceeded to royally kick our butts. Most of this on the grandest blow up I can remember my game having for a 9 hole stretch in a long time! Holes 3-9 were all double bogey or worse! I was pathetic. Starting with an absolutely sporadic driver, and not getting much better all the way through to my putter, I just plain sucked! I was so miserable at the turn that I wanted to quit. Nice birthday! So, I ordered 2 diet Pepsis and a Red Bull at the turn (crazy, I know), put away the driver for the rest of the round (which was tough since the back plays to almost 3700 yards), took 4 iron off of every par 4 or 5, and proceeded to shoot a 39 on the back; a good lesson in persistence, ball control, on course temperament, and the benefits of timely caffeine.

The course was beautiful. It had signature red sand bunkers, massive pine trees, attractive water features, and views of distant snow-covered peaks. It also is a great value course for the area with rates available daily for around $50. It was great cap to a fantastic trip to a new area that is worth strong consideration for anyone looking for an impressive and enjoyable golf destination.

11th hole at Aspen Lakes