Best golf courses near Bend, OR

Pronghorn Resort's Fazio Course in Bend is one of the best courses in Oregon. Discover our experts reviews and where Pronghorn ranks in our rankings.

A decade after David McLay Kidd established his architectural reputation with the original Bandon Dunes course, he returned to Oregon, settled in Bend and built another dazzling course, Tetherow. Far different than Bandon, with a manufactured landscape of lumps and bumps, far more bunkers, plus a couple of lakes, it nonetheless has the same fescue as at Bandon, so tee shots get plenty of roll and some approach shots can be bounced into flagsticks. The big difference is that Tetherow is a bear to play and demands a high degree of strength and skill to put up a good score, whereas Bandon Dunes creates opportunity when the wind isn't whipping. This design marked the beginning of Kidd's wandering phase where he lost sight of the reason most golfers enjoy the game and built a series of impressive and attractive but inforgiving courses. Even he admits Tetherow can be too penalizing. His response was Gamble Sands and Mammoth Dunes where tactics and recoverability take precedence over strict shot-making.

When it first opened in 2004, Pronghorn was strictly private and its Nicklaus Course was ranked by Golf Digest as No. 2 among America’s Best New Private Courses (a second members-only 18 from Tom Fazio opened three years later). A few years back, the club began allowing public play on its Nicklaus design, now ranked No. 42 on America’s 100 Best Public Courses. It’s a beauty. The second nine, carved from a flow of volcanic rock, may be the most delightful Jack has ever designed, with gambling holes and gorgeous scenery at every turn. The shaping is gentle and subdued to create holes sit low on the land and slide through washes of exposed sand, native grasses and low pines and evergreens.

Pronghorn Resort's Fazio Course in Bend is one of the best courses in Oregon. Discover our experts reviews and where Pronghorn ranks in our rankings.

A decade after David McLay Kidd established his architectural reputation with the original Bandon Dunes course, he returned to Oregon, settled in Bend and built another dazzling course, Tetherow. Far different than Bandon, with a manufactured landscape of lumps and bumps, far more bunkers, plus a couple of lakes, it nonetheless has the same fescue as at Bandon, so tee shots get plenty of roll and some approach shots can be bounced into flagsticks. The big difference is that Tetherow is a bear to play and demands a high degree of strength and skill to put up a good score, whereas Bandon Dunes creates opportunity when the wind isn't whipping. This design marked the beginning of Kidd's wandering phase where he lost sight of the reason most golfers enjoy the game and built a series of impressive and attractive but inforgiving courses. Even he admits Tetherow can be too penalizing. His response was Gamble Sands and Mammoth Dunes where tactics and recoverability take precedence over strict shot-making.

When it first opened in 2004, Pronghorn was strictly private and its Nicklaus Course was ranked by Golf Digest as No. 2 among America’s Best New Private Courses (a second members-only 18 from Tom Fazio opened three years later). A few years back, the club began allowing public play on its Nicklaus design, now ranked No. 42 on America’s 100 Best Public Courses. It’s a beauty. The second nine, carved from a flow of volcanic rock, may be the most delightful Jack has ever designed, with gambling holes and gorgeous scenery at every turn. The shaping is gentle and subdued to create holes sit low on the land and slide through washes of exposed sand, native grasses and low pines and evergreens.