Courtesy of Evan Schiller
Courtesy of Evan Schiller
Courtesy of Evan Schiller
Courtesy of Evan Schiller
Courtesy of the club
Courtesy of Evan Schiller
Pronghorn Club at Juniper Preserve
Bend, OR • Public
Pronghorn Club at Juniper Preserve
65600 Pronghorn Club Dr
Bend, OR 97701-0101
United States
Telephone
Overview
When it first opened in 2004, Pronghorn was strictly private, and its Nicklaus Course was ranked No. 2 by Golf Digest 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 Greatest Public Courses. It’s a beauty. The second nine, carved from a flow of volcanic rock, might 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 that sit low on the land and slide through washes of exposed sand, native grasses and low pines and evergreens.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
100 Greatest Public: Ranked since 2011.
Highest ranking: 23rd, 2011-'12.
2025-'26 ranking: 41st.
Second 100 Greatest: Ranked from 2013-'22.
Best in State: Ranked inside the top 10 since 2011.
2025-'26 ranking (and previous): 8th.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“The second nine may be the best nine holes Nicklaus has done."
Read More2025
Review
“One of the better conditioned public courses out there. Fairways narrow requiring some demanding tee shots for good positioning. Greens are nearly perfect shapes sizes and contours and speed is perfect. Very beautiful back nine carved into the rock. Great mix of left and right shaped holes."
Read More2025
Review
“One of the better conditioned public courses out there. Fairways narrow requiring some demanding tee shots for good positioning. Greens are nearly perfect shapes sizes and contours and speed is perfect. Very beautiful back nine carved into the rock. Great mix of left and right shaped holes."
Read More2025
Review
“Very challenging course with great aesthetics and a good variety of holes. Fun to play but probably only if you bring your A game. Definitely among the best courses in OR."
Read More2025
Review
“This Nicklaus course designed in 2004 at Pronghorn Golf Club in Bend, Oregon, is part desert layout and juniper forest and is part of the Juniper Preserve. The golf course which spans more than 7300 yards from the tips has five sets of tees as well as three additional combo tees to accommodate all levels of golfers. The views from the course are breathtaking including Mt. Bachelor, Broken Top and Three Sisters. While the views from the tee boxes appear to go into relatively wide fairways, ball placement is very important as numerous doglegs come into play. There is a premium on the second shot as they go into greens with multiple levels and undulations. Relatively numerous fairway and green side bunkers come into play and the rough around the greens can vary from light fringe to fairly thick. The fairways run relatively firm giving the golfer an opportunity to run the ball on certain holes. The greens are well conditioned, generally fairly wide but often shallow. The greens have subtle undulations but more importantly they are often segmented, forcing the golfer to be in the right quadrant. Overall, this well-conditioned Niklaus layout can be tougher than it looks and requires the golfer to execute on ball placement to score well. The course provides a great variety of shot making opportunities and can give the golfer a great sense of achievement if they score well."
Read More2025
Review
“Pronghorn (Nicklaus) is a thinking player’s course that is visually refined, strategically designed, and always in top condition. You can’t just swing away out here. The angles matter, and the green complexes really reward good ball striking and positioning. It’s one of those layouts that starts to open up the more you play it. The lava rock features give it a sense of place, and the views of the Cascades in the distance remind you where you are. Hole 13 really stayed with me after the round as it was beautifully done. It really stood out with the water running along the right side and a rock waterfall tucked behind the green. The visuals are stunning, but it’s not just eye candy. The tee shot tempts you to cut off more than you should, and the approach gets your full attention. That moment really captured what I like most about the course — it’s strategic, beautiful, and always feels well thought out."
Read More2025
Review
“High Desert setting with Pine Trees, Tall Junipers and rock cropping's which add to the Aesthetics. Pronghorn at Juniper Preserve has 2 courses this Nicklaus course which is public and Fazio course which is Private. Excellent amenities at Clubhouse so would be nice play to visit and stay for a relaxing getaway. Only downside is it is 30 minute drive to restaurants in downtown Bend. Typical Nicklaus course with very difficult green complexes they are well bunkered and lots of undulation on the greens. Fairways are mostly wide so not a terribly difficult course to drive it in fairway. Back nine layout offers some rock cropping's and doglegs that create additional challenges."
Read More2025
Review
“The Jack Nicklaus course at Pronghorn Club is located in the high western desert north of Bend, Oregon and is a semi-private course that is part of a 36-hole complex with the fully private Fazio 18. Playing at 7.049 yards and with a robust rating of 154 and slope of 74.3, Pronghorn is a very challenging course. With many false fronts, contoured and quick greens, lava formations, and strategic bunkering, Pronghorn requires plenty of “game” off the tee and around the greens. Pronghorn offers a nice mix of holes with more dogleg lefts (6) than dogleg rights (3), bucking the perception that Nicklaus favors the fader of the ball. The course is mostly flat with some moderate elevation changes on the uphill 5th, 12th, and 15th. Only the 470-yard finishing 18th plays uphill, thankfully just slightly. There is a very nice blend of hole length with 2 short par 3s, and 4 short par 4s, including the drivable 4th and 12th. The par 5s are moderate to long and all but the 604-yard 8th are very reachable for longer hitters. Any shot shape will work off the tee as Nicklaus does not force anything specific, but the risk-reward values abound for aggressive players. Green complexes are sloped and often well-guarded, so a higher ball flight works best. Approach shots missing the green will generally leave a challenging up and down with sometimes severe slopes. Water, especially 13, and unplayable areas further add to the challenge. While a residential development, Pronghorn uses the natural Cypress trees to shield the abundant homesites from view and from crowding the course. The austere desert environment and lava wastelands contrast beautifully with the snow-capped Cascade Mountain range in the background. Almost everywhere you look, there is an opportunity to stop and take a photo. The playing conditions at Pronghorn are stellar, right up there with any high-end private club. Fairways are immaculate, firm and just spongy enough to provide perfect lies from everywhere. Greens are quick, but manageable as excess speed would make them almost unplayable due to the contours and mounding. Well-struck approaches, chips and pitches behave as expected with consistent bite. Bunkers are very consistently well-manicured and very playable for all golfer abilities. At only 7,059 yards from the Black tees, a highly proficient golfer would think they could overpower Pronghorn They would be mistaken. Well placed bunkers, tricky green complexes, water hazards, rocks, and steady winds provide plenty of challenges for all golfers. Very good shots are rewarded but even slight mistakes are punished with difficult recoveries for well-earned pars. The Jack Nicklaus course at Pronghorn is a wonderful course and well worth the trip to Bend, Oregon. It is fun, it is challenging, it is very pretty and offers a true upscale private club atmosphere. The only caveat would be to avoid the busy times on the weekend as the volume of play, combined with the difficulty of the course and lack of pace of play management, yields a frustratingly slow round."
Read More2025
Review
“The Jack Nicklaus course at Pronghorn Club is located in the high western desert north of Bend, Oregon and is a semi-private course that is part of a 36-hole complex with the fully private Fazio 18. Playing at 7.049 yards and with a robust rating of 154 and slope of 74.3, Pronghorn is a very challenging course. With many false fronts, contoured and quick greens, lava formations, and strategic bunkering, Pronghorn requires plenty of “game” off the tee and around the greens. Pronghorn offers a nice mix of holes with more dogleg lefts (6) than dogleg rights (3), bucking the perception that Nicklaus favors the fader of the ball. The course is mostly flat with some moderate elevation changes on the uphill 5th, 12th, and 15th. Only the 470-yard finishing 18th plays uphill, thankfully just slightly. There is a very nice blend of hole length with 2 short par 3s, and 4 short par 4s, including the drivable 4th and 12th. The par 5s are moderate to long and all but the 604-yard 8th are very reachable for longer hitters. Any shot shape will work off the tee as Nicklaus does not force anything specific, but the risk-reward values abound for aggressive players. Green complexes are sloped and often well-guarded, so a higher ball flight works best. Approach shots missing the green will generally leave a challenging up and down with sometimes severe slopes. Water, especially 13, and unplayable areas further add to the challenge. While a residential development, Pronghorn uses the natural Cypress trees to shield the abundant homesites from view and from crowding the course. The austere desert environment and lava wastelands contrast beautifully with the snow-capped Cascade Mountain range in the background. Almost everywhere you look, there is an opportunity to stop and take a photo. The playing conditions at Pronghorn are stellar, right up there with any high-end private club. Fairways are immaculate, firm and just spongy enough to provide perfect lies from everywhere. Greens are quick, but manageable as excess speed would make them almost unplayable due to the contours and mounding. Well-struck approaches, chips and pitches behave as expected with consistent bite. Bunkers are very consistently well-manicured and very playable for all golfer abilities. At only 7,059 yards from the Black tees, a highly proficient golfer would think they could overpower Pronghorn They would be mistaken. Well placed bunkers, tricky green complexes, water hazards, rocks, and steady winds provide plenty of challenges for all golfers. Very good shots are rewarded but even slight mistakes are punished with difficult recoveries for well-earned pars. The Jack Nicklaus course at Pronghorn is a wonderful course and well worth the trip to Bend, Oregon. It is fun, it is challenging, it is very pretty and offers a true upscale private club atmosphere. The only caveat would be to avoid the busy times on the weekend as the volume of play, combined with the difficulty of the course and lack of pace of play management, yields a frustratingly slow round."
Read More2025
Review
“Once a members only club, the public can now play the original Nicklaus course at the high end Pronghorn resort. This may be one of Jack's best designs. It wanders through a high desert Juniper forest with spectacular views of the snow-capped mountains to the west of Bend. There's some great risk/reward holes as well as some very strategic par 5's with landing zones surrounded by Juniper trees and rock formations. The back 9 is especially scenic with a great run of finishing holes. Conditions are superb and the resort has a fabulous practice facility. The Fazio course at the resort is limited to Members only, This is some of the best golf in Oregon not at Bandon Dunes."
Read More2025
