Page 33 - Oregon Golf & Travel Guide 2022
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Central Oregon Golf Trail                                                                                    CENTRAL









                                                               natural  geography,  Central  Oregon  has  undeniably  become  a
                                                               mecca  for  outdoor  adventurists  regardless  of  their  activity  of
                                                               choice.  For  good  reason,  too.  Bordered  by  the  Cascade  Range
                                                               to the west and the High Desert to the east, with Wild & Scenic
                                                               rivers, pristine mountain lakes, and perfectly preserved lava caves,
                                                               Central Oregon’s unique landscape has created a wealth of outdoor
                                                               recreational opportunities.









                                 BLACK BUTTE RANCH


        to the High Desert—has naturally forged a canvas where all styles
        of golf design are possible. Desert links carved from the region’s
        volcanic rock, classic parkland-style designs, Scottish-style links,
        and  mountain  courses  with  fairways  shaped  by  ponderosa  and
        lodgepole pines are close enough you can hit two in one day.
        Because so many of the masters of design have chosen to ply their
        trade in Central Oregon, courses such as the Jack Nicklaus Course
        at Pronghorn (ranked No. 37 on Golf Digest’s list), Cupp’s pristine
        Crosswater (No. 55), and Kidd’s fescue-carpeted Tetherow (No. 71)
        can  all  be  internationally  celebrated  while  offering  three  distinct   Central Oregon’s reputation as an outdoor mecca is widely-known
        golf experiences. Imaginative gems such as Black Butte Ranch’s   and  well-deserved.  But  it  also  is  home  to  a  thriving  arts  and
        Glaze Meadow, a Fought redesign inspired by golf’s golden era of   entertainment scene that makes it a bona fide destination for concerts,
        architecture, and desert masterpieces like Jacobsen’s Brasada Ranch   festivals, cultural immersion, and artistic expression. From outdoor
        only add to the region’s rich tapestry.                concert  venues  that  attract  true  headliners  like  Dave  Matthews
                                                               Band and Jack Johnson, to the High Desert Museum that explores
                                                               the area’s history, culture, flora, and fauna, to an impressive list of
                                                               artists, authors, and performers who call Central Oregon home, the
                                                               region is as cultured as cities many times its size.

                                                               A debate rages in these parts on just what time of year is the best to
                                                               plan a golf trip. Is it the summer, when the sun shines nearly every
                                                               day and temperatures average in the mid-80s? Or is it the fall and
                                                               spring, which typically offer milder temperatures, open tee sheets,
                                                               and similarly peak conditioning?
                                                               Perhaps the best idea might be to make a trip each season. It could be
                                                               the only way to fit it all in. The 30 courses
                                                               of the Central Oregon Golf Trail are nearly
                                 PRONGHORN RESORT              as endless as the skies overhead. Discover
                                                               the pure beauty and pure golf found on the
                                                               sunny side of Oregon.
        Hard  as  it might be  to  believe, though,  there is  more  to  Central
        Oregon than just golf. And that only makes a golf trip to the region
        that  much  more  appealing.  Central  Oregon’s  famously  laid-back
        lifestyle has fostered a rich culinary scene and made it a hub for   THE TRAIL AWAITS
        craft brewing, just the thing for a buddies golf trip. Yet the region   www.centraloregongolftrail.com
        is also home to an outdoor playground. Blessed with incomparable


        www.golfingOREGONmagazine.com                               OREGON GOLF & TRAVEL GUIDE 2022              31
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