Page 54 - Oregon Golf & Travel Guide 2022

Silvies Valley Ranch

region: Eastern | course type: Public

n incomparable golf experience for links style play is designed to be fun—and grid, powered by roof-mounted solar panels,
Aplayers of every skill level, with it's so quiet you can hear your heart beat! and fed water from Paiute Spring.
6courses designed and built by Dan Hixson,
and maintained by Sean Hoolehan—past Named for the pioneering Hankins clan who McVeigh’s Gauntlet is named for Myles
president of the Golf Course Superintendents homesteaded much of the ranch, Hankins McVeigh, a pioneer to the area from
Association of America. The four courses provides an unforgettable perspective to Scotland, known to drink “a little” whiskey
are built on 600 acres of the high desert the natural landscape and elevations—at with the Craddock and Hankins boys, and
ponderosa pine forest and mountain meadows 5,000 feet “in the desert—that highlights with Charlie Owens (rumored to be his
and are the highest elevation courses (5,000 the playing experience and gives you long moonshining partner.) He settled where the
feet) in Oregon. The reversible Hankins drives. Hankins No. 18 is known as the course is now and was also rumored to play a
and Craddock Courses, both 18-hole Hixson Hole, as it gives you 12 legal golf little golf while drinking his “rye.” McVeigh's
championship courses, ranked in Golfweek’s advantages to ensure you will “nail it” off the Gauntlet, a challenge course for you and
top 50 courses in the U.S. McVeigh’s tee and send the ball on the longest drive of your friends, also features the now world-
Gauntlet is a stunning 7-hole razor ridge your life. And if you do, your reward awaits famous Goat Caddies—who really know the
challenge course, and Chief Egan is a fun, you in Egan’s Hideout when your round is course, work for peanuts, and are known to
mountain meadow 9-hole par 3 course. complete. The course was voted Best New never give any 'baaaad' advice. McVeigh was
Course in the U.S. by Golf Digest (#4) and named Best New Golf Experience in the U.S.
A "must play", the 18-hole courses were the Best Resort Course by Golfweek (#25). by GOLF Magazine.
first reversible championship courses built
in the world in over 450 years (since the Chief Egan is the last War Chief of the Paiute Named for the Craddock family—Jake
Old Course at St. Andrews in 1552). This Tribe who last engaged the U.S. Calvary in Craddock and his four sons—they originally
is how courses were meant to be designed 1882. The course is located on Paiute Creek, settled much of the ranch and helped
and played—see for yourself! The course which is believed to be close to Egan’s last consolidate it from over 70 little ranches
direction is reversed each day to create camp. Most agree that he (and the Calvary) into the ranch you experience today. They
a different layout with a variety of pin would have been better off here, sipping raised cattle, horses and hogs. Craddock’s
placements and tee box options, creating a Silvies “Horseshoe Nail” cocktail and championship 18-hole layout traverses the
the opportunity for thousands of unique making friends, as you are invited to do today. ridges and valleys that overlook the north end
rounds. While the course is free of water In alignment with Silvie’s environmental of Silvies Valley. The course was voted Best
hazards, there are over one hundred bunkers sustainability ethic, Egan’s Hideout (the New Course in the U.S. by Golf Digest (#3)
incorporated into the course design. The clubhouse) is completely off the electrical and Best Resort Course by Golfweek (#32).

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