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You can’t open a golf magazine these days without some wag gushing about golfing in Oregon. But while much of the love is given to the phenomenal troika of golf courses that have sprung up in Bandon, in the state’s isolated southwest corner, you’re not always keen to drive the ball into the howling ocean wind that comes with coastal links-style golf or to don a sweater in June. That’s where Oregon’s lesser-known sporting paradise comes in: Bend. Situated in the high desert of the state’s central interior, its terrain looks more like Kamloops than Vancouver. Its mild four-season climate and access to the outdoors has made it a darling of both the X Games and the retirement crowds.
Swing
Last summer saw the opening of Tetherow (541-388-2582, tetherow.com) designed by none other than David McLay Kidd, who made his name with the top-ranked Bandon Dunes. On the plus side, Tetherow’s memorable layout is a virtually treeless stunner with intricately filigreed earthforms that can best be described as hyper natural. On the negative, it’s technically a semi-private course, though play can be arranged in advance by non-members and those who stay at the soon-to-be-opened resort. That leaves the four courses at Sunriver (800-801-8765, sunriver-resort.com) as your best bet, especially the Robert Cupp-designed Crosswater track, which is consistently ranked as one of the top 100 courses in the U.S.
Stay
Bend’s downtown has outlets of all the mid-level chain hotels, but a step up in character is the Pine Ridge Inn (541-389-6137, pineridgeinn.com), where many suites overlook the Deschutes River. It offers nightly tastings of local microbrews. The swankest accommodation is out of town, at resorts. Until Tetherow opens, hit the expansive Sunriver resort for everything from kayaking to horseback riding.
Eat and Drink
If northern neighbour Walla Walla is for wine, then Bend is for beer. It’s home to Deschutes Brewery (1044 Bond St., 541-382-9242, deschutesbrewery.com), makers of the legendary Mirror Pond Ale, among other pours. This pioneering micro-brewery is widely considered among the best and most influential in the U.S., and now boasts a gastropub attached to the brewery that offers a roasted chile cheese and Cascade ale dip and, for designated drivers, homemade root beer and ginger ale.
If you absolutely must opt for the grapes over grain, Merenda Restaurant Wine Bar (900 NW Wall St., 541-330-2304, merendarestaurant.com) gets serious with a 500-bottle wine list, more than 60 of which are also available by the glass. Virtually all ingredients are locally sourced and the high-ceilinged brick room will have you believing you’re in Portland as you dig into a big plate of risotto fritters with English peas, prosciutto and fontina. wl
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CLOSER TO HOME
If you hanker for some high-desert golf but can’t find your passport, Kamloops has the terrain and some tracks that are every bit as impressive-arguably, more so-than Bend. Here are three to try.
Tobiano This new track may be the
Bandon Dunes of Kamloops: the attention-getting course that draws golfers into the area. And the attention is well warranted, with picturesque coulees giving way to thick, treacherous fescue on the shores of Kamloops Lake. tobianogolf.com
Talking Rock Opened in late 2007, this course starts in the dense forest and rises to capture stunning views of Shuswap Lake. Enjoyable and immensely playable.
talkingrock.ca
Rivershore This Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design represents all that is good in Kamloops golf: low key, a picturesque location, immaculate conditioning and seriously challenging. Who could ask for more? rivershoregolflinks.com
For more information on these and the other great courses in the area visit
golfkamloops.com
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