Sunriver is known for gorgeous scenic beauty ranging from mountains to forests, volcano rocks, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and clear, starry skies – but that’s all it offers.
Sunriver also has ample activities the whole family can enjoy, including kayaking, standup paddling, hiking, horseback riding, and water rafting, just to name a few.
One activity that stands out is golfing, and the quality of the courses is noteworthy. Sunriver offers some of the top golf courses in the country. Here you can find runs with picturesque views of surrounding natural scenery while enjoying plenty of challenges to meet all playing levels.
Here is our list of the top golf courses in and around Sunriver to make your visit a truly memorable experience. Note that we limited this list to public courses to make your choice as a visitor easier.
Grab a scoring pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s get started!
Sunriver Resort, Meadows Golf Course
- Public course
- Holes 18
- Par: 72
- Address: 17600 Center Drive, Sunriver, OR 97707
- Phone: 541-593-4402
Sunriver Resort manages four courses in Sunriver. Two of the courses are public, and Meadows Golf Course is one of them. It originally opened in 1969 but was remodeled by renowned architect John Fought in 1999 by picking up on historical golf course designs from the 1920 and 1930s. The greens were redone in 2015, and traps were reworked in 2017.
Known for being fun and challenging, it offers variety in its runs, each firm but well maintained. It sits within a residential community but still provides excellent challenges like trees and water. Seven holes border Sun River. You also get beautiful views of the Cascades and Mt. Bachelor.
The course is designed and maintained with environmental health in mind. In 2009, it won Golf Digest’s Green Star Award for its work in preserving the natural environment and following environmentally friendly maintenance practices.
The course has hosted numerous USGA and NCAA golf championships and was ranked #`15 in Golf Advisor’s Golfers’ Choice Award: Best of Oregon Golf Courses in 2019.
The course caters to all family members, hosting women and junior clinics throughout the summer.
Sunriver Resort, Woodlands Golf Course
- Public course
- Holes: 18
- Par: 72
- Address:17890 W Core Rd, Sunriver, OR 97707
- Phone: (800) 962-1769
Woodlands was designed by internationally renowned golf architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. and completed in 1982. As the name suggests, this course surrounds you in dense forests of tall trees. It is known for being a beautiful course and, though challenging, quite fun to play. It offers compelling challenges for talented golfers and knows how to cater to players who enjoy superior golfing experiences.
The greens were freshened up in 2010 and 2014. The course is dryer and longer than Meadows, but still well-maintained runs. It is known as the northwest’s top championship courses, thanks to superb conditioning and scenic beauty. Enjoy runs with outcroppings of lava rock and ample water. The course is noted for its hills, of which there are quite a few on the back nine.
Like Meadows, the golf course is environmentally friendly. All the water used on the course is reclaimed from a local water treatment plant. Woodlands received a Green Star Award from Golf Digest in 2009 for its work in preserving the natural environment.
Woodlands has hosted multiple Oregon Opens and was named as one of the Top 10 Destinations for Family Golf by Golf Digest in 2016. It was also ranked #8 in Golf Advisor’s Golfers’ Choice Award for Best of Oregon Courses, 2019.
Widgi Creek Golf Club
- Public Course
- Holes: 18
- Par 72
- Address:
- 18707 SW Century Dr
- Bend, OR 97702-1946
- P: (541) 382-4449
Opened in 1989 under the name of Seventh Mountain Golf Village, it changed its name to Pine Meadows shortly after that. In 1993, and then changed its name again to Widgi Creek. Despite all the names and (multiple owners), this truly beautiful course is also fun to play, offering a nice mix of intriguing challenges.
The beauty comes from the Ponderosa pines along each run. In addition, the course is extremely well-maintained while offering a bit of everything from well-running greens to elevation changes, water, sand traps, and doglegs. Multiple tee boxes allow for varying challenge levels for both newer and seasoned players.
The course is narrower than others and also features downed branches, so staying on the straight and narrow is generally good advice. If you love long distances, the 3rd hole is a whopping 653 yards long – the longest in the U.S.
Pronghorn Golf Club – Nicklaus Course
- Public Course
- Holes: 18
- Par: 72
- Address: 65600 Pronghorn Club Dr, Bend, OR 97701
- Phone: (541) 693-5300
Built in 2004, this is one of two courses at Pronghorn. The second is Fazio Course, which is private. The Nicklaus course was designed by golf great Jack Nicklaus and his design company Nicklaus Design. It has regularly received rewards and is known as one of the best courses in the country. It is widely considered the best course in Oregon.
If you are looking for a beautifully maintained course near Sunriver, it doesn’t come better than this. Plus, you get plenty of scenery to admire, including gorgeous views of the Cascades. Enjoy runs set within steep canyons, lava rock, sage, and its Junipers, some of which are over 1,000 years old.
The course features elevation changes and long greens, which means you’ll do a fair amount of walking. Still, there are some short holes to provide some balance. Gambling holes and standing dead trees keep things interesting. Some holes require precision. The greens are pretty solid, so give your ball ample room.
Some homes are on the course, but nature prevails. In addition to perfectly maintained greens, you get first-class service and plenty of added benefits.
In its history, it has a long list of rewards, including being ranked No. 2 by Golf Digest for Best New Private Courses in 2004. (It went public just a few years ago). This course has also hosted U.S. Open qualifiers.
Quail Run Golf Course
- Public Course (Semi-Private)
- Holes: 18
- Address: 16725 Northridge, La Pine, OR 97739
- Phone: 1-800-895-4653
To end our list, we included a highly recommended course 20 minutes south of Sunriver in the city of La Pine. Quail Run has well-maintained runs at a quality resembling some of the finest courses in Sunriver but at a more reasonable price. Quail Run is also fun for all skill levels, making it enjoyable whole family.
The course opened in 1991 as a 9-hole course, and it was a hit. Golf Digest ranked it the second-best nine-hole course in the country. 15-years later, nine more holes were added.
The views are beautiful, and no homes sit along the course. You also get a good mix of 3,4, and 5-par runs that offer tantalizing challenges to keep your game interesting.
Many courses on this list are known for strong service, but golfers often boast about the quality of service here. It is also known for its quality practice facility from putting to long shots.
There You Have It, Our List of the Best Public Courses
We hope you enjoyed our tour of the best public courses here in Sunriver. These courses offer spectacular beauty and superior quality golfing and are a must for any golfer’s to-do list. Still, golfing is just one of many attractions that make this area special.
Cascara Vacation Rentals is based right here in Sunriver, and we know the best ways to enjoy this spectacular area while offering you a quality home to take them all in. To learn about our vacation rentals or get more tips on the best ways to enjoy Sunriver, visit our website here.
