Pronghorn / Bend OR Golf?

[Golf-Junkie]

Where should I play?

Planning a trip up to Pronghorn in late September. Playing the Nicklaus and the Fazio courses, wihch look so pure on the website. I also will be playing Tetherow and was told to play Brasada Ranch.

1. Is it worth playing all four courses? I will only be there for 4 days.
2. Where should I concentrate my rounds?
3. Where should we eat in Bend?

Appreciate the help guys...

[DeNinny]

Of your four courses, I've only played the Nicklaus course at Pronghorn and it is excellent. I would love to play the Fazio course and I heard it is even better. The private side courses are usually better in my experience.

In Bend there is an awesome pizza place called Flatbread Pizza. As close to authentic Italian pizza that you will find. Soooooooooo good. I also ate a Tumalo Feed Co. outside of Bend but wasn't impressed. It's a steak place that has been around forever. For steak I prefer Bronco Billy's over in Sisters instead.

Have a great trip. The area is rugged but beautiful. You could also consider some of the other cheaper courses which are fine too but they won't be as "perfect" as the ones you have lined up. Those courses are upper tier out there but you would still be fine with the middle tier courses as well (like Juniper up in Redmond).

[Wardonation]

I live in Bend you want to play Aspen Lakes and Juniper as well.

[TheGeekGolfer]

I've played Lost Tracks, it was a good layout. Signature hole was #16, an island green (fairly big island), you walk through an old covered bridge to get to the green. Inside the covered bridge are hundreds (thousands?) of old/new 'bag tags' from past players. People have left them as mementos, pretty neat. Also, hole #7 is a dogleg left par 5, do NOT try to cut the corner of the dogleg. The risk vs. reward is too great. If you bite off too much you will end up down in the 'junk' where it is impossible to play. It's marked as a lateral hazard. We didn't know this till we went looking for our balls. You could hit an iron about 200-215 yds and still be able to reach the green in 2 through a gap in the bunkers. If you hit anything over 270 you might run through the fairway before it heads dead 90* left. [url="http://www.losttracks.com/course.php?hole=7"](picture)[/url]

I hit (what I thought) was a good drive over the edge and it was down in the hazard. I dropped where it went in and hit a 3-wood on to about 4 feet (shot of my life) and made birdie.

[goody79]

Of those on your list we have played all but Fazio. Nicklaus Pronghorn is an outstanding challenge and well worth your time. Ditto for Tetherow (think Bandon but in the high desert). I think of Brasada as more of a couples course... easier and not as interesting. If you prefer challenging courses I would suggest Crosswater. Aspen Lakes is also very enjoyable and in an absolutely gorgeous setting. Juniper is a real pleasure too. Bend is a great place!!

[flaun]

I've played all those courses except Pronghorn-Fazio, you must know someone???

Of those courses, I actually like Brasada the best. Great views and elevation changes with some really interesting holes. Tetherow was one of my favorite courses the first 2 times I played it, but with the economy tanking around there the overall conditioning has gone down quite a bit. I actually prefer Juniper to Tetherow now, but it is still a cool course to say you played it. Pronghorn-Nicklaus is fun and very much his style of course. Juniper is a great little public course with some cool hole designs and firm conditions. I like Aspen Lakes as well, but not as much as the others listed.

[puttnforthe8]

[quote name='Golf-Junkie' timestamp='1332990757' post='4603439']
Planning a trip up to Pronghorn in late September. Playing the Nicklaus and the Fazio courses, wihch look so pure on the website. I also will be playing Tetherow and was told to play Brasada Ranch.

1. Is it worth playing all four courses? I will only be there for 4 days.
2. Where should I concentrate my rounds?
3. Where should we eat in Bend?

Appreciate the help guys...
[/quote]

TO respond to your questions precisely:

#1: YES...it most certainly is worth playing!!!! Do not even hesitate.
#2: You can also try Crosswater and even Sunriver if needed.....so Concentrate on Bend. Not to say east of Bend is bad...just that you can focus your energy there in Bend.
#3: My personal favorites - Zydeco, Joolz and Bend Brewing of course!

[mountain pro]

Deschutes brewery is a must. Their mirror pond pale is the best. Crosswater and broken top are great

[gr8blueheronbird]

You must try a Black Butte Porter from the Deschutes Brewing Company. Best Beer known to mankind. I played Aspen Lakes and I thought it was a blast especially hitting out of the red sand. I love that area and miss that area as well. You can ski and golf in the same day. The fishing is also good there. Another option is Black Butte Ranch in Sisters,OR. This is a great mountain course.

[Golf-Junkie]

Thanks guys, appreciate the advice. Really looking forward to the trip. Will look to post some pics.

I am thinking that a trip to Ben should be comparmentalized if you cant take a full week. Which is awesome.

By the way, has anyone played the new Glazed Meadow course at Black Butte Ranch?

[mallrat]

The redesigned Glaze is 100x better, but not phenomenal. Played the front 9 four times and all 18 once. We've got a place there so it's like a second home course.

Played Pronghorn Fazio on Friday and wow. Conditions were incredible, members were cool and it's a wonderful course. I'd put it in the top 5 courses I've ever played. That includes Spyglass, Spanish Bay, both Torrey's, all of Bandon, both Princeville's and Poipu Bay.