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V I S I T C E N T R A L O R E G O N . C O M
THE TURN g o l f
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GLAZE
MEADOW
black butte ranch’s makeover takes shape
sunriver itinerary more than just a golf resort
on the tee beers and brothers behind 10 barrel swing thoughts pronghorn club fitting studio
IN THIS ISSUE
FALL 2019
STAY CLOSE TO THE GAME
GLAZE MEADOW
Central Oregon is a jack of all trades destination. In
An ambitious course remodel at Black Butte elevates Glaze Meadow to a modern classic.
winter, we have great snow on Mt. Bachelor and at Hoodoo Ski Resort. Come summer, we have lakes, rivers and trails. What visitors might not realize is that you can play golf nearly year round in Central Oregon, thanks to our diverse climate and geography. Whatever the season, you’ll find more than two dozen golf courses within an hour’s drive of Bend. More importantly, we’re home to three of the top 10
SUNRIVER ITINERARY Make Sunriver your basecamp for south county exploration and adventure.
courses in Oregon, according to Golf Digest’s most recent rankings.
SWING THOUGHTS
Knowing that we have so much to offer and how quickly
A visit with Jason Owens, True Spec Master Club Fitter.
the golf landscape changes, we are launching The Turn, a quarterly guide to golf and the golf lifestyle around Central Oregon. The goal is to keep players close to the game they love with insights on a place that’s second to none for a golf vacation. Inside this magazine you’ll find profiles of our favorite courses, tips from local pros to help you play better around Central Oregon, interviews with some of our more famous hackers, vacation itineraries and much more. Whether you’re planning a family vacation, a buddies’ trip or a girls’ getaway, we believe that Central Oregon should be at the top of your list. Grab your clubs and hop on board. Let’s go explore life around the links in Central Oregon.
ON THE TEE Taking chip shots with Chris and Jeremy Cox from 10 Barrel Brewing Co.
19TH HOLE Finishing strong at The Row with Scotch eggs and stout.
PARTING SHOT Pronghorn’s Nicklaus Signature Course lights up at twilight.
– Visit Central Oregon
THE TURN Produced by Visit Central Oregon Email us: PURE BEAUTY. PURE GOLF
golftrail@visitcentraloregon.com
THE TURN | FALL 2019
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GLAZE MEADOW
AT BLACK BUTTE RANCH
A CLASSIC OF NORTHWEST DESIGN POINTS TO A BRIGHT FUTURE WITH A NOD TO THE PAST
THE TURN | FALL 2019
MAKEOVER
There were a lot of reasons why Black Butte homeowners might have been willing to invest nearly $4 million in a total remodel of the resort’s Glaze Meadow course. It could have been the aging infrastructure. It could have been the encroaching trees. In the end, it was a lack of interest from golfers that prompted homeowners to write a blank check of sorts to course architect John Fought, who oversaw the two-year redesign of the course. It’s no secret that Glaze Meadow has long been overshadowed by the resort’s popular Big Meadow layout. That could be changing. It’s been seven years since the makeover
debuted, but the course is just now rounding into form, as green complexes soften and the new turf becomes fully established, said Fought’s brother Jeff, who serves as Black Butte’s director of golf. It has taken a few seasons for Glaze Meadow to fully mature. The course was virtually stripped bare during the rebuild. All tee boxes were removed. The green complexes were flattened. Even the grass was killed off. “The only limitation was that we had to stay within the general footprint of the old Glaze Meadow,” said Jeff.
THE TURN | FALL 2019
It wasn’t so much a remodel as a total reimagination of the course. Entire holes were removed and new holes constructed. The goal was to create a course evocative of golf’s golden age of design when architects like Donald Ross and A.W. Tillinghast were at work, constructing courses that have largely stood the test of time and changes in golf technology. “We wanted it to be one hundred years old [from] the day that it opened,” said Fought.
“
IT WASN’T SO MUCH A REMODEL AS A TOTAL REIMAGINATION OF THE COURSE.
”
It’s one of the reasons that homeowners opted to hire John Fought, a two-time PGA winner who codesigned Crosswater, and specializes in updating and remodeling classic Donald Ross-style layouts. Jeff said his brother recognized immediately that the course needed to be opened, exposing it to the mountain sun and allowing it to breathe. “Glaze Meadow was claustrophobic. It was so narrow, so tight. There were trees behind trees,” said Jeff. The remodel team didn’t hold back. Roughly 2,000 trees were removed around the course.
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During the process, the Ranch saw something it hadn’t seen for almost 50 years. There were logging trucks moving back and forth across the property. As in the past, investment in golf led the way at the Ranch. After finishing the remodel at Glaze, homeowners embarked on an even more ambitious project to reimagine the clubhouse and main pool area. A new Lakeside Pool, Bistro and accompanying facilities debuted in 2015. In total, three new buildings were added in addition to the new pool and giant hot tub with “hello!” views of the nearby Three Sisters peaks. The extensive update has modernized the ranch and put it back into the conversation as one of Oregon’s premier vacation destinations. The next big decision at Black Butte Ranch? Which golf course you should play first.
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Photos this page and opposite courtesy Sunriver Resort
sunriver ITINERARY
Gateway to Recreation
Use Sunriver as your basecamp for relaxation and exploration in Newberry Country Mountain Views? Check. A blue-ribbon trout stream? Check. A Golf Digest Top 100 Golf Course? Check. World-class dining? Of course. A full-service luxury spa? Yep. When it comes to amenities at Sunriver Resort, the list goes on. And on. And on. And while you could spend a week at the property without experiencing all that Sunriver has to offer, there is so much to see around Sunriver that you’d be remiss not to venture beyond the signature traffic circles into the surrounding mountains, meadows, lakes and streams.
Crosswater is the crown jewel of Central Oregon golf course design. The semi-private course meanders through a vast meadow and pine forest with the fabled Deschutes River snaking between the fairways. The course opened back in 1995 and remains a perennial member of Golf Digest’s Top 100 courses. That’s just the beginning. There are several additional offerings within the resort, including the Meadows course that departs from the main resort, winding through wetland grasses along the Deschutes River, and Robert Trent Jones Jr.’s Woodlands course. There are also some non-traditional options, including a nine-hole putting course suitable for golfers of all ages and sizes, and a short course at Caldera Springs where kids under 12 years old play for free with an adult. Beyond Sunriver, the nearby Quail Run Golf Course is a lesser known gem around the region that features a can’t-be-beat $25 late-season twilight rate. (Good after Oct 1 beginning at 1 p.m.)
Relaxation and Exploration If a dose of pampering is on your list, you don’t have to look far. Inside the resort, the Sage Springs Club and Spa is a full-service luxury day spa available to members and guests. A duo treatment room allows couples to enjoy a tandem treatment. Or, go all in for a private spa experience that includes a soaking tub, rainforest shower and infrared sauna. After a solid rejuvenation, peel the cucumbers off your eyes and head to the Sunriver Nature Center for a glimpse into the science behind your surrounding landscape. Learn about native plants and animals, and come back after twilight for a look at the heavens through the telescope at the Oregon Observatory. Off the property, there is more to explore. Hungry minds will devour the carefully curated wildlife and art exhibits at the award-winning
High Desert Museum
High Desert Museum. If you’re still hankering for more exploration and ready to stretch your legs, climb to the top of Lava Butte where an interpretive center will walk you through the cataclysmic origins of the lava-sculpted landscape. Get another perspective by following the forest road out of the parking lot to the Deschutes River where a footbridge will lead you to Benham Falls, a churning mass of whitewater created when hot lava from the nearby Newberry volcano hit the icy Deschutes River. Believe it or not, you’re just a few miles downstream from the resort. If you wanted to, you could follow the paved path, south and find yourself back in Sunriver in less than an hour.
Courtesy George D. Lepp
Golf and More Golf
Photo courtesy Sunriver Resort
SHARC Lazy River
Fun and Games
Hiking and Biking
Around the resort, you’ll find plenty to keep even the most screen-addicted mind occupied. Head to the tennis and pickleball center for clinics and drills that are offered weekly. Indoor courts keep the balls in play, no matter what the weather is outside. If fresh air is what you need, dozens of outdoor courts are available for play, weather permitting. Or take advantage of the amazing fall days by paddling the Deschutes River. The Sunriver Marina offers kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals through September. For a more controlled environment, the Sunriver Homeowner’s Association Aquatic and Recreation Center (SHARC) offers a yearround aquatic playground that’s perfect for families with kids.
The trails around the resort offer a great introduction to biking around the Newberry region, but there is much to explore off the property. Use the existing paved trails to tie into the extensive gravel and dirt network along the Deschutes River. You can ride your mountain bike clear to Bend using some simple GPS navigation, or stay local and cruise the zippy single track north of the resort near Lava Butte. If you’re ready to tackle something more substantial, throw your bike on the back of your car and head up to nearby Newberry Crater where you’ll find one of the state’s most highly rated and challenging mountain bike routes, the 20-plus mile Newberry Caldera ride circumnavigates the rim of this inactive volcano.
Home Waters Sunriver is literally surrounded by world-class fishing. Whether you’re looking to stalk a brook trout in a spring creek, land a trophy rainbow trout, or hook a landlocked salmon, there is an angling adventure out your back door. The Hook Fly Shop in the Village at Sunriver is a great place to get started. It offers guided trips on the nearby lakes and rivers, including on Crane Prairie Reservoir, home of the fabled “Crane Bow” as well as full-day trips on the lower Deschutes River where fall steelhead and native trout await.
Resources WATER SPORTS: Sunriver Marina BIKE AND GEAR RENTALS: Village Bike and Ski FISHING: The Hook Fly Shop TENNIS AND PICKLEBALL: Sage Springs Spa (indoor) Sunriver Tennis (outdoor)
SWING
THOUGHTS
Q & A WITH JASON OWENS, TRUE SPEC MASTER CLUB FITTER
Prior to joining True Spec Golf, Jason Owens worked as PGA Pro at Waverly Country Club in Portland and as a mobile fitter for golf club disrupter PXG. Owens opened True Spec’s flagship custom fitting operation in Oregon at Pronghorn Resort in mid-2019. One of the only nonbrand affiliated custom fitting shops, True Spec allows golfers to mix and match thousands of clubheads and shaft combinations from the top manufacturers to find the ideal fit. What niche does True Spec fill in the industry? While we like to consider ourselves outside any niche, the truth is, our sweet spot is with individuals who have a desire to take ownership and responsibility of their game. We provide tour-level experiences for those who believe it’s not ALWAYS the player; it’s also the club. Do you need to be a low handicap player to benefit from a fitting? Research has shown that even higher handicap golfers’ swings are much more consistent than previously thought, with only two or three variables changing from swing to swing, which can all be influenced by club fitting. As a Master Club Fitter, our job is to fit each golfer into the best performing golf club with the ideal specifications for how each golfer swings the club. Higher handicap golfers have the most to gain by getting custom fit.
What is the process for a fitting? How long does it take? Depending on what each golfer is interested in being custom fit for, typically a full bag fitting including putter will last up to 4 hours. However, if it’s irons or woods it can take only an hour or two. We allow plenty of time in each of our fittings as we want to make sure each golfer has the best fitting experience! Cost is obviously a concern. What would you tell people who are used to shopping deals and closeouts? Most golfers spend thousands of dollars each year on their passion. When you factor in each player’s club purchases throughout their time playing and consider how much money is wasted chasing Excalibur—only to find that the commercials were wrong—how can a serious golfer NOT afford to be fit?
Learn more about TrueSpec Bend here.
THE TURN | FALL 2019
ON THE TEE
Q &A CHRIS AND JEREMY COX FROM 10 BARREL BREWING
Identical twins Chris and Jeremy Cox parlayed an investment in a downtown bar into a bootstrap brewing start-up that grew into the brand behemoth 10 Barrel. Since selling the company to InBev several years ago, the Cox brothers have stayed active in the business while branching out to other endeavors, including the high-end steakhouse, Bos Taurus and, more recently, Miyagi Ramen in Bend. It doesn’t leave much time for golf, but the duo still tries to unwind on the links with friends when they can.
You guys do everything together, business, golf, beer. Do you have the same handicap? JC: Yes, it’s pretty close. Right now, we are within a stroke. As soon as one of us starts dipping below the other, then the other one usually buys new clubs or gets lessons from our swing doctor, which is our dad. How are your games different and similar? JC: We have similar games. We both have decent tee balls and irons, but have horrific short games. Maybe we should put in a little more time on the range and work less. What is your favorite course in Central Oregon? JC: We are members at Broken Top and love the course and members. But if I had to pick a favorite, it’s either Pronghorn’s Fazio or Crosswater. Your go-to non-10 Barrel golf course beer/ cocktail? JC: Tough question, we really don’t drink a lot on the course. Just kidding. In my cooler is a bunch of light lagers (Bud Light & Coors Light) and a bottle of vodka. Doesn’t matter how old you get, you still sneak booze on the course!
What’s your favorite local golf tournament? CC: The First Story event, which was earlier this year. Outside of being held at Tetherow, I love the cause and it raises a lot of money for people in need. The tournament is a ton of fun with sponsors on every hole. What’s the favorite club in your bag? CC: We both love our 3 irons! Most of the time it goes straight. When it doesn’t, it’s bad! Do golf and business mix at all for you guys? CC: Our life is business, which we love, so we talk about it everywhere we can. That includes the golf course! Unfortunately, the people we are playing with don’t enjoy it as much as we do when our phones are ringing.
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19
th
THE ROW AT TETHEROW SCOTCH EGGS AND STOUT
Tetherow is a bucket list-layout for golfers from around the Northwest and beyond that offers more than just great golf. The resort has grown over the years into a vacation destination and conference center. At the heart is a multifunctional clubhouse that boasts two restaurants. (Solomon’s for fine dining and the more casual “The Row.”) The latter of the two has become a go-to for guests and locals alike looking for a bite after a round of golf or after a few laps on Mt. Bachelor. Whether you’re there for a quick drink or a meal, it’s almost mandatory to include an order of the Scotch Eggs.
The popular British pub snack is probably on some Wanted List from the American Heart Association, but the cholesterol splurge is worth it. The semi-hard-boiled eggs are wrapped in Carlton Farms’ ground sausage and deep fried to perfection. The concoction is served up with a brandy peppercorn sauce and balsamic reduction. The Row’s assistant manager Jonas Norkunas recommends pairing the big flavors with an even bigger beer, Deschutes Nitro Obsidian stout. With hints of coffee that nicely compliment the dish, Obsidian and eggs together are the perfect way to end an autumn day on the Central Oregon links.
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PARTING SHOT
Pronghorn Resort. The 366-yard 13th hole on the Nicklaus Signature Course is a short par 4 with sand and water looming large on this High Desert gem that Golf Digest ranks as one of America’s Top 100 courses.
THE TURN | FALL 2019
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