Bend Oregon has no shortage of golf courses. Public options like Lost Track Golf Club, Old Back Nine, and River’s Edge Golf Course all provide a high desert feel with mountain scenery.
If you are lucky enough to play the private golf clubs in Bend Awbrey Glen or Tetherow, you are in for a tremendous experience.
But there is one Bend golf course that locals call ‘home’ – Widgi Creek Golf Club. Widgi Creek is not the most glamorous, exclusive, or pristine course in Bend. However it shares lots of characteristics of its hometown.
Great Course, Great Experience
If you have spent time in Bend, you have probably seen Widgi Creek Golf Club, as it sits right on the Cascade Lakes Scenic Highway on the left just as you leave town.
Widgi Creek is an inviting setting. Tree lined fairways. Well maintained greens and bunkers. An epic 653 yard par 5 number 3 hole that will challenge any golfer. Most of all Widgi is like Bend – laid back and beautiful.
You won’t find a stuffy country club atmosphere, but you will find great facilities. The club house and pro shop are great. The practice facilities include a driving range and both a putting green and chipping green. Most unique of all is the pickle ball facility, which has 10 indoor courts to accommodate players of this rapidly growing sport.
My Recent Round at Widgi Creek Golf Course
I’ve played Widgi many times. In fact, like Whiskey Creek Golf Course in Frederick, its become my defacto ‘home course’ in Bend.
A recent summertime round found me paired with several Bend locals. I choose to walk when possible, again this is Bend Oregon and you are here because of the weather and the outdoors.
The course generally has narrow fairways, tee shots demand accuracy and length. This is the high desert, and shots that miss the fairway are quickly in the tall ponderosa trees that stand above tall grass. I had to punch out several times when hitting poor tee shots.
There is water on several holes, specifically 6, 7, 11, 17, and 18, and the ponds come significantly into play on your tee shot. Check out the hole by hole layout, and you’ll lots of interesting dog legs that require some strategy and course knowledge.
Bend Golf at its Best
Besides the beauty and condition, a round at Widgi Creek won’t break the bank. Green fees run somewhere between $60 and $115 depending on season and day of the week, but always delivery great value.
If you are local and play a lot of golf, you’ll definitely want to consider a membership. Widgi offers both 5-day and 7-day memberships that are very reasonable. The Widgi Pass is a pseudo-membership that gives you discounted tee times and other perks.
One Response