Bend Oregon Golf Stay & Play at Tetherow
As part of a Golfing Vacation to Bend, we really enjoyed a 3 day golf stay and play at Tetherow which opened in 2014 as a new 50 room boutique hotel with a breathtaking view, award winning golf, a couple great dining options, and lots to see and do nearby. Located about 7 minutes from downtown Bend, the Tetherow Clubhouse and Lodge rooms sit on a bluff overlooking some of the golf holes and the driving range of spectacular Tetherow Golf Course, the snow capped Cascade peaks, some beautiful mountain homes, the rugged high desert terrain, and towering Ponderosa Pines of the Deschutes National Forest. I could have sipped some cold craft beer on the outdoor patio or coffee on our balcony for hours and never gotten tired of the view. Tetherow sits on 700 acres and is a golf resort as well as a master planned community that was named after Solomon Tetherow who led a wagon trail party through the area in the mid 1800s as they traveled from Missouri to Oregon.
Golf at Tetherow
It's hard to describe what I consider to be one of the best golfing experiences of my golfing career. Tetherow is what every golf course should aspire to be when it grows up! It's a 7298 yard Scottish links style course that was designed by David McLay Kidd who also designed the Castle Course in Scotland and Bandon Dunes on the Oregon coast which is recognized as one of the top rated courses in the United States. David created a masterpiece that leverages the natural very rugged high desert terrain and includes some imaginative and creative and very challenging holes lined with fescue grass and towering Ponderosa Pines and framed with ragged bunkers, knobs, clear ponds, a few beautiful homes, and the Cascade Mountains including the Three Sisters and Broken Top. It just doesn't get any better, some of the awards and accolades for Tetherow include:
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ranked by Golf Magazine shortly after opening as #1 in the "Best New Course You Can Play" in the country
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Golfweek recognized Tetherow as one of the country's "Best Residential Golf Courses" and "Best Courses You Can Play in Oregon"
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ranked #54 in Golf Digest's list of the "Top 100 Courses" and #3 on their list list of the "Best New Course of the Year"
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and it made several "Best New" rankings from Links Magazine, Travel & Leisure Golf, and the Robb Report
What makes Tetherow so unique and fun to play is that each and every hole is very different from the previous hole, the course is very challenging but fair, it will throw a lot at you, and requires some course knowledge plus good course management and club selection skills coupled with a willingness to take some risky shots if you want to score well. Huge soft sand bunkers, natural grass and sand areas, forced carries, severe sloping and contoured fairways, blind shots, dog legs left and right, water, and more make you focus on your game which is very hard to do with the beautiful scenery. Read our review of Tetherow Golf Course to learn more.
The good news is that Forecaddies are required the first time you play and you'll be very pleased that they are there to help you during your round. Not only do they give you some excellent advice on where to hit or putt the ball, but they also give you some tidbits of information about the course as well as some places to eat and drink in Bend plus they find your ball in the rough, hand you some clubs, pull the pin for your putts, rake the sand, and more. In our case, I kept our Forecaddy Ryan (who was fantastic and seldom snickered or made fun of my dribbles off the tee box) very busy traipsing through the native areas looking for my golf balls (his white forecaddy outfit was covered with dirt and stickers), running left and right from the center of the fairway to find where I landed, and raking just about every bunker on the course. The greens at Tetherow are unbelievable - huge (which in my case meant several putts to get close to pin) with tiers, ridges, and significant slope and undulation. Without Ryan I probably would have 6 putt every green because they are so challenging to read but Ryan would say "aim here and give it some extra speed to make it up the hill!" In most cases I couldn't believe that his advise was even close to right but it was. For example, on a beautiful par 3 (the upper right picture) he said "hit the hill on the back left side of the green" - but Ryan, the pin is 75 yards to the right front! One of our fellow golfers did exactly as advised and in awe we watched his ball roll off the hill, break right, and then left and stop about a foot from the pin. My shot landed in a huge natural sand bunker and almost hit one of the 4 deer playing in the sand. Thanks Ryan for helping us during our round, I'm sure you were pooped after chasing my ball all over the course.
What an awesome experience and I can't wait to play Tetherow again!!! The next time I'm going to try one of their golf boards which is a motorized four wheel drive big skateboard with a steering handle and room for your clubs. Looks like a really fun experience that adds a whole new dimension to the game. Plus next time I'm going to spend a lot more time on the very impressive two tiered driving range with greens, bunkers, and native areas. If you need gear, the Pro Shop is well stocked with everything to help you look and play better.
Dining and Drinking at Tetherow
After a round like I had, I went straight to The Row for a Bloody Mary and a few beers on the patio to congratulate myself on surviving the course and losing only 3 balls - primarily because Ryan was able to find all of the other ones I hit in the native areas - and to reminisce about how much I enjoyed playing Tetherow. The Row offers pub-style ambiance with a cozy bar with over 30 different local and Oregon craft beers and some fancy drinks or wine, large screen TV's, and beautiful views from inside or from the outdoor patio between The Row and the Tetherow Grill. It's hard to beat delicious appetizers and a cold drink coupled with stunning views of the golf course, Cascade Mountains, and the rugged desert and the warmth of the large stone fireplace as the sun sets.
The Row is an award winning restaurant with a variety of options ranging from salads to sandwiches to steaks. And it's a popular gathering place for drinks, food, watching a sporting event, or some lively conversation. We met several fun and friendly natives who gave us some advice on other fun things to do, which craft beer and fancy drinks to try, a couple restaurants to try, and some local Bend advice - "enjoy your stay, just don't move here!"
On our second night we tried the Tetherow Grill which is the fine dining restaurant at Tetherow which opened in 2008 and quickly won a wide variety of industry awards. It's open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and Chef Zac Hoffman creates some innovative dishes using the finest quality meats and Pacific seafood. You can dine indoors next to the huge stone fireplace or on the outside patio overlooking the course and mountains. We enjoyed a fantastic steak cooked to perfection, some tasty salmon, and a delicious Caesar salad and some excellent recommended wine pairings.
Tetherow Golf Stay & Play Lodging
After golf each day which was typically followed by some other activity - white water rafting, hiking, music, or drinking some craft beer - around 11 we were dead tired and appreciative of the comfortable beds in our room! Each morning it was hard for me to get up until the wife opened the curtains, let the sunshine in, handed me a cup of coffee, and said "get up and enjoy the beautiful view." Our private balcony over looked the Cascade mountain range, golf course, and surrounding area - wow, you just don't get views like that in Texas.
There are only 50 rooms at Tetherow in two different buildings that sit on a bluff with a stunning view. Our room was a Deluxe Queen that was very spacious (550 square feet) with an entry mud room and gear or luggage storage area; original artwork; 46" flat screen; wet bar with a sink, coffee maker with local coffee and tea, and mini-fridge; king or queen beds with thick plush and comfortable mattresses; in-room safe; Euro-style comforters and pillows; oversized soft towels, dual sinks and two head shower, and luxurious bathrobes in a large bathroom; plus high speed internet access and a work desk with a lamp. The Pro Shop and restaurants are adjacent to the rooms.
In addition to rooms like ours there are Deluxe Corner Queen and King rooms, rooms with views of the Paulina range to the south, and Junior Suites that sleep up to 6 people and boast a separate bedroom and living area. The Junior Suites are 1100 square feet and have two queen beds and a sleeper sofa, gas fireplace, southern views of Paulina Peaks and a bathroom with dual sinks, a walk-in shower, luxurious terry cloth bathrobes, custom bath toiletries and amenities and coffee and tea in the room. The Junior Suites are perfect for a family or you and some golfing buddies. And Tetherow offers a great Golf Stay & Play package with a super rate that includes two nights and two days of golf. As a guest you'll get special tee time rates, golf club storage, shuttle service, and some discounts at local businesses.
Nearby Activities and Fun Things To See and Do
One of the advantages of staying at Tetherow is that you have easy access to lots of other fun things to see and do - the Deschutes River is 5 minutes away, Smith Rock State Park is less than 40 minutes, Cascade Lakes and Mt Bachelor are around 25 minutes, and the Metolius River is a 45 minute drive. During our stay - read our Golfing Vacation To Bend Article to learn more - at Tetherow we went white water rafting, played a couple different golf courses that are on the Central Oregon Golf Trail, sampled lots of excellent craft beer, and enjoyed some live music downtown.
If you're into biking, there is a great loop trail around the golf course and hundreds of road and mountain bike trails nearby. Tetherow can also rent you a stand-up paddle board and straps and pads for your car and within minutes you can be paddling down the Deschutes River and through town. There are miles of hiking trails within minutes of Tetherow and during the winter you can enjoy downhill skiing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, and more.
A new swimming pool, fitness center, and additional lodging is under construction and until it is completed you have health club benefits at the Athletic Club of Bend.
So what are you waiting for, pick up the phone and book a reservation at Tetherow - you'll love it!
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