Top Oregon Public Golf Courses

🏌️‍♂️ Top Public Golf Courses in Oregon
(According to Wikipedia & Course Profiles)

Oregon’s rugged Pacific coastline, forested hills, and high desert landscapes create a spectacular stage for world-class public golf. The state is home to some of the most celebrated public-access courses in America, combining top-tier architecture with dramatic natural settings.

1. Bandon Dunes – David McLay Kidd
   📍 Bandon, OR
   🏞️ The original course at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
   🌊 Scottish-links feel along coastal dunes and cliffs
   🏆 Among the top public courses in the world
   💲 Resort access required
   🗒️ Wikipedia | Course site

2. Pacific Dunes – Tom Doak
   📍 Bandon, OR
   🌬️ Rugged, windswept coastline design
   🌿 Natural routing with dramatic bunkers and ocean views
   🏆 Perennially ranked in the top 3 public courses in the U.S.
   💲 Resort access required
   🗒️ Wikipedia | Course site

3. Old Macdonald – Tom Doak & Jim Urbina
   📍 Bandon, OR
   📜 Tribute to C.B. Macdonald’s design principles
   🏰 Wide fairways, bold contours, and strategic bunkering
   💲 Resort access required
   🗒️ Wikipedia | Course site

4. Bandon Trails – Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw
   📍 Bandon, OR
   🌲 Routed through dunes, meadows, and coastal forest
   🌿 Unique non-oceanfront beauty among Bandon layouts
   💲 Resort access required
   🗒️ Wikipedia | Course site

5. Sheep Ranch – Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw
   📍 Bandon, OR
   🌊 Ocean holes on nine of 18 greens
   🐑 No bunkers — uses grass hollows and wind
   💲 Resort access required
   🗒️ Course site

6. Pronghorn Club – Nicklaus Course – Jack Nicklaus
   📍 Bend, OR
   ⛰️ Built on lava rock in high desert terrain
   🏌️‍♂️ Ranked among top desert courses in the nation
   💲 Public access (though part of a private resort)
   🗒️ Wikipedia | Course site

7. Silvies Valley Ranch – Dan Hixson
   📍 Seneca, OR
   🔁 Reversible 18-hole course (Craddock & Hankins loops)
   🐐 Home to goat caddies, one of a kind experience
   💲 Public access with ranch lodging
   🗒️ Course site

8. Pumpkin Ridge – Ghost Creek – Bob Cupp
   📍 North Plains, OR (outside Portland)
   🏆 Hosted U.S. Women’s Open & Korn Ferry events
   🌳 Tree-lined with natural water features
   💲 Public course (Witch Hollow is private)
   🗒️ Wikipedia | Course site

9. Tetherow Golf Club – David McLay Kidd
   📍 Bend, OR
   🔥 Volcanic high desert landscape with firm, fast fairways
   🌲 Links-inspired, eco-friendly design
   💲 Daily fee access with luxury amenities
   🗒️ Course site

10. Running Y Ranch – Arnold Palmer
    📍 Klamath Falls, OR
    🍃 Only Palmer-designed course in Oregon
    🌄 Routed around wetlands and rolling terrain
    💲 Public resort access
    🗒️ Course site

🧠 Why These Courses?

• 🌊 Bandon Dunes Resort is a pilgrimage site for golfers, with multiple top-10 public courses

• 🏌️‍♂️ Diverse architecture: Kidd, Doak, Crenshaw, Nicklaus, Palmer

• 🌄 Terrain variety: Linksland, forest, lava rock, high desert

• 💲 Mostly resort-based, but public-friendly and bucket list-worthy