Course Review: Tetherow Golf Club - Links-Style Golf in Bend, OR

With mountain views, undulating fairways, and treacherous greens, Tetherow is a challenging delight.

Overview

Tetherow is the most polarizing course in Central Oregon. Nobody doubts its beauty and distinctiveness, but golfers tend to either love it or hate it. Those who love it embrace the uniquely challenging positions the course puts them in, while those who hate it consider it excessively punishing and unfair.

The well-known story is that the famed Scottish architect of Bandon Dunes, David McKlay Kidd, designed Tetherow while he was going through a divorce, and he made it extremely difficult as a result. After the course was completed in 2008, the criticism of its difficulty was so strong that the course was modified to make it easier, but Tetherow still retains its well-deserved reputation as a challenge – even for highly-skilled golfers.

It's a links-style course set less than 10 minutes from downtown Bend, with fast and firm grass and fescue lurking nearly everywhere to punish mishits or miscalculations. As with true links courses, you'll get some bounces that make you curse the Golf Gods, and others (usually less frequently) that make you jump with joy. But the greens are often the most challenging parts of the holes, with wild undulations that can easily require three putts if you land on the wrong tier.

I've played Tetherow more than any other golf course, and I'm firmly in the "love it" camp. Tetherow rewards you as you grow more familiar with it – learning where to aim off the tee, when to lay it up or go for the green, and how to manage putts you'll only encounter on this course. It's an obvious choice to play Tetherow if you like links courses, and it's an especially unique experience to play a links-style course in the heart of Oregon.

When should you not play Tetherow? If you often shoot in the triple digits and don't want to pay $250+ for what could very well be your worst score ever, you may want to avoid it. But as long as you can bring a healthy appreciation of the unique challenges – and the stunning beauty – it presents, then this will be a course you remember vividly.

Highlights

Hole 6: Par 4, Yards

You traverse a bridge to play holes 3-6, a particularly challenging stretch known as "Kidd's Corner." Hole 6 is the highlight of this set of holes, with a split fairway that presents a classic risk-reward decision off the tee. If you can land your drive in the narrow fairway to the left, you'll have an easier approach, but if you miss the fairway you'll likely be in trouble, with water on the left and fescue on the right. Laying up off the tee to the right is a comfortable shot with more fairway available, but it leaves you with a long, blind approach. As with many holes at Tetherow, golfers must pick their poison.

Hole 11: Par 4, 466 Yards

After Hole 10, a driveable par 4 and the easiest hole on the course, you're brought back to reality on the 11th hole. The fairway of the 11th meanders like a narrow river, first to the left and then to the right, with fescue surrounding it on both sides. Shots left or right will usually lead to a blind approach to the green if you're lucky enough to find your ball. The 11th green is relatively straight-forward by Tetherow standards, but if you miss the green on your approach, ridges around it can lead to tricky flop shots.

Hole 17: Par 3, 167 Yards

The par 3 17th is the most recognizable hole at Tetherow, with a two-tiered green sitting amidst a cavern of sand and fescue. With trouble nearly anywhere outside of the green, up-and-downs are tough to come by. It's safer to hit your tee shot long than short, but if the pin is in front (as pictured above), the putt from the top tier to the bottom tier of the green will test even the best putters.

Hole 18: Par 5, 588 Yards

The 18th hole at Tetherow golf course, from the back tees

The final hole at Tetherow, a fittingly beautiful par 5, plays very differently depending on your tee selection. From the back tees (pictured above), the choice is clear – hit it straight and land it on the fairway – but it's visually intimidating and requires a healthy carry. As you move up the tees (pictured below), it becomes more of a risk-reward decision: How much of the fairway do you want to bite off as it moves to the left? Long and accurate shots will be rewarded with an easier approach and a chance to land the green in two, but missing left is a recipe for a lost ball or, if you're lucky, a bad lie or fairway bunker. The safer tee shot is to lay it up straight, but then you're left with no look at the green on your second shot.

The 18th hole at Tetherow golf course, from the front tees

Verdict

Tetherow is a fast and challenging course, but if you approach it with the right mindset, its firm fairways, wavy greens, and scenic beauty will create a lasting impression.

Memorable

4/5

Replayable

4.5/5

Value

3/5

About

Location

Bend, OR

Yardage

7,283

Architect

David McKlay Kidd

Tips

If you stay at Tetherow Resort, you'll get $35-$45 off your greens fee. The resort also offers a pool and fitness center for guests to use.
You can rent Finn electric scooters at Tetherow for an additional fee. They're especially fun to ride on the course's undulating fairways.
Tetherow has a beautiful driving range, short game area, and practice green – take the time to enjoy them before your round if you can.
Widgi Creek Golf Club, a local favorite in Bend, is less than 10 minutes from Tetherow. Check out my review of Widgi Creek here.