GOLF: IT’S JUST ONE WAY TO HAVE A BALL
For any family that’s taken a vacation with a passionate golfer, the eternal question is: What the heck are we going to do while mom/ dad chases a little white ball for four or five hours? In and around Bend, Oregon, non-golfers have no reason to linger i
Tetherow ... or tubing
Tetherow, one of the more recent additions to greater Bend’s array of 30 18-hole public courses, blends aspects of mountain and desert into its golf design. Designed by David McLay Kidd of Bandon Dunes fame, this course slices through fields of wildflowers and fescue with jaw-dropping views of Three Sisters volcanic peaks to the north.
Caddies are included in your fee, and add to the fun with their local knowledge — and lost-ball finding skills. If you want to traverse the course with verve, consider a GolfBoard. Part snowboard, part Segway, part ATV, the GolfBoard allows you to zip around the course in a “Hang 10” crouch.
While the family golfer determines which part of the fairway to aim for on the picturesque par-4 sixth hole, everyone else can head to Riverbend Park for a tubing adventure on the Deschutes River, through the heart of Bend. Comfortable tubes (not old truck tires) are available for rent (lifejackets are free), and the river’s tempo is quite mellow. Stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and boogie boards are also available.
Keep your eyes peeled for soaring osprey or river otters. Midway through the milelong float, you’ll reach the Bend Whitewater Park. Here, you can either walk your tube around or sample a modest section of rapids (bear left; the expert whitewater is in the center). When you reach Drake Park, jump on the “Ride the River” shuttle bus back to Riverbend to float again.
Aspen Lakes ... or hiking
Aspen Lakes, near the town of Sisters, boasts some of Bend’s finest mountain views. On some tees, you feel as if you could almost reach out and touch the Three Sisters, Three-Fingered Jack and Mount Washington. A unique feature of Aspen Lakes involves its red bunkers, fashioned from crushed volcanic cinders. It is surprisingly fluffy, should an approach shot go astray.
As the golfer steps to the tee on the dogleg left first hole, non-golfers can climb into those looming mountains. Scores of trails depart from around Sisters. One of the most popular hikes is Black Butte Lookout, a few miles west of Sisters. You’ll gain some elevation — more than 1,500 feet in the course of two miles — but the trail is well-groomed, and you’ll be treated to incredible views over the entire Sisters region when you reach the top.
For a bit less exertion — and perhaps even more scenic wonders — head to the Metolius River in nearby Camp Sherman. Smooth trails follow the incredibly clear (and cold) river on both sides, with minimal elevation gain and occasional glimpses of Mount Jefferson. On the way out, visit Metolius Springs, where the river bubbles up from the ground.
Sunriver Meadows ... or whitewater rafting
Established in 1968, Sunriver is the oldest of central Oregon’s resort communities, and boasts three championship courses: Meadows, Woodlands and Crosswater. For me, Meadows is the middle path
— offering enough challenge for the more skilled player, but not too punishing for the less-gifted. The well-manicured course ambles along the Sun River and adjacent wetlands, with snow-draped Mount Bachelor looming above the fairways in the west.
The Deschutes borders the western edge of Sunriver, where a family can experience some of the river’s wilder side on a whitewater rafting excursion. Rafters board a bus in Sunriver village and drop into the river a few miles north. After some paddling basics from your guide, you’ll don a lifejacket and be off.
There are a few mild warmup riffles before you reach the real deal: Big Eddy, a series of four Class III rapids. Everyone will be paddling frantically while your guide calls out instructions and your raft bucks through waves, flumes and drops. A cooling swim is recommended in the calm waters that follow.
When you catch up with the family golfer near the 18th at Meadows, everyone can partake of Sunriver’s nine-hole putting course, which features Bentgrass — just like the real greens — and enough fun to inspire even newbies to give the big course a try on your next trip.