Ocean Dunes Golf Links (3345 Munsel Lake Rd., 541/997-3232, $25 for 9 holes, $40 for 18 holes) lets you tee off with sand dunes (some more than 60 feet tall) as a backdrop. The manicured 18-hole course has a driving range, a full pro shop, and equipment rentals on-site.

For the ultimate in golfing by the dunes, however, try Sandpines Golf Course (1201 35th St., 800/917-4653). To get there, go west off U.S. 101 on 35th Street. In May and June rhododendrons line this drive, which heads into dune country as you move toward the sea. Follow the signs until you see a water tower not far from the pro shop.

A par-72 7,190-yard course, Sandpines’s layout features fairways lined with lakes, Douglas firs, and beach grass on gently undulating terrain; the inward nine holes are traditional links style. Coastal winds that kick up in the morning can figure prominently in your shot selection. Summertime greens fees are $89, and carts $32.