Widgi Creek (18707 Century Dr., 541/382-4449, www.widgi.com, $25–64, reservations strongly recommended), just north of the Seventh Mountain Resort, was designed by Robert Muir Graves. The course’s strategically placed trees, lakes, and sand traps have already given this place the reputation as the “mean green” golf course of central Oregon. The 18 holes are mentioned in the same breath as Sunriver’s North Course and Black Butte’s Glaze Meadows—good company indeed.

Close to town along the Deschutes River, the hillside River’s Edge Golf Course (3075 N. Business Rte. 97, 541/389-2828 or 866/453-4480, www.riverhouse.com, $39–59) is a convenient and pretty alternative.

A couple of products of Bend’s boom years are the lavish private golf courses at Pronghorn (830 NW Wall St., 800/541-9424, www.pronghornclub.com), which has courses by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Fazio, where the eighth hole features a lava canyon; and Tetherow (61240 Skyline Ranch Rd., 541/388-2582, www.tetherow.com), a links-style course designed by Davis McLay Kidd. Call these clubs to inquire about reciprocal or resort guest privileges.