Broken Top Club

General Course Description

The Broken Top Club is a private 18-hole course is just to the west of downtown Bend. It is an attractive course mostly set in the tall trees (behind which there are often houses), but you can frequently see the nearby Cascades. A lot of sand, elevation changes, some water, and lots of trees combine to provide many interesting holes. Although the course provides many challenges, it is rarely unfair (unless you pick the wrong tee box). Fairways and greens are fairly uniform and very well maintained (although there was some damage caused by the late, hard winter in 2019). Almost all of the greens have a ridgeback of some sort. With elevation changes and walks between holes, a cart is suggested (but there are trails to help the walker between holes). Forward tees provide benefit of better angles and shorter distances.

Course History

Opened in 1993 on former timber and mining property. The course was bought and sold many times before being purchased in 2011 by Thrivent Financial through Gold Ring Holdings, LLC. At the end of 2019, the course was sold to the local homeowners association (good for them!).  The course hosted the Oregon Open in 2012. The course was listed as one of the top 10 courses in Oregon by Golf Digest for several years.

Why It Is There

Built as part of the Broken Top housing development by Broken Top Limited Partnership, a consortium of investors from Portland, San Francisco, and Japan.

I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Played

The pro shop is not in the large, attractive building next to the parking lot, but in the small building further on to the west and next to the lake (take your bag to the carts next to the big building and drive to the cozy, but soon to be expanded, pro shop). The 9th hole is a short dogleg left. When you get on the tee box, you will see a separate marker with a variety of distances, because there are multiple options for this hole. You can try to drive the green (over some trees and sagebrush), be short of the trap left (with a second shot over a fairway and then greenside traps), be short of the trap in the center of the fairway (with a second shot over some trees and a greenside trap), or go over the fairway trap (and have an unobstructed shot to the green). Just pick a spot for your tee shot, double check the distance, and go. The 11th hole is a par 4 from an elevated tee to a wide landing area where you turn right and look up a pumice wall to the green that runs right to left (more so the further left you go).  Pick your most comfortable approach distance and hit your tee shot to that yardage. And the 18th hole is a par 4 dogleg left. You drive slightly uphill where the fairway crests, turns and then goes steeply down, stopping briefly at two separate, but not large, tiers.  A drive to the center, near the top of the crest, may provide a better approach then one over the crest.

Did You Know

The OGA named both the 9th hole and the 11th hole on its list of most interesting holes in Oregon. This is the only course with two such holes on the list. And members can fish in the lake next to the clubhouse (it’s catch and release).

Good For Them

Hosts two summer camps for kids (member families and guests) and PGA Junior League. Home course for Summit High School. Host of Birdies 4 Babies to benefit MountainStar (preventing child abuse and neglect). Also hosts a tournament that is one of the events for Cork & Barrel, a multi-day benefit for the KIDS Center, dedicated to the prevention, evaluation, and treatment of child abuse.

Why Play This Course

A very-well-maintained course in an attractive setting that has a good variety of really interesting holes and solid practice facilities (and a really nice staff). The multiple tee boxes allow for a wide variety of skill levels to enjoy a challenge.

General

• • Type: 18-hole private course
  • Price: Private
  • Phone/webpage: (541)383-8200/www.brokentop.com
  • Address: 62000 Broken Top Drive, Bend, Oregon 97702
  • Owner: Broken Top Community Club, LLC
  • Designer: Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish
  • Pros: Travis Moore (PGA), Jack Perkins (PGA), Josh Hanson, Nate Kitt
  • Practice Facilities: Driving range off grass; two covered and heated driving bays with Trackman technology; short-game practice area with greens and traps; sand practice area; 18-hole putting course; and two additional practice greens
  • Pro Shop: Minimal (but is expanding)
  • Food: A very nice, full-service restaurant (with great views of the lake, practice area, and mountains) is open to the public for lunch and dinner Wednesday to Sunday (the pro shop has some snacks, sodas, and beer)
  • Bathrooms: Improved in clubhouse and on course
  • Yardage Markers: Yardage on sprinklers; take a pin sheet
  • Clothing: Proper golf attire
  • Walkable: Hilly with distances between some holes, cart recommended
  • Spikes: Soft only
  • Shoe Cleaning: Brush and air hose
  • Rentals: All
  • Closed in winter