The famous quote: “Go West, Young Man!” dates back to the 1850s and promoted the expansion westward at an exciting time in US history. Today “Go West” is used by Oregon Tourism to tempt would-be adventurers to the Beaver State in the Pacific Northwest.

Oregon is a magnet that drags golfers from all over the world to the seaside resort of Bandon Dunes where there are five world-class golf courses and a playful 13-hole par three layout. As for the rest of Oregon, it’s pretty much undiscovered as a golfing destination.

The Beaver State could do itself a favour by promoting its non-Bandon based golf courses a little more effectively because there are some good courses to be savoured within this magnificent vacation State.

Apart from the respected private facilities at Waverley, Eugene and Pronghorn, there’s Crosswater at Sunriver, Running Y Ranch and Pumpkin Ridge, all of which are worth singling out from Oregon’s directory of more than 200 golf courses.

In the middle of 2021, work started on building a new course at The Tribute Club in Thornburgh, close to the foot of the Cline Buttes mountains. Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw and Dave Axland had looked at the property in 2006 but the financial crash shortly after that time put plans on hold.

Fifteen years later, when the owner approached Bill Coore again to revive the project, he directed them to Whitman, Axland and Cutten, who took over the design, using Landscapes Unlimited to help with construction and grow-in. It’s expected the course will be brought into play some time in 2023.

Our Oregon Best In State Rankings were last updated in July 2020. Click the link to read the story.