Crosswater Club at Sunriver Resort, Crosswater Course, Sunriver, Oregon An Upscale, Heathland-Style Golf Course

The Crosswater course is part of the 63-hole golf complex at the Crosswater Club at Sunriver Resort. The club is set amid 600 acres of scenic woodlands and wetlands, and the Crosswater course plays through a picturesque meadow. Water and wetlands come into play on as many as sixteen holes, depending on tee selection, as the Little Deschutes River threads through the course, while the Big Deschutes River borders the course on its west side.

The Crosswater course is a traditional heartland layout and plays at an elevation of 4,183 feet, while offering views of Mt. Bachelor, Broken Top and The Three Sisters. Due to the elevation and low humidity, the course tends to play shorter than its yardage. That's a plus, since the course plays to a whopping 7,638 yards from the longest tees, with a daunting USGA rating of 76.9 and a slope rating of 150 on Pennlinks Creeping Bent grass and Poa Annua tees, fairways and greens, and Kentucky Bluegrass rough. From the Blue tees, the course plays to a more manageable 6,811 yards.

The course, which opened in 1995, is a Robert E. Cupp design that tends to play firm and fast. When it's tournament time at the course, which has hosted both PGA and NCAA events, the stimpmeter on the greens has been as high as 12.

Some of the more noteworthy holes include No. 2, a par-5 that plays to 582 yards from the longest tees. Known as the "Water `N Woods,'' the hole offers a generous landing area off the tee. The hole still plays as one of the most difficult, however, thanks to a water hazard that guards a large, inviting putting surface that calls for an accurate approach shot.

Hole No. 17 is a challenging par-3 that plays to 243 yards from the back tees, and 218 from the Blue tees. Nicknamed "The Homestead,'' the hole ranks as one of the longest par-3s known to golf. Wetlands protrude into the fairway and also surround the left side of the green, as well as sand in the front and back, making for an exacting tee shot. The green is huge, which adds to the challenge of hitting an accurate tee shot for any hope of birdie or par.

Since opening, the Crosswater course has received many accolades. GOLF Magazine named it one of the Top 10 Most Adventurous Golf Courses in America and also ranked it among the Top 100 Courses You Can Play. Golf Digest named Crosswater one of Golf's 50 Greatest Destinations, while Golfweek ranked it #17 among America's Best Residential Golf Courses.

Practice facilities at Crosswater include a driving range and putting and chipping greens. The clubhouse is designed as a classic, Northwest Lodge, which houses a golf shop, snack bar, lockers, and The Grille restaurant.

Other amenities at the resort include a swimming pool, exercise facility, two tennis courts, and 3.25 miles of hiking and biking trails.

Read about other Deschutes County tourist attractions:

• Crosswater Club at Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, Oregon - A Classic Northwestern Woodlands Course Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr