Local golf swings into spring season

Aspen Lakes, Big Meadow and Glaze Meadow are ready for the spring golf season, and offer a variety of golfing opportunities for all ages and abilities.

Aspen Lakes offers an 18-hole course, complete with full driving range, pro shop and snack shop. The first nine holes at Aspen Lakes opened in 1997 and the second nine in 2000. Golf Digest ranks Aspen Lakes among the top 15 courses in the state.

Head golf professional Wayne Clark is in his second season at Aspen Lakes and says there are several things that makes the course unique.

"For one thing," said Clark, "we're the only course in the state with red cinder bunkers. They're visually stunning and extremely easy to play out of.

"We're also the only public course in Central Oregon that has bent grass fairways, which are a much nicer surface to play from."

Aspen Lakes is offering many new programs and special events this season. One of those is their "League Play" which will begin at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 6. Businesses, churches, and other groups can sign up a foursome for eight weeks of Tuesday night league play. Prizes and trophies will be awarded at the end.

"A Kid, A Club, A Dream" will be the junior program offered this season. This includes 10 weeks of organized clinics and league play, a summer golf pass, driving range use and concludes with an awards dinner.

A "Ladies Golf Clinic" will be offered free of charge. This will be an introductory session geared towards women "to take the fear out of golf." The clinic will be held Thursday, April 17 from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

"Couple's Night" will be a special event offered Friday evenings: May 30, June 27, July 25, August 22 and September 26. Couples will play nine holes of golf starting at 4 p.m. and will then have dinner at the course. These special evenings will also include wine tastings, crab feasts, potlucks and barbecue.

Black Butte Ranch (BBR) offers two full 18-hole championship golf courses, Big Meadow and Glaze Meadow. Both courses have their own driving range.

Big Meadow course was established in 1970 and was designed by world renowned architect Robert Muir Graves. It has a new clubhouse that opened in May of 2002 that includes a full pro shop, restaurant and lounge.

Glaze Meadow Course opened in 1978 and was designed by Bunny Mason, the first Director of Golf at Black Butte Ranch.

"This course is situated in a very private setting and isn't a standard course," said current Director of Golf Jeff Fought. "It has five par threes and five par fives. Only about 2 percent of the courses in the country have that. It has a lot of challenging doglegs but is a very playable course for any type of golfer."

Black Butte is also offering many new programs and special rates this season.

"Catering to Families" provides special rates to kids 17 and under and also a special rate for the entire family.

"We're a big vacation place for families," said Fought, "and we wanted to provide an affordable rate for both juniors and families."

New this season BBR will offer two-day/two-hour clinics. The junior clinics will be offered each week from the end of May through the end of August. The adult clinics will be offered from mid June to late August.

A short game school the Ranch calls "100 Yards In" is also new.

Fought said, "This will involve every aspect of your short game, from using your wedge to using your putter, and that's where you can save the most strokes on your golf game."

Black Butte also offers a variety of golf schools. All golf schools include three days of instruction. Participants learn swing fundamentals including full swing, chipping, pitching, putting and sand play. Video swing analysis and rules and game management are also included.

A three-day junior camp will be offered June 16-18, June 30-July 2, July 28-30 and August 18-20.

Through April 30 you can play 18 holes and receive a Black Butte Ranch Cap for a low spring rate.

For more information call: Aspen Lakes 549-GOLF or Black Butte Ranch 595-1291.