Golfers ring in spring with tournament

The Central Oregon Shootout has become a traditional way to ring in the spring season in Sisters Country. This year, its 364 participants experienced just about everything a Sisters Country spring has to offer - except snow: A little bit of wind, a little bit of rain, a little bit of sunshine and temperatures that hovered just between brisk and chilly.

And they enjoyed 54 holes of fine golf at the three participating golf facilities: Aspen Lakes, Black Butte Ranch's Big Meadow course, and Eagle Crest Resort.

Aspen Lakes Director of Golf Rob Malone noted that the 364 golfers exceeded the 300-golfer subscription for a full tournament, which demonstrates the growing popularity of the event. He said everything went smoothly for the three-day tourney.

Not long ago, the Central Oregon Shootout was a small tournament that was barely a blip on the Central Oregon golf radar. After 14 years of development, it is now the second-largest golf tournament in Central Oregon.

The two-golfer team tournament features one round of scramble, one round of best ball and a final-round Chapman spread over the three weekend days. The tournament also includes one gross division, four net divisions and ladies net and gross payouts. Each round is played at a different course.

This unique team format has helped turn the tournament into a success, Malone said. Groups of teams, representing Oregon cities such Astoria, La Grande, and Portland, as well as Seattle, travel to Central Oregon each year to participate in the tournament.

"It really is about the camaraderie," Malone said. "We have a number of groups that come from different cities and come with a lot of teams. For them, the tournament is a chance for a group of buddies to come and enjoy the team format. It really is about the camaraderie and the fun that they have golfing together."

The Central Oregon Shootout has proven to be a boon for the economy of Sisters and the surrounding area. About 85 percent of its participants travel from outside Central Oregon.

According to an annual players survey, each participant spends on average nearly $1,000 on lodging, entertainment, food and more. That figure does not include the tournament's $300 entry fee.

"It was designed to be a season-opening tournament that will bring in a number of players during what would typically be a slow time: the shoulder season between winter sports and summer sports," Malone said. "And it has been a shot in the arm for the golf courses, the restaurants and the area hotels."