McLay Kidd’s heathland-style masterpiece unveils its $3M clubhouse renovation this year, adding to one of the great resort golf experiences in the U.S.
BEND, Oregon — At Tetherow Golf Club, the sense of optimism comes from more than just the turning of the season. Lofty rankings and a $3 million clubhouse renovation due this summer make the 2024 golf season, which opens on Sunday, March 24, one to look forward to at Bend’s premier golf resort.
As the golf season gets ready to tee off, the David McLay Kidd-designed resort course is having a moment. Golf Digest ranked the Scottish Heathland-inspired gem No. 57 on its 2023-24 list of “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses,” a 25-spot jump from the 2021-22 ranking, the biggest improvement of any course in the biannual rankings.
Tetherow Resort was also named the No. 1 resort in the Pacific Northwest and the No. 28 resort in the world in the coveted Condé Nast Traveler 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards.
Never one to rest on its laurels, though, Tetherow has made some significant improvements since those rankings were released last fall. Tetherow’s $3 million renovation of its beautiful clubhouse is expected to be completed this summer, and it will include a refreshed golf shop, new outdoor patio space overlooking the course, and a more intimate dining experience at Solomon’s, Tetherow’s farm-to-table, innovative take on Northwest Cuisine.
Tetherow also has plans to make better use of its “Kidd Course,” a feature of the famed architect’s original design that converts the vast driving range into a fun-for-all par-3 course. Every Monday during this golf season, Tetherow will close the driving range and set up the Kidd Course for members and Tetherow guests.
Inspired by the courses of the Scottish Highlands, Tetherow’s experience is unique in North America. Its faded fescue fairways, thin lies, firm-and-fast conditions, striking bunkers, and pronounced elevation changes—in a High Desert setting with the snow-capped peaks of the Cascade Range off in the distance—have wowed golfers since it first opened in 2008.
But Tetherow—open to members and their guests, resort guests, and limited daily public play—has never been afraid to embrace change. It has the largest fleet of Finn Scooters in the West and has long made subtle changes that have improved the course over the years.
Tetherow has also recently hired a new superintendent, Corey Beelke, who joins the team after spending the past nine years at Broken Top Club in Bend. Beelke will ensure the firm, fast fescues of Tetherow will remain pristine. He’s also overseen an offseason program to work on the course’s egress areas.
“Tetherow was designed to be an original, challenging, and ultimately fun golf experience, and we are continually seeking ways to fulfill that original promise,” said Hunter Hidalgo, director of golf at Tetherow.
“We want to be unlike any other golf club in Central Oregon or beyond. As our rankings show, the golf world is increasingly catching on to what makes Tetherow special. But more importantly, our members and guests continue to find new ways to enjoy Tetherow.”
