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Why does Tetherow’s golf course close in winter
Updated Nov 2023.
Great question! Please note that our range is open and useable year-round for Tetherow Members (from mats, weather dependent) as is the Golf Academy.
Some golf courses in Bend do stay open year-round. Why doesn’t Tetherow? Our golf course has some unique aspects that require a winter closure. Let’s dive in.
Elevation, Snow and Temps: Tetherow’s course is built at 3800 ft elevation, in comparison with other local courses built between 3200 – 3400 ft. We adore our proximity to the mountains and the authentic winter magic we get to experience here. This also means our course gets much more snow than other courses. These colder temps, even without moisture or snow, send the turf into dormancy. The damage that would be caused by foot traffic or golf carts would not recover in colder temperatures and damage caused would linger into the spring and summer.
Our Grasses: Fine Fescue turf types are notorious for not withstanding high traffic. We see this all season, even during prime growing conditions. Fescue provides a fantastic playing surface, it just doesn’t have the resiliency that you’d find with a lateral growing type turf, i.e. Kentucky Bluegrass and Creeping Bentgrass. When the turf is dormant any chance of recovery is non-existent.
Maintenance: When we close in November, we perform scheduled fall maintenance including heavy topdressing and fungicide applications. These practices allow for consistent playing conditions throughout the playing season as well as protect against vulnerability during the cold months. The amount of sand topdressing disallows for play in the winter months which additionally gives the fescue grasses a longer time of recuperation from the traffic and play the previous season. Unlike other courses in the area that may open earlier than us, we have more consistent playing condition for the months we are open.
Snow Fun: It’s winter! While we DEFINITELY love a good round of golf, we encourage everyone to take advantage of the sparkling magic of winter. Tetherow is adjacent to the Deschutes National Forest and its hundreds of miles of snowshoe and cross country ski trails. We’re also just 20 miles from Mt Bachelor, an iconic Northwest snow destination. Get out and play in the snow! Our team is working on the course throughout the winter to ensure a beautiful spring opening.
Come Sled with us: Our range is a wonderful location to sled when the snow is deep enough.
- Bring your own sled and pick up after yourself.
- No dogs, please. 🐕
- Use common sense and follow all safety signage.
- Warm up with a toasty drink in The Row afterward!
- Call the Golf Shop to see if conditions are right for sledding 541.213.2424.
Tetherow’s golf course will open in March 2024 and we can’t wait to see you on the greens. Until then, we hope to see you on the slopes!