Lost Tracks Golf Club, in Bend, OR is a shotmakers golf course, where target golf and staying in the fairway are the key to a solid round. Lost Tracks is the kind of course where accuracy is at far more of a premium than distance off the tee. In fact, on most holes a long iron is preferred over a driver off the box, particularly for longer hitters. Some players have been known to leave the driver at home and add an extra wedge when playing Lost Tracks. There are a ton of doglegs on the course, some fairly severe. Throughout the front nine, most of the doglegs turn right, while on the back nine most of the doglegs turn left. That being said, a fade is generally preferred over a draw. While course knowledge is key at Lost Tracks. the GPS system in all cart rentals are very helpful to navigate the course. Play Lost Tracks once and you may want another go at it immediately if you are new to the course, although it may take a few rounds to get the hang of Lost Tracks.
The first hole at Lost Tracks Golf Club is a great beginning hole to set up pace of play for the rest of the round and gives you a feel for what is in store the rest of the day. Blind corners and landing areas are prevalent, and many fairways feature enough of a swale that you cannot see the landing area. Balls hit in to the wooded areas are almost guaranteed to be lost and while cutting corners can set you up well for your approach, it does bring these hazards in to play. Lost Tracks has plenty of bunkering, but they are well placed and you can use a bunker as a target line on most holes. The greens at Lost Tracks often have multiple tiers, but each tier has light undulation. Get it on the right tier on your approach and you have a good chance to make a putt. There is a lot of similarity from hole to hole at Lost Tracks, but the 16th is one of the most notable in the state with an island green and a train car as your bridge to the green. Past players leave bag tags and memorabilia behind for future golfers to enjoy. Since Lost Tracks tends to take distance out of play, it levels the playing field between handicaps, making it an enjoyable course for all skill levels.
