Juniper Golf Course, in Redmond, OR, is a highly acclaimed high desert test that has been named by Golf Digest as the best municipal course in the state. Municipal or not, Juniper is a top-tier venue among all Northwest golf, and must visit in the golf-rich area of Central Oregon. For the price, you will not get more for your money than at Juniper where a demanding design, tour quality greens and stunning mountain scenery stimulate the senses. Winding through harsh, desert terrain and past craggy outcroppings, golfers face a thought-provoking layout en route to some of the finest putting surfaces you could ask for. Reaching them safely and/or attacking them precisely is no small task due to a combination of elevated greens, distorting contours and hole designs in which fairway lies do not always yield an ideal approach angle. Though it serves the public masses with favorably sized landing zones off the tee and a generous distance advantage from the front tees, Juniper will keep even the lowest of handicappers on their toes. Locals are spoiled with the nicest muni in the state, and visitors stand to spoil the potential greatness of their Central Oregon golf experience should they skip the trip to Juniper.
Juniper Golf Course is built along rolling terrain with a consistent serving of modest elevation changes. Arranged along acres of Juniper pines, desert plants and rock, wider fairways invite golfers to swing loose. With that said, there are several blind tee shots in which familiarity with the course has a drastic effect on the difficulty. Desert carries and other trouble areas in play from the tee keep golfers honest, but there is generally a fair amount of room to operate. Although water is not a notable factor at Juniper, a couple of ponds come into play on each side. Landing the correct portion of the fairways is at a premium here, where the greens are less receptive and less inviting from certain approach angles. A wealth of steep bunkers, challenging contours and blind looks help guard the otherwise spacious greens. While reaching these gems can prove difficult, reward is to be had here. The greens are as fast and true as they come. If you can find the line on these undulating greens, then trust it because what you see is what you get. For more skilled short gamers, standing over a putt offers a sight to salivate at. But for most golfers, these slippery quick speeds can stockpile strokes on a scorecard. Juniper’s immaculate greens headline a host of talking points for the City of Redmond’s country club quality course.
