12 2021 CENTRAL OREGON GOLF PREVIEW • THE BULLETIN • SUNdAy, MAy 23, 2021
Tournament
Continued from 11
Opportunities to putt every-
thing out and play by the rules
were virtually nonexistent last
year, but that appears to be
changing as the local golf sea-
son gets under way.
The Central Oregon
Shootout was played April 23-
25. Over the course of three
days, more than 300 golfers
took part in a variety of fun and
challenging formats at Aspen
Lakes, Black Butte Ranch, and
Eagle Crest Resort.
If you missed the Central
Oregon Shootout, there are still
plenty of opportunities to com-
pete at some of the area’s finest
facilities.
On May 26, players are in-
vited to play a one-day three-
man scramble at Meadow Lakes
Golf Course in Prineville. Entry
is $225 per team and there will
be both gross and net payouts.
The Oregon Open Invita-
tional will take place at the
Glaze Meadow Course at Black
Butte Ranch June 15-17. Known
as a “major” in the Pacific
Northwest Section of the PGA
of America, the pro-am for-
mat features teams of one pro-
fessional and three amateurs.
Teams will play together the first
two days and the low 70 players
will be paired for the final round
based on individual score.
The 67th annual Mirror
Pond Invitational at Bend
Golf Club will be held July 30
through Aug. 1. The facility’s
premier men’s event of the year,
the Mirror Pond is open to the
first 122 players to sign up with
a USGA handicap. The entry
deadline is July 15.
“Subaru of Bend is back as
the title sponsor of the Ghost
Tree Invitational,” said Jerrel
Grow, director of golf at Prong-
horn Resort.
Scheduled Aug. 20-21, the
Ghost Tree Invitational in-
Ryan Brennecke/The Bulletin
Golfers warm up on the putting green before competing in the Central Oregon Shootout at Aspen Lakes Golf Course in Sisters on April 23.
“(The two-man best ball tournament in September) is our biggest event of the year.
All handicap levels are welcome and one-third of the field will be paid out. All teams
will receive a tee prize, and entries will be out in late July.”
— James Billings, head professional at Juniper Golf Course in Redmond
cludes golf on the Jack Nick-
laus Course, live entertainment
on the driving range, and a
smorgasbord of Northwest-in-
spired cuisine from chefs and
restaurants throughout Central
Oregon.
Proceeds from the tourna-
ment benefit a number of local
charities, including the Boys
& Girls Clubs of Bend, Ron-
ald McDonald House, and The
Center Foundation.
Juniper Golf Course in Red-
mond will play host to a two-
man best ball tournament Sept.
11-12.
“This is our biggest event of
the year,” said James Billings,
head professional at Juniper.
“All handicap levels are wel-
come and one-third of the field
will be paid out. All teams will
receive a tee prize, and entries
will be out in late July.”
While there are plenty of
opportunities for adults of all
abilities to compete, there is no
shortage of events for juniors.
The Central Oregon Junior
Golf Association hosts a se-
ries of tournaments for kids
throughout the summer. De-
pending on experience and
ability, children have the op-
portunity to learn the game and
compete against one another
beginning in May. For a com-
plete list of tournament and
clinic dates, visit cojga.org.
For diehard Central Oregon
golfers, the season doesn’t end
when the temperatures begin to
drop in the fall. Depending on
weather, there are still oppor-
tunities to compete in the Cen-
tral Oregon Winter Series. On
Fridays beginning in October,
players of all handicap levels are
invited to compete in a series
of fun two-player formats at
courses throughout the area.
Meadow Lakes also offers its
own series of fun events during
the fall and winter. On Nov.
20, the Turkey Shoot Open is
a two-person best ball format.
Dec. 11 is the Christmas Goose
two-person chapman. Ring in
the new year with a two-person
scramble on Jan. 1, 2022. The
series rounds out with the
Super Bowl four-person scram-
ble on Feb. 5, 2022.
For more information on the
Central Oregon Winter Series,
or the events open to everyone
at Meadow Lakes in the fall and
winter, visit meadowlakesgc.
com.
While lack of opportuni-
ties to play in formal compe-
tition found Central Oregon
golfers longing last year due to
COVID-19, there’s good news
on the horizon. The 2021 sea-
son has a full slate for players of
all abilities to compete in both
serious and less-formal compe-
titions. If current participation
levels in the sport are any indi-
cation, competitive opportuni-
ties will fill up quickly.