Silvies Ranch is the most original single-property golf trip in the American West. Two reversible championship courses through a working Oregon cattle ranch -- played in both directions on consecutive days -- plus a seven-hole goat-caddie course that's become the property's real signature. The remoteness is genuine and the ranch character is not manufactured. The right group loves it unreservedly.
Courses included
The trip experience
Two courses share one piece of ground here, and you don't get to pick which one you're playing. Hankins one day, Craddock the reverse the next, same 27 greens doing double duty. Architect Dan Hixson pulled off something actually rare: two distinct, equally good rounds out of a single routing, sharing nine greens between them and still managing to feel like different golf courses depending on which direction you're facing. That's the golf. The goats are the story everyone actually tells afterward.
McVeigh's Gauntlet is the seven-hole course nobody warns you about enough. No carts allowed, the hills are too steep for them, so you walk it or you hire a goat. Real goats, in a custom harness, carrying six clubs and your beer. Play it once for the novelty and you'll understand why it's ranked the best short course in the country. Play it twice because it's actually good golf underneath the gimmick.
"The goats are the story everyone actually tells afterward."
Hankins and Craddock are the real test, and don't let the reversible format fool you into thinking it's a gimmick too. The two configurations share nine of Silvies' twenty-seven greens and the property still decides which one you get, not you, so build the trip around a minimum two-night stay if you want both. The elevation change is real, the bunkers are everywhere, over a hundred of them, and the wind at 4,900 feet does things to a ball flight you won't have practiced for. You can walk these two if you want; carts are available but not required, so decide as a group before you get there instead of assuming one way or the other. Bring a mid-layer regardless. Mornings can start near freezing and finish in the high seventies.
Chief Egan is the nine-hole par-3 loop, and it's the easy one: family-friendly, water on every hole, over almost before it starts. Play it the evening you land, before the altitude and the travel have caught up with you, and again after dinner if the legs are willing.
Dinner is not optional, and that's not a complaint. One big table, five courses, ranch-raised beef and goat, bread from a sourdough starter that's older than the state highway out front. You don't get a menu. You get what the ranch is serving, and it's better than most places that hand you one.
"You don't get a menu. You get what the ranch is serving, and it's better than most places that hand you one."
Getting there is the real cost of admission. It's a long drive from anywhere, Bend included, so build a buffer day on both ends rather than pretending you'll land and tee off the same afternoon. Pair it with a night in Bend if you can; breweries and a walkable downtown are the exact opposite of ranch quiet, and the contrast is the point rather than a compromise.
Silvies isn't for a group that wants control over its schedule. You don't pick your course, you don't pick your dinner, and you're playing golf at altitude in the middle of nowhere on purpose. The season is short too, first weekend of May through the end of October, so the window to actually do this is narrower than most ranch trips. If that sounds like a downside, skip it. If it sounds like the whole appeal, you're the group this place was built for.
Side trips & bonus golf
The cleanest Bend extension is Tetherow, which adds a modern, high-desert challenge that deliberately contrasts Silvies' raw ranch setting. David McLay Kidd's design on volcanic terrain is bolder, more exposed, and more architecturally demanding than anything in the Pronghorn or Sunriver rotation. It's the right choice for groups who want one round near Bend that feels like a genuine architectural exam rather than a resort convenience stop.
For a more resort-comfortable Bend stop, Crosswater at Sunriver and the Pronghorn Resort courses offer different entry points. Crosswater is the natural closer: well-conditioned, scenic along the Deschutes River corridor, and polished in a way that contrasts Silvies' rugged self-sufficiency. Pronghorn pairs the Nicklaus and Fazio courses on the same property, giving you championship structure (Nicklaus) and a smoother scoring round (Fazio) without driving between properties.
Bend earns its own night as the trip's anchor city. The town is walkable, brewery-dense, and lively enough to make the transition between Portland and ranch country feel like a proper chapter rather than a rest stop. Deschutes Brewery is the landmark name, but the broader Bend Ale Trail and the Old Mill District restaurant scene give you a full evening. The logistics are natural: fly into Portland, spend a night in Bend, drive east to Silvies, then reverse on the way home.
Is this trip right for your group?
- ✓Book this trip if the reversible-course format genuinely appeals; you cannot choose Hankins or Craddock on a given morning, and both configurations are different enough to reward the lack of control.
- ✓Book this trip if your group wants 36 a day in a fully all-inclusive, decisions-removed setup where golf carts, meals, and lodging are bundled.
- ✓Book this trip if high-desert altitude (nearly 5,000 feet), big wind, and firm turf are the conditions you want.
- ✓Book this trip if the nine-hole Chief Egan loop and evening short-course competition are things your group will actually do; skipping them is the most common regret.
- ✓Book this trip if remoteness is a feature, not a problem; the nearest commercial airport is 2+ hours away and the drive there is part of the experience.
- ✓Book this trip if pairing the ranch with 2 nights in Bend is part of the plan; the combination makes the trip feel complete in a way neither stop does alone.
- ✓Book this trip if your group is comfortable with a communal ranch-style dinner every night at one shared table; it's part of the format, not optional.
- ✗Skip this trip if you need cart access on every course; McVeigh's Gauntlet is walking or goat-caddie only, with no cart option available.
- ✗Skip this trip if your group needs private or flexible dining; dinner is a communal five-course meal at one big table every night, and off-property restaurants require a significant drive.
- ✗Skip this trip if you want to choose your 18-hole course each morning; the reversible format means the property decides the configuration, and guests don't get input.
- ✗Skip this trip if altitude sensitivity affects your game noticeably; shots carry 5-8% farther at 5,000 feet and recalibration takes most of the first round.
- ✗Skip this trip if your travel window falls outside May through October; the golf courses are closed the rest of the year.
When to go
- Firmest turf and longest days; 36-a-day schedules are completely feasible with evening light past 9 p.m.
- High desert altitude (nearly 5,000 feet) means warm afternoons but cold mornings; 30-40 degree temperature swings within a single day are standard
- Demand is heaviest in July and August; book 6+ months out for summer weekends and popular stays
- Wind is part of the course identity all season; morning rounds at Hankins and Craddock tend to be calmer
- The reversible course format means the property determines which 18-hole configuration is available each day
- May and early June offer excellent conditions with lighter demand; greens are typically in peak shape after spring preparation
- September brings cooler temperatures and the beginning of fall color across the high-desert landscape
- October can see early cold snaps; layers are essential and the season officially closes at end of October, weather dependent
- Rates and availability are more accessible than summer peak, especially for midweek stays
- Wind tends to pick up in late September and October; factor in extra club selection flexibility
- Silvies Valley Ranch golf courses are closed November through April
- The ranch offers winter activities (cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sleigh rides) for those interested in an off-season stay
- No golf is available from November through late April, weather dependent
What a Silvies Ranch trip costs
| Item | Peak | Shoulder | Off-Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golf + lodging + meals (Silver Package | |||
| 3 nights) | |||
| Rental car (Bend to Silvies) | $100-$200 | $100-$200 | N/A |
| Activities & upgrades (spa, horseback, extra rounds) | $100-$300 | $100-$300 | N/A |
| Total (est.) | $200–$500 | $200–$500 |
| Item | Peak |
|---|---|
| Golf + lodging + meals (Silver Package | |
| 3 nights) | |
| Rental car (Bend to Silvies) | $100-$200 |
| Activities & upgrades (spa, horseback, extra rounds) | $100-$300 |
| Total (est.) | $200–$500 |
Per-person estimates for a 3-night stay with the Silver Package (lodging, all meals, golf cart, and one premium activity per day). Golf rounds are priced separately from lodging in some packages; confirm with the property. Excludes flights. All-in: $2,000-$2,900 peak, $1,600-$2,400 shoulder.
How tee times and lodging actually work
- 1Reversible course formatThe resort determines which 18-hole configuration is played each day; Guests cannot choose Hankins vs. Craddock on a given morning.
- 2Two days required to play both configurationsA minimum two-night stay is required to experience both Hankins and Craddock since the layout rotates daily.
- 3Carts vs. walking varies by courseWalking is permitted and encouraged on Hankins and Craddock, with golf carts also available and included in the resort fee; McVeigh's Gauntlet and Chief Egan do not allow carts due to steep terrain, so plan to walk or book a goat caddie.
- 4Day guests by advance reservationDay guests can visit with advance deposit, subject to availability, but overnight guests receive priority tee time access.
- 5Advance reservation requiredAll tee times must be booked in advance, especially during peak summer season; Walk-up availability is not reliable.
- 6Golf season runs May through OctoberCourses open around the first weekend of May (Cinco de Silvies tournament) and close end of October, weather dependent.
Common mistakes
- !Expecting to choose your course configurationThe reversible format means the property decides which 18-hole layout is available that day; You cannot request Hankins or Craddock for a specific morning.
- !Arriving without altitude awarenessThe ranch sits at nearly 5,000 feet above sea level; Shots carry 5-8% farther than at sea level, and recalibrating yardages takes most of the first round.
- !Packing only summer gearMorning temperatures in June and September can be 35-45 degrees F at tee time even when afternoons reach the high 70s; A fleece and wind shell are essential on every round.
- !Skipping Chief EganThe nine-hole loop is not an optional bonus; It's where the trip becomes social and competitive in a different way, and groups who skip it consistently say it was a mistake.
- !Booking one night expecting both course configurationsA two-night minimum is required to play both Hankins and Craddock; A one-night stay gives you only one configuration.
- !Ignoring the communal dinner formatThe ranch-style dinner at one shared table every night is the social centerpiece of the property; It's not a casual option to skip and replace with room service.
- !Planning tight same-day departure travelRemote access via small airports or a 5-6 hour drive from Portland makes same-day checkout-and-fly logistics stressful; Build a buffer on departure day.
What to pack
Sample itinerary
- Day 1Arrive + Pacific DunesFly into North Bend (OTH), 30 minutes from the resort. One course on arrival day — save your legs for tomorrow. Play Bandon Preserve if you get in early enough.
- Day 2Bandon Dunes + Old MacdonaldThe two boldest courses back to back. Bandon Dunes first while you are sharp; Old Mac in the afternoon when you are loose enough to enjoy the creative chaos.
- Day 3Bandon Trails + DepartBandon Trails is the easiest keep on this itinerary. Sheep Ranch is the easiest cut — add it with an early tee time if you want all five and can handle a late departure.
Where to stay & eat
Know before you book.
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