[Michael Dugger]

Hello everyone,

A few weeks back Oregon's own Peter Pittock brought to our attention a new hidden gem located in Central Oregon.  Designed by John Harbottle, Juniper GC opened in July 2005.  Apparently lacking in space and running into some problems with the Redmond Airport, Juniper grew from 9 to 18 with the building of the new course.

I had the pleasure of playing Juniper twice recently.  I cannot thank the staff enough as our group approached the front desk inquiring about the cost of a replay.  

The fella's response?  "Why don't you just hop in a cart and go around again!!"

Beyond pleased fails to describe the mood of our foursome!!!

STRENGTHS:

Juniper is a broad sweeping golf course, integrated very nicely with the existing terrain.  It's one of the funnest driving courses I've played this side of Bandon.  Many tee shots ask you to take on rock outcroppings, blast one up over a hill or properly consider a lay up in order to achieve a level stance or preferred angle of attack.  The topography at Juniper is PERFECT for a golf course, in my opinion, broad subtle changes in elevation but nothing overly severe.  The courses possesses a drivable par 4 (#12), reachable par 5s and brutally long par 4s (#17)  Conditioning was superb although they had recently sanded the greens.  Our group was thankful for that, I can imagine these greens roll FAST when in optimal shape.  WOW!

WEAKNESSES:

You will notice I only have one image of the four one shot holes that adorn Juniper (#3.)  I thought it was a fairly weak collection of par 3's.  It is sort of too bad because with a stunning set I think this course would be even better.  I don't understand it, either, as the awesome rock outcroppings surely would have afforded something a la Fazio's million dollar hole at Ventana Canyon or something across a chasm to a tightly guarded green.  Nearly all the par 3's are level, not a favorite feature of mine.

The turf was a little too moist/lush around the greens to truly play bump and run golf.  I can imagine this problem could be worked out in the future with a little maturity in the maintenance meld.  The native scrub was absolutely brutal.  I dinged up my 7 iron on a rock which is aggravating.  It is sparse enough to provide hope you might have a play out of it, but you don't.  Last but not least, I was not blown away with the greens complexes.  A lot of two-tiered greens, something about them just didn't seem right.  The bunkering did not greatly impress, either, but it was okay, probably easy to maintain.

All in all, I had a tremendous experience playing my first Harbottle.  Tee to green, it's a damn fun course and one that plays LOooooong if you go all the way back.  As it is I give it a Doak 6, but it could have easily been a 7 with a better set of one shot holes.

PICTURES:

Opening tee shot


       
Approach to #1



3rd hole (par 3)



Awesome 4th tee



Approach to #4



5th tee shot (long par 4)



Approach to #5



Tee shot on #6



Tee shot on #7



Tee shot on #10 (par 5)



Down the fairway



10th Green complex



11th tee



Looking back towards 11th tee from fairway (awesome rocks)



12th tee, 280 yd par 4



14th tees from the tips



14th tee from the whites



15th tee



approach to the 15th skirting water



18th tee shot



Approach to the home green





   

[Jim Adkisson]

Thanks for the photos Mike...I am headed down to Sunriver for family vacation in a couple of weeks and I get hall passes for 2 rounds...I am looking forward to playing at Quail Run in LaPine to check out their expansion from 9 to 18 holes.  You've inspired me to run up to Redmond for my other round to check out Juniper.

[LPolisano]

Thanks Michael.  As luck would have it, my wife and I are flying from Philly to Bend OR on Wednesday of this week, staying through next Wednesday.  I saw the post a couple weeks ago on Juniper and was thinking of playing it.  Your pictures and posts have helped in my decision!  The other course I was thinking of playing on my trip is Aspen Lakes.  Have you played Aspen Lakes?  If you have, and assuming I have only one day free to play, would you recommend one above the other?

[peter_p]

Michael,
   I'm glad you enjoyed the course, had fun and posted the pictures. I'd agree the par 3s aren't as strong as they could be, but 16 created all sorts of problems while I was watching that hole and searching for balls that went long.
   Thirteen is a 3 par which seems simplistic. I put its down to a pace of play issue. The prior hole gets jammed up a driveable 4 and I hate to see back to back traffic problems.
I can't even remember the second 3 par on the front.
   
Lou,
   It's been a few years since I played Aspen Lakes and it is a bit hazy. Nevertheless, when coming off both courses for the first time, I was much more jazzed after playing Juniper.

Link to earlier thread: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=24797;start=msg458430#msg458430

[Tim Taylor]

Course looks nice. I especially like the tumbling fairway on the 10th. It looks semi-blind. Is it or is the photo a little deceiving.

Slightly OT, but I like the look of the club house too. Nice to see something that isn't the same in the same old colonial/farmhouse/tudor mold.

Tim

[peter_p]

The tenth crosses two or three signifcant dips and a blind second is quite possible. I can't remember what Harbottle named the hole. Ah, Its Dungeon because if you hit it too long you'll end up in a dungeon of a swale -from his architect notes: http://www.junipergolf.com/Golf/The_Course/architect_notes.html

[Michael Dugger]

Thanks Michael.  As luck would have it, my wife and I are flying from Philly to Bend OR on Wednesday of this week, staying through next Wednesday.  I saw the post a couple weeks ago on Juniper and was thinking of playing it.  Your pictures and posts have helped in my decision!  The other course I was thinking of playing on my trip is Aspen Lakes.  Have you played Aspen Lakes?  If you have, and assuming I have only one day free to play, would you recommend one above the other?

Yes Sir

I played Aspen, Juniper and Eagle Crest Ridge on my most recent trip.

I have some images of Aspen I will be posting shortly.

It is indeed worth the trip.  I like Aspen quite a bit

[Jim Adkisson]

Lee...Aspen Lakes is well worth the afternoon play...they do have a twilight rate that is well worth waiting for...the course's most unusual feature is it's red lava cinder bunkers...a strange medium to hit out of especially around the greens...it definately has some fun holes and gorgeous sights of the Three Sisters Mountains...the main issue I have with the course is that it is set up as a "cart course" with some long green to tee walks (especially 18 back to the clubhouse)...But don't let that keep you away from Aspen Lakes...it's definately one of my favorite courses in the Central Oregon area.

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