
Big Meadow Course
Black Butter Ranch
About this course
Big Meadow occupies the original eighteen holes at Black Butte Ranch, a central Oregon resort community situated near Sisters at the base of the Cascade Range. Robert Muir Graves designed the course in the early 1970s as part of the ranch's initial development, routing it through ponderosa pine forests and across high-desert meadowland at roughly 3,200 feet elevation. The layout takes advantage of the property's natural openness in places and tree-lined corridors in others, with views toward the Three Sisters peaks and other Cascade summits providing dramatic backdrops throughout the round. The course reflects Graves's approach to mountain resort design during that era, emphasizing playability for a range of skill levels while incorporating the native landscape. Fairways move through stands of mature pines, and several holes cross or play alongside meadow areas that give the course its name. Water comes into play on a handful of holes, and the high-desert climate means firm, fast conditions are common during summer months. Elevation changes are generally modest, though the terrain provides enough movement to create variety in lies and shot requirements. Black Butte Ranch operates as a private recreational community with lodging and amenities available to guests, and Big Meadow serves as one of two courses on the property. The setting remains relatively remote and quiet, with the surrounding national forest and volcanic landscape defining the experience as much as the golf itself.
Quick facts
- Location
- Black Butte Ranch, OR, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1970
- Designer
- Robert Muir Graves
- Holes
- 18
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 7,002 yards
- Difficulty
- 71.2/131
Getting there
The journey to Black Butte Ranch begins at Redmond Municipal Airport, a compact regional hub roughly twenty-five miles to the northeast, or from Portland International for those connecting through Oregon's largest gateway some three hours northwest. Private aircraft often favor the Bend Municipal field, which offers full services and sits just thirty minutes south of the property. The drive from any approach traces the eastern flank of the Cascade Range, where high desert scrub and juniper gradually yield to ponderosa pine forests as the road climbs toward the ranch's secluded 1,800 acres - a transition that feels less like arrival than retreat, the volcanic peaks of the Three Sisters standing sentinel over this quiet enclave of fairways and lodges.

FAQ
Common questions about Big Meadow at Black Butter Ranch
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Big Meadow was designed by Robert Muir Graves.
Yes. Big Meadow at Black Butter Ranch is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Big Meadow is 72.
Big Meadow plays 7,002 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Big Meadow is 131.
Big Meadow is a 18-hole course.



