Rivers Edge Golf Course

Rivers Edge Golf Course sits along the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon, designed by Robert Muir Graves and opened in 1987. Graves, a prolific West Coast architect who worked extensively throughout California and the Pacific Northwest, routed the course to take advantage of the natural riverfront setting and the high desert landscape characteristic of Central Oregon. The property features elevation changes and volcanic rock outcroppings that frame several holes, with ponderosa pines and native grasses defining the playing corridors. The Deschutes River comes into play on multiple holes, most notably on the back nine where it borders several greens and fairways. The course measures over 6,800 yards from the back tees and incorporates the natural terrain without excessive earth-moving, a hallmark of Graves's approach during this period. The layout requires strategic positioning off the tee, as the combination of elevation changes, prevailing winds, and the river hazard demands course management rather than pure length. Rivers Edge operates as a public facility and serves both residents and visitors to the Bend area, which has grown significantly as a golf destination since the course opened. The high desert climate allows for a lengthy playing season, and the views extend to the Cascade Range in the distance. The course reflects the era of Pacific Northwest golf development in the 1980s, when designers worked to balance playability for a range of skill levels with the dramatic natural settings available in the region.