Any tips on getting a good deal at Sun River Resort?

[highbombs77]

I want to do a short trip to Sun River resort, likely 2 nights playing 18/36/18.  When I looked on the website and priced it out, it was usually over $1k/person assuming 2 people per room.  I have heard several people mention that they played in a group at Sun River and only paid $500-700 per person for a 2 night 18/36/18.  Any idea how these people are getting these deals?  When I asked them directly they each said, "I don't know, it was set up by my buddy, not sure how he got that deal".

 

Appreciate any help

 

Highbombs

[spud3]

Go to the bottom of this page on their site and sign up for emails.

 

https://www.sunriverresort.com/central-oregon-bend-golf/golf-overview

 

They usually have early and late season stay/play specials where you can get a room and unlimited golf (just one round on Crosswater daily) for a really good price (~$150/player, double occupancy, but you can upgrade to single rooms for a bit more).  It's an outstanding deal, but weather can be iffy in the shoulder seasons, and you have to be ready to jump on it, as the best dates go quickly.

[highbombs77]

Thanks for that good tip, I signed up.  Is there a season that is considered the sweet spot between cost and a decent chance of good weather (or a least a low chance of terrible weather)?

[Seamus_MacDuff]

10 hours ago, highbombs77 said:

Thanks for that good tip, I signed up.  Is there a season that is considered the sweet spot between cost and a decent chance of good weather (or a least a low chance of terrible weather)?

Sunriver is a big summer vacation destination for the PNW, so the summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day are peak pricing.  Best sweet spot for cost and good weather is either in May (before Memorial Day) or after Labor Day through early October.  Sounds like you're traveling with a group of guys, so you may find it more cost effective and enjoyable to rent a house rather than rooms in the lodge.  You can rent homes through either the resort or private parties (most homes are rented through AirBNB or other private parties), just be aware that to access Crosswater you have to book your lodging through the resort.

[spud3]

+1 on Seamus' comments.  That said, we went one year in the first week of October and had temps in the low 40's and a couple snow flurries, so the closer you can get to Memorial or Labor Day, the better off you'll be.

Edited October 19, 2023 by spud3

[soregongolfer]

23 hours ago, spud3 said:

+1 on Seamus' comments.  That said, we went one year in the first week of October and had temps in the low 40's and a couple snow flurries, so the closer you can get to Memorial or Labor Day, the better off you'll be.

Frost delays aren't uncommon in the first week of October.  It comes as a shock when you're from the valley and still used to temps in the 90's.  

[Ty-Webb]

Are any Bend area folks looking at this new membership setup at SunRiver? I've been a pass holder for a few years and am not sure what to make out of it. It's not too bad with the initiation fee being waived for '23 pass holders but still a little expensive considering the shorter playing season. 

 

Will Meadows and Woodlands have less play? Was public play an issue? I know they had tee times on GolfNow but the rates seemed high enough to keep that option from being utilized by most (aside from daily hot deals). The assistant pro I talked with said  '23 had the highest amount of passholders ever issued. Will this new style of "membership" bring play back to better levels (fewer rounds per day)??

[spud3]

Couldn't find anything on the resort site other than the Crosswater memberships.  Which passes/memberships are you talking about?

[highbombs77]

Thanks to the advice from this thread I signed up for the Sunriver resort emails and kept an eye on when reservations opened.  Once they did I found some dates midweek in late September that worked for my group and had a decent price so I booked it.  Unfortunately when I went to make tee times they told me that both Woodlands and Meadows would be closed for tournaments all 3 days of our stay! 

     After checking back with my group I rebooked us for earlier in September, and at that time Meadows was closed for another tournament.  We decided that 2 rounds at Crosswater and 2 rounds at Woodlands was good enough for us so we went with it.  I think it ended up being about $675 per person for 4 people for 2 rooms midweek plus golf.  I felt that was reasonable. 

    Moral of the story is that if you are thinking about booking in September, make sure to figure out what courses are open before you book. 

[Ty-Webb]

On 3/2/2024 at 1:32 PM, spud3 said:

Couldn't find anything on the resort site other than the Crosswater memberships.  Which passes/memberships are you talking about?

 

https://www.sunriverresort.com/central-oregon-bend-golf/meadows-course/the-club-at-sunriver-resort-golf-club-membership

 

It's a tricky link to find.. on the website it's under Meadows then click "Sun River Golf Club"

[Wardonation]

Well they just announced that Woodlands and Meadows are also private aling with Xwater as of now. So the only way you can play is by staying their or knowing a member.

[spud3]

Interesting moves.  I was wondering what the advantages of any of the golf memberships would be.  Now I know:  it's to play any of their courses if you're not staying onsite.  Assuming that booking a vacation rental house must be made thru the resort (and not, say, VRBO) in order to have access to play the courses without paying the extra "club" fee.

 

Talk about circling the wagons....

[mallrat]

I just can’t see this being a good thing. Just a money grab? For the prices they are charging before this I don’t get it. 

[Seamus_MacDuff]

10 hours ago, mallrat said:

I just can’t see this being a good thing. Just a money grab? For the prices they are charging before this I don’t get it. 

I'm guessing that they're trying to incentivize people to book their stay through Sunriver Resort (thus gaining access to the courses for just the Resort Guest fee) vs. staying in a privately owned Sunriver home through Airbnb, friends, etc.  Definitely a money grab though, since access really doesn't change, only the price of access does. 

[spud3]

3 hours ago, Seamus_MacDuff said:

I'm guessing that they're trying to incentivize people to book their stay through Sunriver Resort (thus gaining access to the courses for just the Resort Guest fee) vs. staying in a privately owned Sunriver home through Airbnb, friends, etc.  Definitely a money grab though, since access really doesn't change, only the price of access does. 

+1

 

I think Seamus nailed it here.

[Seamus_MacDuff]

Seems like maybe there's a little bit of a battle here between Sunriver Resort, Inc. and the non-affiliated properties at Sunriver out of their control.  The Sunriver Home Owners Association opened the SHARC center (Sunriver Homeowners Aquatic & Recreation Center) a number of years ago with access only available to Sunriver property owners and their guests - NOT to guests of Sunriver Resort, Inc.  Especially for families with kids, access to the SHARC center created a real incentive to book a stay through a privately owned home rather than the resort.  Now we have the resort using their own assets (i.e. golf courses) to drive guests towards staying at resort-owned lodging, while also squeezing property owners to join the golf club if they want reasonably priced access.

[spud3]

Sad.  Can't help but think cooperation would be beneficial to both entities, rather than cutthroat competition. 

 

It's the vacationers that are the real losers...

[mallrat]

The timing is interesting. One of my best friends owns a house there and they use AirBnB. They stay there probably 1 1/2 months a year and it has been a cash cow. They bought in 2018 and turned a healthy profit after mortgage and expenses each year. Last year was the first year they didn’t even cover their mortgage, they only lost in the hundreds for the year but going from from a good 5 figure profit to not breaking even was really shocking. 

[Ty-Webb]

22 hours ago, spud3 said:

Sad.  Can't help but think cooperation would be beneficial to both entities, rather than cutthroat competition. 

 

It's the vacationers that are the real losers...

 

The vacationers aren't getting screwed at all.. they can either go to the resort and have access or do the day membership - 

 For a daily fee of $50, in addition to the resort guest greens fee. Tee time reservations are available to Day Members 3 days in advance.

Initiation Fee: $50 per day

 

 

19 hours ago, mallrat said:

The timing is interesting. One of my best friends owns a house there and they use AirBnB. They stay there probably 1 1/2 months a year and it has been a cash cow. They bought in 2018 and turned a healthy profit after mortgage and expenses each year. Last year was the first year they didn’t even cover their mortgage, they only lost in the hundreds for the year but going from from a good 5 figure profit to not breaking even was really shocking. 

 

I'm sorry but can't come up with any tears for people who own a second house and had to pay hundreds for the privilege. The rest of the area is making sacrifices because housing is so out of wack and AirBnb and VRBO have exacerbated the problem. 

 

 

[mallrat]

7 hours ago, Ty-Webb said:

 

The vacationers aren't getting screwed at all.. they can either go to the resort and have access or do the day membership - 

 For a daily fee of $50, in addition to the resort guest greens fee. Tee time reservations are available to Day Members 3 days in advance.

Initiation Fee: $50 per day

 

 

 

I'm sorry but can't come up with any tears for people who own a second house and had to pay hundreds for the privilege. The rest of the area is making sacrifices because housing is so out of wack and AirBnb and VRBO have exacerbated the problem. 

 

 

Wasn’t asking you to shed a tear and nowhere in my post did I insinuate that I wanted you to. If you actually read what I said, the timing is interesting because business is not as good as it was basically. But that’s isn’t what you want to read is it? The problem and my friends ownership started before years ago with remote workers being the driving factor at the time (and I quite a few of them). I also understand and worked with a large number of people who were driven out of Bend and have since been driven out of Redmond to Prineville and Madras because of rent. People golfers depend on. As for sacrifices, Bend is as much doing it to themselves as anything else. We left because my wife’s career paid in average 30% less there than in the Portland area. 
 

And yes vacationers are getting screwed. $50 a day and only being able to make tee times 3 days in advance is an absolute joke. This will absolutely hurt their numbers and not in a good way. $175 a round plus the $50 a day. Crosswater is the only course that is remotely worth over $100 a round. If you don’t have a family what is the point of going there? For an extra $25 you can play Pronghorn which is 100x the course either Sunriver course is. 

[Ty-Webb]

10 hours ago, mallrat said:

Wasn’t asking you to shed a tear and nowhere in my post did I insinuate that I wanted you to.

 

 

No you didn't ask but you gave the example and I gave my opinion. I don't want to debate the real estate situation here, but don't throw something out there you don't want a comment on. 

 

I don't think $50 a day is a great technique either, but I have a feeling $50+ reduced guest resort greens fees are going to be close to what resort guests were paying in prior years. If not, and you're having an extended vacation, then the players membership ($500 initiation) might hold some value. 

 

After reading the comments it seems SR is trying to cater less to the crowd show up and play 1 or 2 rounds, or come for a 3-day weekend and focus more on a membership of locals and extended stay/part-timers in the area. I know you don't care, but I like this approach even if I don't decide to join the membership. It's an improvement in this area where the locals often have to bear the "tourist tax".  But that's the choice, and downside, of living in a highly visited tourist town. 

Edited March 6, 2024 by Ty-Webb

[highbombs77]

Just got back from our trip.  It went well despite some smoky air and a brief scare where the fire danger increased.  We played 2 rounds at Crosswater and 2 rounds at Woodlands, plus 1 round at Caldera.  2 nights lodging plus golf ended up being $680 per person.  I enjoyed the courses and thought they were worth the money.  Except the hole 16 green on Crosswater.  That thing sucks.  could definitely see myself going back in the future.  Thanks to all that contributed to the thread!

Edited September 14, 2024 by highbombs77