Sunriver Resort | Is this the Best Golf Resort in the PNW?
Bringing you behind-the-scenes of a 2-Day drone shoot for the PGA, in preparation for the 2024 PGA Cup.
I picked up the golf bug right after college; same time every guy does. And I’d never been to the Pacific Northwest before even though it’s always been high on my bucket list.
So, when I got the call from Indoor Drone Tours asking if I was interested in flying out to Oregon to shoot these courses, it was an absolute no-brainer!
Shoot Day 1
6 AM.
That’s what time my alarm clock goes off on this chilly fall morning in the quiet town of Sunriver, Oregon.
I got in late the night before for a shoot I’m working with Indoor Drone Tours to capture social content for the 2024 PGA Cup. The tournament is being held at Sunriver Resort, as the United States Team faces off against Great Britain and Ireland.
Despite being a habitual night owl, the early rise after a short night of sleep isn’t phasing me at all this morning. As a golf enthusiast, these are the types of shoots you dream of.
I pack up my gear, walk over to pick up a golf cart from the maintenance shed, and head out to find hole 1.
A dense layer of low fog rolls down into the valley to form a scattered blanket over the course.
The fairways are covered in frost and the cool October air meets the river that flows through this course at just the right temperature to radiate a thick layer of steam.
The conditions are perfect for the shots I’m chasing.
As I prep the drone, the only sounds around me are the crunch of my footsteps on the frost-covered fairway, the trees whistling in the wind, and the peaceful chatter of birds as they chase each other across the fairways.
There’s a part of me that hates to even break up the natural soundscape of the course by putting the drone up.
As the drone ascends into the fog, it becomes evident that Mother Nature has favorites ..
..and the Meadows Course is clearly one of them today.
The Meadows Course
Number of Holes: 18
Course Length: 7012 yards
Par: 71
I spend most of my morning at the Meadows Course. My focus is on capturing beauty shots of the Lodge; while also trying to get as many full length “Tee-to-Green” shots as possible while the fairways are in good lighting.
Here are some of my favorites shots from the day:
Shoot Day 2 - Resort Amenities
The second day of this shoot was catered more towards capturing scenics of the amenity features at the resort.
Despite being home to 63-holes of some of the best golf you’ll find in the PNW, Sunriver Resort is far more than just a golf course.
It is a 3300 acre wilderness retreat with a number of outdoor activities offered; including horse-back riding, skiing, mountain biking, pickleball, paddle-boarding, swimming and kayaking. It even has it’s own marina, nature center and observatory.
I could go on and on.
Here’s a look at some of them:
If you’re a person that loves the outdoors, you can’t go wrong here. There’s so much to do, and the wildlife roams free everywhere you look.
I’m pretty positive I saw more deer than people during my 3 days in Sunriver.
You thought I was joking.
The Woodlands Course
Number of Holes: 18
Course Length: 6880 yards
Par: 72
There is a really cool interactive feature on the Sunriver Resort website that gives you see a shot-by-shot preview of the Woodlands and Crosswater courses. I’ll link that here to check out.
The Woodlands course at Sunriver Resort winds and weaves its way through dense forests of ponderosa and lodgepole pines.
I recommend bringing a sand-wedge, and maybe a pair of swim trunks. Just in case you end up in any (or if you golf like me, all) of the sand bunkers or water hazards throughout the course.
If there was ever a course I would expect to lose a dozen golf balls, it’s here.
And I think I’d be okay with it, because the course is so scenic that the experience of golfing here almost comes secondary.
Seriously, who cares that you just shanked one 40 yards off the fairway into a squirrel’s den with views like this as your backdrop!
Besides, you probably didn’t even yell “FORE” anyways. So chances are, no one else saw it happen.
What happens on the tee box, stays on the tee box.
I was able to put the drone up for about an hour or 2 leading into sunset.
Here’s some of my favorite shots of the Woodlands course:
With the sun setting over Sunriver, this wraps our shoot.
