Running Y Ranch Resort Golf Course, Klamath Falls, Oregon - The Only Arnold Palmer Golf Course in Oregon

The Running Y Ranch Resort offers 6,000 acres of land devoted to outdoor activities, including an 18-hole, championship golf course, which is the only Arnold Palmer design in the state of Oregon. The course plays through picturesque wetlands and mature pine forests in the heart of southern Oregon's Cascade Mountain Range.

The par-72 course, which opened in 1997, plays to 7,138 yards from the longest (Palmer) tees, with a USGA rating of 73.4 and a slope rating of 132 on Blue grass. The course features generous fairways, a fair amount of water, more than 100 sand bunkers, and fast, undulating greens.

The front nine holes open along the edge of Klamath Lake and its restored wetlands and flowing meadows, while the back nine begins on an open plain with some water features and spectacular Scottish mounding, then winds back through Payne Canyon. Palmer is known to have a philosophy of "leave it as it lies'' when it comes to course design, and he's been said to consider the Running Y course one of his best designs.

Some of the most noteworthy holes include No. 4, which has been described as a "beautiful par-4.'' The hole plays to 409 yards from the Palmer tees, but a short 325 yards from the Whites. The challenge on this hole is the water that runs from tee to green on the right, and the fairway bunkers that are reachable off the tee. The green is also a challenge, as it's long, narrow, tucked behind water, and slopes away from approaching shots.

Hole No. 5 is the signature hole for the course, a short par-3 at only 147 yards from the longest tees. The entire hole is surrounded by water, and while there's no forced carry per se, the green is cleverly tucked behind the curving water hazard.

Hole No. 16 is said to be Palmer's favorite on the course. This par-4 plays to 446 yards from the back tees and is rather straight, but the challenge comes from a tree-lined fairway and a reachable bunker on the left. Approach shots to the green play downhill, making the green somewhat difficult to hold.

Since opening, the Running Y Ranch golf course has received a number of awards. Golfweek magazine ranked it #8 among the Best Courses You Can Play in the State in 2008-2009, while Golf Digest ranked it #51 among the Top 100 Public Courses in America in 2003-2004, and Best New Public Course in America in 1998.

The resort also features a ranch-style Lodge with a fully equipped golf shop, Snack Bar, guest rooms, a sports & fitness center, and the Ranch House Restaurant. Other amenities include an 18-hole Players Putting Course, eight miles of hiking and biking trails, canoeing and canoe tours, as well as acres of land and water for other outdoor activities.