Andy Tullis / The BulletinA view of the fairways, sand traps, and a pond fountain combined in a image at Juniper Golf Course in Redmond Tuesday afternoon 6-24-14.

REDMOND —

A friendly course marshal stopped by just to say hello as my playing partner and I were about to tee off on Juniper Golf Course’s par-4 14th hole.

Staring down the fairway of the 419-yard brute, I mentioned to the marshal that Redmond’s municipal golf course is most definitely a challenge.

“It is tough,” he agreed. “If you don’t keep it in the fairway, it’s going to eat you.”

His words were prophetic.

After 13 holes of mostly middling golf — at least by my standards — I was about to become lunch on this pleasant, but breezy, afternoon.

I pushed my drive on 14 into the desert right of the fairway, failed to escape my sandy lie on my next shot, setting up an approach wedge that landed in a greenside bunker. The result was a double bogey. But that was really just a warm-up for the disaster that awaited me on 15, a 438-yard par 4, where I dropped two in the water hazard guarding the green leading to an embarrassing snowman.

Play under control, and the 7,186-yard layout — which winds through hills, scraggly juniper and lava rock — will reward you. But, as I proved on those two holes, play poorly, and Juniper will chew on just about anybody.

Just look at the 2013 Oregon Open Invitational at Juniper. Two golfers shot a 6-under-par 66 during the final round, an excellent score on any golf course. But in a tournament featuring the top club professionals in the Pacific Northwest, nearly half the field struggled to break 80 on the final day.

“Those scores from events like that show the quality of the golf course,” said Bruce Wattenburger, the head professional at Juniper since 1983 when Juniper was an altogether different course (the original Juniper was replaced on a new location in 2005).

“Somebody shot 66, so it shows that it’s fair and if you play well you can score well.”

The course is blessed with firm and fast greens that break subtly. And because Juniper is set in a desert landscape, most lines to the hole are unobstructed by trees and the course is completely devoid of homes.

However, golfers must negotiate some blind shots: most notably from the first and second tees, the approach on the par-4 fifth hole, and the second shot over a massive hump (perhaps the most glaring design flaw in an otherwise well-designed course) on the par-5 sixth hole.

But those shots can be conquered by simply determining the correct line.

Juniper must like what it has, as no significant changes to the course’s design have been made since it opened in 2005. And other than hoping to one day remove the fairway hump on No. 6, no significant overhaul is planned.

“I’ve always said, you never really know what you have until after it’s been in for four or five years,” Wattenburger said. “And I guess my feeling is nine years later, it turned out pretty good.”

Juniper did turn out well, particularly the back nine, which features a drivable par 4 (No. 12) and includes a variety of par 4s and 5s that will force a golfer to hit all kinds of interesting shots.

Sputtering down the stretch, I made double bogey on the monstrous 478-yard, par-4 17th hole, which is the toughest hole on the course if the prevailing winds are working against you as they were the afternoon I played.

Finally to the par-5 18th hole, a 526-yard risk-reward beauty that features a wide-open tee shot followed by a dangerous second shot, particularly for those who choose to play for the green in two.

After a well-placed but relatively short drive, I decided that I had had enough of the high numbers. I laid up with a crisp 7-iron that took the water on the right mostly out of play and left me 100 yards out. Then I stuck a sand wedge to the center of the narrow and deep green. Two putts later to the back pin and I had my par and some saved pride.

A few decent shots and Juniper was happy to reward me. What more can you ask of a golf course?

Difficulty of course

From the back two sets of tees, Juniper is a significant test of ability.

The greens are typically both firm and fast (though a bit slower than in years past), and they are elevated, which can make Juniper play even longer than its yardage suggests. And the course utilizes its natural setting well by putting in play numerous hills, lava rock outcroppings, juniper trees and other native attributes of theHigh Desert.

But Juniper is not inaccessible for lesser-skilled golfer, especially those who play from the appropriate tees. The fairways are mostly generous, and the course has added some player-friendly features, including a new forward tee that is nearly complete and plays at about 5,000 yards.

The shorter sets of tees (Juniper has seven combinations, with an eighth on the way) nullify the lone forced carry on the course, which is on the par-5 sixth hole. And playing a shorter tee takes away Juniper’s main defense: its length.

Favorite hole

The back nine is the more impressive side of the golf course, but its best hole is on the front nine.

The 449-yard, par-4 fifth hole greets golfers with panoramic views of the Cascades, but the rock outcropping that juts into the fairway and protects the green is what sets the hole apart.

The fairway tempts golfers to play their tee shot right, but the optimal play is on the left side. Anything on the right will leave a blind, uphill approach shot over the outcropping.

The green is narrow and deep, with two bunkers to its left and a lava rock wall that acts as a backstop for shots that sail long.

How to approach the course

A smart golfer who knows when to pick his or her spots to be aggressive should be rewarded at Juniper.

On the longer holes, such as the par-5 sixth and par-4 17th, use the generous fairway to bite off extra distance and accept that par is a good score. But being aggressive on the par-4, 270-yard 12th hole or the par-5 18th hole can lead to birdies.

Controlling approach shots into the elevated greens is crucial. Play the ball short of the pin and let the ball work toward the target. Be aware of the subtle breaks on the greens that can easily turn a par into a bogey.

Off the course

Juniper has a full spectrum of practice facilities. The driving range has plenty of targets set up for golfers to sharpen their distance control. The roomy practice green sits between the driving range and the first tee, making is easy for a golfer to transition from warm-up session to opening drive.

Juniper also has a top-notch short-game practice area located between the clubhouse and the 16th green.

The clubhouse has a bar and restaurant with an expansive patio that overlooks the ninth and 18th greens. It is an ideal place to share a beverage with a friend after a round.

Verdict

The layout at Juniper Golf Course is of a championship level, capable of testing the highest-caliber golfers. Despite financial struggles in recent years, the course is still typically in wonderful condition, and player-friendly tweaks have made it more forgiving for novices.

The green fees — which peak at $66 on weekends and fall to $45 at noon on weekdays — are on Central Oregon’s low end considering the high quality of the golf course. (Juniper is particularly affordable for Redmond residents, who receive a $10 discount on all the course’s regular rates.)

Add it all together and Juniper can be considered one of Central Oregon’s true gems, and arguably the best municipal golf course in the entire state.

— Reporter: 541-617-7868, zhall@bendbulletin.com.

Editor’s note: This is another installment in a seasonlong series in which Bulletin golf writer Zack Hall visits each public and semiprivate golf course in Central Oregon.