Golf Along the McKenzie River Near Eugene, Oregon

The McKenzie River stretches 90 miles, flowing from the Cascade mountain range until it meets up with the Willamette River about five miles north of Eugene, Oregon.

Along the way, the river provides a wide range of outdoor recreational options for area residents, who take advantage of its fantastic fishing and boating opportunities. The river creates a picturesque backdrop for hiking and sightseeing, as well, but my personal favorite way to enjoy the McKenzie is during a round of golf.

And in Eugene, we're lucky to be relatively close to a couple of top-notch courses that are situated alongside the river in the McKenzie River Valley.

Tokatee Golf Club

Tokatee is an incredible course, which helps explain why "Golfweek" magazine regularly tabs it among America's Best Courses You Can Play. The 18-hole layout, which is on the north side of the McKenzie River alongside Highway 126 in the town of McKenzie Bridge, is also consistently ranked by "Golf Digest" magazine as one of Oregon's best courses.

Play it one time and you'll see why.

Tokatee is relatively tough, with a course layout that demands accuracy, with tree-lined fairways and copious amounts of pine and fir trees scattered throughout the course, as well as water hazards and some pretty gnarly bunkers. Point being, if you spray the ball off the tee, you're probably going to struggle a bit at this course.

But even so, just take a deep breath and look around you. The course and its surrounding views are magnificent, and as you get to Tokatee's southernmost holes - where the water really comes into play - it starts to feel as though you're in some sort of wilderness oasis, surrounded by forested land and taking in views of the surrounding mountains.

Like many spectacular views, you'll have to earn your vantage point. The course is about 50 miles northeast of Eugene, so plan on at least an hour's drive each way. The silver lining is, Highway 126 follows the McKenzie River nearly the entire way, so the drive sort of doubles as a sightseeing trip.

Tokatee's also not typically cheap, although you can save money by walking the course. It plays from 5,018 yards to 6,806, so it is walkable, and is, with a few exceptions, not overly hilly. As of January 2011, green fees were $42 for 18 holes, plus another $30 for an electric cart. But the course offers discounts from February to May and from September to November, so if you can withstand a bit of mountain cold and some potential rain, you can save some money by teeing it up during those stretches.

McKenzie River Golf Club

A lesser-known golf gem along the McKenzie River is the aptly named McKenzie River Golf Club. It's closer to Eugene than Tokatee - just 20 miles to the east - and quite a bit cheaper.

The course is not in the same league, but the views are comparable and, as far as I'm concerned, it's the best golf value in the Eugene-Springfield area.

As of early 2011, McKenzie River was charging just $22 for 18 holes. It's a nine-hole course with alternate tee boxes to create a different round from the front nine to the back.

I love this course, because it's fairly close to town but feels like it's out in the middle of nowhere. The views are fantastic, and several of the holes run right alongside the McKenzie River, giving it a peaceful feeling.

Both McKenzie River Golf Club and Tokatee Golf Club offer something a little different, with varying degrees of difficulty between the two courses creating a different golfing experience.

But one thing they have in common is the McKenzie River Valley, and the river itself, making both courses well worth the trip from town.

Sources:
McKenzie River Golf Club
Tokatee Golf Club