Bandon Dunes

Recently, a colleague and I made a three-day stop at Bandon. It was my first visit to one of America's golf meccas, and it did not disappoint. Our first full round was at the original course, Bandon Dunes. As you might expect, the holes on the water are absolutely breathtaking. The fourth hole is one I'll remember forever. It's a short par 4, and as you walk down the fairway for your second shot, you turn the corner to look toward the green and -- wham! -- there's the Pacific Ocean. We played from very manageable tees (it was about 6,200 yards) and had a great time. The weather was perfect for both of our rounds here -- 65 and sunny, with light winds -- so it wasn't an overwhelming challenge, but in the summer, when the winds are fierce, it would be all you can handle.

Got in the afternoon before and played the 13-hole Preserve course, and was ready to go early in the morning. This would be my third time playing the course but I was with a Bandon rookie and eager to see his reactions.

I'll continue to say, Pacific Dunes is my favorite course there but Bandon Dunes is the one I'd play if I had to play one every day. It's so fun, so beautiful and so playable. Players of all skill levels will enjoy it.

I hadn't been back in almost three years and had a hard time remembering all the holes for some reason. Old age. When I got there, it all quickly came flooding back. I remembered everything about it.

"Golf as it was meant to be" for sure.

First of all the resort is the best one stop golf experience on earth. Not even St. Andrews has as many high quality courses in one resort setting. There are multiple restaurants with quality food and in the case of McKee's pub quantity too. Add in the par 3 courses and the Punchbowl and you will never want to leave. For a single public resort, this is the place dreams are make of. If you've never been here, then this should be your next golf trip. If you've been here, you're probably working on when you can come back.
Secondly, this is a throw back to Links golf as played in the UK. Wind, walking and the ground game are here at all courses. If you are here for multiple days, odds are that it will rain. Embrace those things as that is what golf looks like at it's home. It is all about the golf here and it doesn't get better.

The first course itself is a great one. Ironically, it is the only one that has the "Standard" of two par 3s and two par 5s on each nine. It is the only one with two nine hole loops which return to the clubhouse.
This might be the one with the best views. Some holes play along the clifftops, but many tee boxes on the inland holes are on top of a ridge which provide views of the course and ocean. Bring your camera.
The course itself is a treat. Most people will remember the cliff top 16th which is driveable in the summer. So many ways to play this hole, you will have to come back a half dozen times to try them. As with all links, the ground game and contours come into play. Shot options abound around the greens and I think you need to put the 60 degree away and bump and run or putt it. Bunkers are large and natural looking-they are also a challenge to get out of. One of the great things about this course is that some of the best holes are inland. I like the par 4 7th with the uphill approach or find yourself at the bottom of a hill. Drive to the correct part of the fairway or the green is semi-blind on the par 4 14th. Take advantage of the slope on the 2nd hole and aim left, the contours feed the ball right. The short 10th hole is also driveable, but if you take the direct approach there is a hill in front of the green. Taking the safe route which is left of the green opens up the green. Of course, in addition to the par 4 16th, the cliff top 5th and 6th holes are visually stunning and great holes.
This was the course that made me fall in love with links golf. Low running shots are the best option. Hitting the correct side of the fairway is a must. Using your putter from virtually anywhere and being creative with the green contouring is also required. If you don't like golf here, then save yourself some money and avoid Scotland and the UK in general, you won't like it there either.

This is where it all started at Bandon Dunes Resort, and it's still a classic. Not as flashy as Pacific Dunes, but a great and rare test of links golf in America. One you get to the middle of the front nine, the views come into play and the holes just continue to get better from there. A real classic.

After all the hype, we finally made it to Bandon Dunes, and were not disappointed. The flagship course is a blast to play and offers some really spectacular views. We played it (twice) in light wind so it didn't have the teeth I'm sure it has when the wind blows. The first time you get a peek at the Pacific is memorable, as you meet the bend in the fairway at 4. From there, you will have a lot of picture worthy moments. Back 9 is a lot of fun and more of a chance to score than the front. The potentially drivable 16th is a special golf hole. Obviously, all the courses at Bandon are must plays in my book, but this and Pacific stand above.

The course itself was not that difficult but wind blowing the ball off greens and nearly knocking you over as you played made playing golf nearly impossible. The course should have been closed with winds gusting to near 50 mph with a constant force of 35 mph.

Sunday I had the great pleasure of finally playing the original course at Bandon Dunes Resort. After a short 4 hour drive from Portland we played in the afternoon. It was a stunning and borderline ridiculous day at Bandon. There was a little bit of wind, but overall the day was perfect.

The course itself was a ton of fun. Starting on 1 near the clubhouse felt drastically different than some of the ocean courses. There are so many unique inland holes, and then a handful of stunning ocean holes. The entire round felt fluid and fun, and very tricky at times with wind gusts near the ocean.

I felt like there was something so ancient about this course, it felt like it really had been there for a million years. At this point, I put Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes right up there as my two favorites on property.

I love this place and cannot wait to go back!

For a couple of years we watched this course take shape from the neighbouring Pacific Dunes. It looked flat and on an inferior piece of land and we wondered how it could match up with the other Bandon courses. But when it opened; what a wonderful surprise! Old Mac from beginning to end makes you think and experiment with all kinds of interesting shots.

The first tee sits in the middle of what feels like a wide open field and you look across the flat expanse at a wide open(albeit a bit elevated) green not too far away. You can literally hit almost any club off the tee in almost any direction . BUT....how far you hit it and where you hit it will determine how you must hit your approach to what you now see is a HUGE and very undulating green with infinite pin placements.

Every hole is a bit like that. But it really isn't that flat and boring. There are some gorgeous holes which rise up into the dunes. There are a few blind holes which I know many people hate but which our group always enjoys.

This course may have some of the toughest par 4s on the Bandon property but you get a lot of roll and it doesn't play that long overall.

I've played all of the Bandon courses many times now and currently this might be my favourite; though that keeps changing. They are ALL great.

I've made the trip out to Bandon twice. This was my second trip. This time around, I thought Bandon was the best of four courses. Although, all four are tremendous. The best thing about the whole Bandon experience is they are all about golf and golfers. There isn't anything you don't need or anything that is overdone like you would see at Pebble Beach. In fact, I'd strongly suggest a trip to Bandon over Pebble. Bandon is cheaper and better!

Ranking the courses at Bandon and necessarily picking which is the "worst" is a little like arguing who is the ugliest supermodel. There are no losers on this property.

But having that ...discussion ... with your buddies is part of the fun.

For me, the clear fourth place finisher (have not played the par three course but heard it is sublime) is Bandon Dunes. While it may have my favorite hole on the property in the 5th, as a group it lacks the excitement of the other tracks here. Let me be clear, the LAND is spectacular but in too many spots the golf course is not. Holes 9 and 18 are ordinary and tough to bestow greatness on a course with a pedestrian finish ( although Cypress Point is an exception ). In all, holes 1, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 18 feel like you have played them before at any number of courses. Holes 4, 5, 6, 12, 15 -17 are breathtaking due in large part to the scenery but also the quality and visual interest of the golf hole. The other holes fall somewhere in between. You don't want to skip it and the resort as a whole is well worth the trouble to get there. Best in the country for my money. But if I had 7 rounds, I'd play the others again before Bandon Dunes.

If you've never visited Bandon Dunes then you haven't experienced true links golf. Bandon is like Scotland except the staff members have better teeth and the food is better.

I have to admit that I was a little disappointed on my first visit here. Other than a couple of the holes, I wasn't as impressed as I expected to be. The facility itself is first class all the way and we will be going back to play the other courses, but probably not the Dunes.
The one hole that is a definite exception is number 16. That is one of the coolest golf holes that I've ever seen. I could play that hole 18 times in a row and call it a great day of golf.
Caddies are available and the one we had in our foursome was borderline useless. Was glad that I wasn't paying him. I've talked to others who had much better experiences though. So, if you chose to use the service just keep your fingers crossed.

Such a long trip from the East Coast but it's worth every single second.

The original course at Bandon never disappoints. Pacific Dunes is my favorite course on property, but Bandon is the one that I'd play every day if I could only play one.

I'll say the same thing I said about Pacific Dunes - I played here 10 years ago and thought I didn't remember much. But when I stepped on the first tee I immediately remembered every single hole as if I had played it a week prior.

The golf course is incredibly, simply walking down #4 fairway and all of a sudden the ocean opens up is very picturesque. Definitely one of the best holes I have ever played. Holes #4 and #16 I could play every day.

Of the four championship courses at Bandon Dunes, I score the best on this one, and it's scenery and hole variety certainly holds its own with its prestigious neighbors. It's a lot of fun, particularly on the par 5s and the drivable, par-4 16th hole that feels a little like Pebble with the rock outcroppings above the coastline. Everything at Bandon is world class and it starts with the original course.

This course has super features however, quite a few blind shots on your drive but typical of link style course such as St. Andrews old course. Beautiful ocean scenery that rivals Pebble Beach. All and all a very good experience. David M.kidd is an excellent golf course designer. The greens fees are much too high for the course and they really need to bring them down. Also, it would be nice if they gave you a bag tag similar to the other golf course like kapalua, Pebble etc.

One of the best courses you will ever play, anywhere in the world. The first of the Bandon courses is probably the most "gettable" and perhaps also the most scenic. Most memorable was the iconic and quirky short par four 16th. I can't wait to get back.