Bandon Crossings Golf Course

A few friends and I planned a weekend trip out to Bandon Dunes to fulfill some of our bucket-list courses. We had an extra afternoon of no available tee times and we decided to see if there was any other courses in the surrounding area and boy are we were glad we did. Bandon Crossings did not disappoint in the slightest. We were all pleasantly surprised at the beauty and quality of Bandon Crossings. While we loved our experience at the Dunes, this was a welcome break from the jam packed courses and hustle and bustle that comes with the resorts. This is an amazingly well manicured course that should not be overlooked. We will definitely be back.

It's too bad most golfers come to Bandon Dunes and never leave the resort. Just minutes away is Bandon Crossings, a real treat to walk or ride. The fact that you can take a cart is a savior to many golfers. It's not the glamorous operation that the resort provides - Bandon Crossings operates out of a trailer - but it's priced at a nice value.

The course, featuring five par 3s, winds through meadow and forest inland from the coast, so it's a bit more sheltered from the wind and harsher weather.

There are some really cool holes - the par 3s at no. 11 (with a wild green) and no. 14 (a beautiful elevated tee shot over a marsh) - and some quirky ones, too. The fifth hole can play as a 410-yard par 4 or 545-yard par 5 depending on which of the two greens is in play. The 18th hole finishes with a par 5 over and around a ravine. I'm not crazy about being forced to layup on the second shot in front of a cross hazard, leaving a 200-yard approach into the green. I'll give the architect a pass. The rest of the round is pure fun.

Bandon Crossings is further south off of Highway 101 in Bandon than the Dunes' courses. If you are looking to get inland from the ocean and still enjoy a good course, then this is for you. The caddies at Bandon come here all the time for something different. Bandon Crossings reminded me of Bandon Trails in that it goes through a meadow and forest, has undulating greens and fairways, and is set inland. The course is very walkable with only one walk of distance from green to tee. It also has good if not great conditioning. As it is set on sand, despite the tremendous amount of rain, the fairways were puddle free. The course has a clubhouse with food options but not a restaurant, a full driving range and putting green-everything you need to warm up. Staff is very nice and does all they can to make your day a pleasant one. As for the course, it is a good routing through undulating terrain. Holes go in all directions-a day with wind is an interesting one and keeps you thinking. What you see is what you get as there are not any blind drives or approaches-scorecard and yardage chart show you everything. Greens are large and have a some contour. The course is not overly bunkered, there is basically a bunker or two near the green and only about half the holes have a fairway bunker.. The bunkers are massive and look naturally blown out by wind. There are a handful of holes with forced carries over water or a hazard. Two of them are on par 3s and two are on par 5s which brings strategy into play whether to go for it or not. The par 5 18th hole has a cross hazard near the landing zone of your second shot. It reminded me of something you would see in Scotland. The 5th hole can be played as a par 5 or par 4-it is left up to you. That is also rarely seen. The course has a variety of par 4 lengths and the 16th could be driveable for the big hitter. You will need to have command of draws and fades to score well here. Some greens are located on top of hills so elevation comes into play. Don't think the course has a signature hole, and that is a good thing, the whole course is high quality. Over all, this is not Bandon Dunes; however, Bandon Crossings is a very good course at a fraction the cost of Bandon Dunes (especially in the summer). If you are looking for a day to warm up or get out of the wind, then this is your place.

Last time I was in the Bandon area to golf was when Mike Weir won the 2003 Masters so I figured I was overdue to go a round. Bandon Crossings is a nicely routed, challenging course. Plenty of variety on offer, a few elevation changes, nice rolling greens, great bunkering & friendly staff made for an enjoyable round.

This course is truly a "Diamond in the Rough". It's has a great layout, very challenging, very fair, and was very enjoyable to play! We had 2 foursomes and played 36 holes a day and each one of us shared the same experience of enjoying this course. Would definitely like to play this again.

Not as "tony" as the big courses at Bandon, but a terrific course none the less. Inland, so you don't have the incessant shore wind. Course is very well laid out and was in terrific condition when I played. The staff was extremely helpful and added to the enjoyment of play. I played in the morning, then liked it so well did a replay after lunch.

The course plays well year 'round, but drains well in winter, a must for the Oregon coast.