Bandon Report

[Doug Wright]

Back from an all-too-brief visit to Bandon. Here are a few tidbits:

--This may be old news, but there's a new course planned for completion late 2004. Routing completed. Architects: Coore and Crenshaw. "In the trees, some water."

--Prices are going skyward: $200 for a round this summer.   Don't know what the "replay" rate will be ($35 last week).

--Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see anything new at #18 Bandon Dunes. It's still a very poor finishing hole IMO. In fact, I was pretty underwhelmed by all the par 5s at Bandon Dunes.

--The Bandon Dunes greens didn't get any smaller from my last visit a year ago--they're simply huge! I  especially like the "fortress" green at #7 Bandon Dunes, perched on a hill with a Redan-like slope.

--My favourite stretch of holes is #4-9 on Pacific Dunes. An amazing mix of short, medium and long par 4s with a superb par 3 (#5) thrown in.

--Are there any better opening holes than the first two at Pacific Dunes? They get you into the round right away--great greensites and the fairway bunkering on 2 is superb.

--That huge bunker to the left of the short par 4 6th looks just like the lower part of the state of Michigan--was that shaped purposefully? (I tried Naccarato-like to drive into that bunker like I did last year but came up short  ).

--The fairway bunkers at Bandon Dunes are best avoided--small deep pots. No way to reach a green from any of 'em. It's nice to see some bunkers in the middle of the fairway (eg Bandon Dunes #8, 9 and 10).

-- I still think T. Doak should have extended the green on #13 back another 10-20 yards or so into the neck between the dunes and the ocean--what a pin position that would be!

--I played the lower 9th green/10th tee at Pacific Dunes this time, the upper green/tee last time. I prefer the upper on both holes. I think the second shot to the upper green on #9 and especially the upper tee shot on #10 are more interesting.

--The ground game at Pacific Dunes is a blast, even when it doesn't turn out like you plan...  

--This is a pure golf experience, not to be missed. Great service too (I didn't see "Shoe"--is he still there?).

All The Best,

[Jeff Mingay]

Doug,

I can't dispute your info. But I will say, knowing for a fact, there are a few golf architects out there anticipating an opportunity to speak with Mr. Keiser who's 'bubbles have been burst' by your announcement that Coore and Crenshaw are slated to do the third course at Bandon.

[Doug Wright]

Jeff,

I believe the source to be reliable. Sorry to burst any bubbles. It was communicated to me as fact, and without hesitancy, so I assumed this was more public than perhaps it is.

[Slag Bandoon]

 Doug, I've been anticipating your report.  Did you play in the glory weather?  We've recently been dumped on pretty good.

  Does the new C&C course come into the viewable flats inland of PD's 14th and 15th as well?

  How's the new pub?

[David Kelly]

Doug,
Thanks for the report on Bandon.  I am going to be there with some friends for 3nights/4days at the end of July.  

We have booked 6 rounds at Pacific Dunes and 2 rounds at Bandon based on advice from a number of people who have been there.  

I would like to hear the opinion of other people who have been there - should we keep the ratio 6-2 or play 4 rounds on each?

BTW, Our rates as guests are $160 a round with a replay rate of $80.  It is $200 for non guests.  The cheapest double room is $260 a night.

[Doug Wright]

Slag,

One day (BD) was perfect (maybe too perfect, or am I warped?  ), blue sky and 55, next (PD) was intermittent mist/showers and 50. Pretty darned good conditions, wind not much of a factor either. More rain came in shortly after we left and were driving to PDX.

The course described to me is back in the trees towards 101 somewhere, not near PD I don't think. If you look at the Bandon website under "What's New?" they describe three additional courses, an 18 holer along the shore north of PD, a 9 holer to the east of the existing courses and the 18 hole "Woodland" course. I assume it's the latter that was described to me.    

The pub hard by the first hole of Bandon is very nice, good decor with a solid pub menu and beer selection. No one was in the downstairs area of the lodge building that formerly was packed after dinner. The pub building looks like a prime spot for nervous first tee slicers. In fact I saw two shots hit that way just while I was hanging around the first tee at BD.

The gorse was in bloom (yellow). That stuff is pretty but nasty.

All The Best,

[Craig Van Egmond]

Doug,

  If the news about C & C is true, that is excellent news indeed!  I'll have to start making my plans for 2004!

  I wondered if they were going to hit the magic $200 mark this year, it will be interesting to see if they get any less play.

David,

 Since the replay rate only applies when you play the same course on the second round, you probably made the right call on the # of rounds on each course.  I think Bandon is the harder of the two, but Pacific is the most fun to play.

[josh lesnik]

Great report on Bandon.  Thanks for the continued interest.

Shoe is doing OK.  He had a "minor" heart attack in January.  He had surgery in Eugene and is now at home with his family.  He says he'll be back this summer, and I believe him.  It hit him as he was playing the 9th at Pacific Dunes while walking up the hill to the fairway.

The site for the third course is Southeast of the lodge.  As you drive in on the main entrance road, just before you get to the lily pond cotteges, there is a prarie and a massive dune on your right.  The site is just on the other (east)side of that massive dune.  It is somewhat of a rolling, inner-duneland, wooded site.  Keiser has interviewed several architects (C & C, Smyers etc.) and it should be official sometime this year, I'm sure you GCA'ers will be ahead of the curve anyway.  Nothing is official as of now.  

Thanks again.

Josh

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Josh,
Sorry to hear about Shoe. I'll try to give him a call this week. Quite obviously we aren't up to snuff since no one (including myself) had heard of Shoe's absence. Architecturally speaking, he is Bandon Dunes. Lest anyone forget that!

Long Live The Shoe!

Doug, The only thing I can suggest is hit it a little harder next time!:) Pretty fun thrilling though isn't it?!?!

[Doug Wright]

Josh,

Thanks for the update on Shoe--he was conspicuously absent.

Tommy,

I was only a few yards short--damn course was damp and not playing "firm and fast" enough right there! The lob wedge over the corner of that bunker was no bargain though! Like trying to hit it on top of a semitrailer's roof.

All The Best,

[Stan Dodd]

Just got in from Bandon... only played Pacific.
Played Sunday a.m. got right out as a walk up single.  Played in mist, light rain, heavy rain, sideways rain, hail, sideways hail, sunshine and wind.  It was glorious!!!!
The shot on 6 from just in front of the two story house bunker is way to hard, the chip from over is no bargain, as was the chip back from the other side... you get the picture.
13 great hole dead downwind bumped a 3/4 PW to 8 feet and didn't hit the hole.  But the chip ran up the hill in front what fun. The holes that I really liked this trip were 7 and 8  Driver, Driver on 7 and Driver, wedge on 8 great green sites. Again FUN.
Wonderful course great area, stayed in the Yurt at Bullards Beach 1 mile from Bandon great on a budget trip.
13
Can't wait to go again.
Cheers
Stan

[billb]

Whitey:
I found those yurts on a trip to Bandon last spring, they are excellent!
Budget trip...I love it...we pay tons of money for a round of golf and sleep in a yurt...got to have those priorities straight!
Bill

[Slag Bandoon]

 This thread has gotten me into my PD and BD Yardage Books, and my savings passbook.  I'm a very weak man.   Gorse in bloom!  Is Heather back?     Salty air!  New pub!  Yurts!  No mud!!

  You've all just made a sale.

Get well soon Shoe!

[THuckaby2]

I would like to hear the opinion of other people who have been there - should we keep the ratio 6-2 or play 4 rounds on each?

Put this down as a vote for 4 on each.  PD is a great course, but three times better than BD?  I think not.  If you do 6-2 you're gonna wish you had played more at BD, mark my words.

5 and 3 would be just about perfect, but that makes the cost even higher... Six and 2 just seems very excessive.

As do the prices now.  I am thanking the heavens I went in 2001 before they discovered they ought to charge as much as they do here in CA.

TH

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Tom Huckaby, All of these great places you have been to and you come-up with that? Haven't you learned anything?

Pacific Dunes 8-0!:) (Architecurally at least.)

[THuckaby2]

Nope, sorry Tommy - this is one time I don't follow the GCA party line.  I really think BD is one hell of a great golf course and gets short shrift, as they say.  Oh yes, PD is also a fantastic golf course - OBVIOUSLY.  But I just feel no way should anyone do 6-2, and 8-0 would be ludicrous.

I trust you are kidding re that.

To me 5-3 sounds about right, but that makes it very expensive.

Now of course if one is there to walk around, not play, and study "architecture", perhaps it's a different matter.  That ain't my bag though, and I assume David is actually going to play the game.  

TH

[ed_getka]

David,
  I would split your rounds 4-4 if you haven't been there before, or 5-3 if you don't mind spending a bit more money. Pacific's holes have, generally, more subtlety which will require more rounds to pick up on. Bandon has a little more quirky interest and more crosswind shots and is definitely worth more of a look than 2 rounds out of 8. However, if you've seen Bandon before, 6-2 would be fine.

See you Sat morning!

[THuckaby2]

Mr. Getka, thank you.  That fleshes out what I was thinking, with quite better specifics.  I'd still say even upon a return visit 6-2 seems excessive, and if I ever win the lottery and go back there I'm gonna do it 50/50, but hey, that's mostly because I want to play 16 at Bandon over and over and over again until I get it right like guys such as Slag, Goodale, etc.  

TH

[ed_getka]

Tom,
 I would play them 50-50 also, except I can't stand #18 and that humpty-dumpty par 5 after the turn at Bandon. Well, actually I can't stand the par5, #18 is just a let down after the rest of the course. I could handle #18 in the middle of the round there, but it doesn't cut it as a finishing hole in my book.

[THuckaby2]

Hmmmm... I have nothing big against 18 at BD... it's not the greatest hole on the property, but I wouldn't call it a bad hole... it's one hell of a tough drive in the summer wind, and the green is huge and very undulating with some crazy potential pins.  Again it might be personal bias, as I once played that using all driver (all 5 shots) and won a big bet doing so... so bear with me as it will always have a fond spot in my heart.

TH

[Faith (Mrs Shoe)]

Hello Josh and Everyone.... Faith from Bandon here...

Thanks for thinking of our "Shoe"! He is doing very well and it's great to have him alive and at home!!

He had a six way by-pass so he is getting more blood to his heart now.... He'll be able to get up that 9th hole hill now without having to stop!!!

Thanks again for all your kind words.... we love him here too....

Faith

[THuckaby2]

Very good to hear, and thanks for the report, Faith.  I don't profess to know Shoe like some of the others here apparently do, but he was VERY kind to my friends and I when we were there, and it was much appreciated.  Tell him he has lots of fans who want to see him back at it and soon.

TH

[Doug Wright]

Tom IV,

I like Bandon Dunes a lot, but sorry I gotta go with 6-2 Pac Dunes. There's just more variety, architectural interest and, most important, FUN on Pacific Dunes. For one thing, you'd then be able to experience all three pin positions at PD, which I'd love to do.  I played 36 there last week and was dying to go again as soon as I finished. Alas, it was almost dark and 260 miles to PDX lay ahead!

David Kelly, hopefully you'll take a knowledgeable caddie the first time around who can point out all the neat things on both courses, like the hillside to the right of #8 green Pac Dunes that conveniently funnels the ball back onto the green around the front right bunker (I did it twice and my playing partner once during our visit there--what a blast!). There are many such delights at Pacific Dunes.

And Faith/Mrs Shoe, thanks for checking in, and we wish you and Shoe

All The Best,

[JohnV]

To those who don't like the par 5s at Bandon, come on.  3 is a wonderful hole at the start of the.  That tee shot will pucker you up a little and if you pull it off, the green is reachable, but with the two nasty bunkers in front it is no bargain.  9 is another good driving hole where the long hitter has to be more precise because of the center bunkers that are at a perfect length and penal enough to take away any chance of getting there in two.  13 is a great natural hole with a great, blind risk/reward second, if you can keep it down the left side and get the right bounces.  18 is a good, but possibly not great hole.  The blind second definitely makes it fun and the green is full of interest.  If I have a knock at Bandon vs Pacific, it is more on the par 3s than the par 5s.  It really needs a good short par 3.

As for playing them, I'd agree that 4-4 is the best for the first time and then the next time, make up your mind which course you like best and play it more.

[THuckaby2]

Doug - to each his own re the choices.  I just know I had equal amounts of "fun" on each course... OK, I'll grant that PD might be a slightly superior golf course (that's why I said 5-3 would work), but not to the tune of doing this 6-2.  As you can see, I'm not alone in this sentiment... and if you were to ask the people I played with, none of whom frequent this board, the split would be 6-2 (or worse) in the other direction....

I just wanted to point out for David that there are other ways to look at this than what he's heard.

In any case the best conversations at the bars there are always about this exact topic, so this is all very cool.

TH