Bandon Dunes: I forgot how good this course is

[cary lichtenstein]

Bette and I played Bandon Dunes in 1999, so it has been 7 years since we set foot on the course.

After 2 rounds at Pacific and 3 at Trails, we thought we're retry Bandon Dunes and we absolutely loved it and  rearranged tomorrow so we could play it again.

Hats off to Mike Kreiser and his vision here.

[rjsimper]

Cary,
How is the new first green coming along?

[cary lichtenstein]

The saw the site of the new first green but nothing has been done there yet.

After playing all 3 courses, BD and PD are just head and shoulders better than BT. Both Bette and I agreed on that separately. BT just gets boring from 6 thru 13. It also gets hot and uncomfortable.

10 rounds, 1 at BT and split the balance equally between the other 2. BD is more quirky than PD. More ground game at BD, more bunker shots around the greens at PD.

Visually, PD is the best.

[Mark Arata]

I dont know why everyone is bashing the middle of BT, there are some really nice holes out there. Everyone rips 11 because of the retention pond, but it is a very good hole, 12 is a good par 3, and the 13th is great. You guys are pretty picky  

Personally, I think BD is in 3rd place amongst the 3, but that is just me. I would split 10 rounds there 6-3-1 PD, BT, BD.

[Evan Fleisher]

I dont know why everyone is bashing the middle of BT, there are some really nice holes out there. Everyone rips 11 because of the retention pond, but it is a very good hole, 12 is a good par 3, and the 13th is great. You guys are pretty picky  

Personally, I think BD is in 3rd place amongst the 3, but that is just me. I would split 10 rounds there 6-3-1 PD, BT, BD.

Mark,

I'm with you, man!

My split...5-4-1 BT-PD-BD...but then again I only got in one round at PD so more reps might change that mix.

[Tim Pitner]

Question regarding the 10-round scale:

Does that represent how many times you would actually play the courses if you had 10 rounds at the Bandon resort, or is it just a way of measuring their relative quality?  I ask because I can't imagine actually playing one of the courses five or six times while out there and another course only once.  I like diversity, which is why I think the Trails course has added a lot of value to the golf experience there.  If we're talking about actual play, I'd try to play Pacific maybe one more time than the others.  

[Jin Kim]

I would go 5-4-1, BD, PD, BT.

My last trip this past July 4 I did: 4-2-2, BD, PD, BT.

[Tom Huckaby]

Question regarding the 10-round scale:

Does that represent how many times you would actually play the courses if you had 10 rounds at the Bandon resort, or is it just a way of measuring their relative quality?  I ask because I can't imagine actually playing one of the courses five or six times while out there and another course only once.  I like diversity, which is why I think the Trails course has added a lot of value to the golf experience there.  If we're talking about actual play, I'd try to play Pacific maybe one more time than the others.  

Tim - that's the problem with the 10-round assessment -different people look at it different ways.  I too can't imagine going there and playing any of the courses 5 times and any other just once.  But for me, that is a relative quality issue as well... No way do I call PD five times better than BD, for example.  All three courses there are great.

TH

[Eric Olsen]

I am going out over Labor Day, and I am playing 4 BD, 4 PD, and 1 BT.  We played BT twice this winter, and I am curious to see if I like it better in the summer wind.

[Sean Leary]

I think that Bandon suffers in comparison only because Pacific was built.  If only Bandon had been built, I think it would be received much more favorably on this board.....

[Mark Arata]

The first time I played there, it was before the Trails Course was open, and it was 6-2 for Pacific. The second time was for the Opening day of the Trails course, and we played 3 BT, 2 PD, 1 BD.

If I was up there for 5 days, 2 rounds a day, with the 3 current courses, I would more than likely play 6 PD, 3, BT, 1, BD. I am not saying that PD is 6x better than BD, or twice as good as BT, I am just saying that is how I would split 10 rounds there on my 3rd time at the resort.

Of course, the point is moot, I doubt I would be back until the opening day of the 4th course, so it would probably be split 3 new, 2 PD, 2 BT, 1 BD.  I think BD is ok, I just like the other 2 courses better. (of course, my lowest round on the property is an 82 at BD, so go figure....)

[Tom Huckaby]

Mark - that's cool - at least you gave good reasons for why you split it like you have, and will.

I can't see playing six rounds at PD and only one at BD myself - I like BD way too much for that and I really don't think PD is that much better.  But to each his own.  I've been up there twice - kinda like you - once for opening of PD, once for opening of BT - each time we've done an even split, and each time I've had zero regrets.

I will be going back, probably before course 4 opens.  No way do I do anything but an even split again.

TH

[Bill_McBride]

So Huck, what's your split re PD/BD/BT?  I enjoyed most of BT although I thought they got the worst of the land, but would probably do 3/2/1 if there for six rounds.  One of the problems is the replay of same course only policy.

[rjsimper]

So Huck, what's your split re PD/BD/BT?  I enjoyed most of BT although I thought they got the worst of the land, but would probably do 3/2/1 if there for six rounds.  One of the problems is the replay of same course only policy.

What replay same course only policy?

[Jin Kim]

So Huck, what's your split re PD/BD/BT?  I enjoyed most of BT although I thought they got the worst of the land, but would probably do 3/2/1 if there for six rounds.  One of the problems is the replay of same course only policy.

If true, they never applied it to us.

[PThomas]

I'd go 4 3 3/PD BD BT

[Eric Olsen]

If you are staying at Bandon Dunes, you can get the replay rate on any of the three courses.  If you are are not staying at the resort, then the policy is to make you pay a full greens fee instead of the replay rate if you want to play a different course for your second round.  Third round is still free, I believe, and anticipate some fun 3-6 hole loops to finish the days off over my Labor Day visit, like 1-2-7 on Pacific, followed by 8-9 at Bandon!  

[Tom Huckaby]

Eric summed up the replay policy perfectly.

As for moi, I've said it on here many times.  With ten rounds to split, I'd go for 3/3/3 and flip a coin for the 4th.  Oh, I'd likely be hoping the coin falls on the PD side, but it wouldn't kill me one way or the other.  I do very much enjoy BD and BT.  

Six rounds?  2/2/2 for me without a doubt.

TH

[Tim Pitner]

So Huck, what's your split re PD/BD/BT?  I enjoyed most of BT although I thought they got the worst of the land, but would probably do 3/2/1 if there for six rounds.  One of the problems is the replay of same course only policy.

What replay same course only policy?

As I recall, back in the day, to get the replay rate, even while staying at the resort, you had to play the same course.  They've done away with that, which was a very good move.  The six rounds I played while last at Bandon were split this way:  PD 2; BT 2; BD 1; SR 1.  That was about right, but that was our first time playing Trails; now, I could go back and forth between BD and BT.