A Case Study Exploring the Accuracy of Forecasting the Winter Weather in Bandon

[rjsimper]

Why do I get the feeling there will be much speculation and giggling as the forecast evolves over these next 5 days...

[Kalen Braley]

No giggling here....

I feel for those guys, sucks to spend all that money, time, and effort and get washed out because there is 2 inches of water on the course.

It should be nice and green though, so that should be nice!!

[Kalen Braley]

Ahh yes, a 5th of Makers Mark will be standard issue on the 1st tee of every course.

As to the drying room, aren't there fireplaces in the rooms for rent at the lodges and cottages?

[rjsimper]

Leaving now - will have a full weather report upon our return

(Either that, or 8 very very bad hangovers)

[Bryan Izatt]

For us voyeurs of the journey, here's a web-cam from the Bandon Jetty.  Watch the clouds and rain from the comfort of your own home.

http://www.rwre.com/webcam/index.php

For what it's worth I was there 3 years ago in February.  There was torrential rain from time to time, high winds (up to 80 MPH on the headlands), sun, and ice pellets.  Very changeable.  

One lesson I learned was that latex gloves under rain gloves were useful.  Kept your hands dry and cold as opposed to wet and cold.  Plastic bags inside your shoes are also useful in keeping feet dry while water runs down rainsuit into your shoes.  Nothing like frozen prune-like hands and feet.  

And yes, I did play every day for a week.  There's no rain check once you start.  A great experience although I'm a bit reluctant to try it again.

Went again the next summer and the weather was glorious, albeit windy.  But that's out of the price range now.

[Bryan Izatt]

Used to be they had a drying room in the main lodge.  Humidity was fierce in there.

Fireplaces were certainly in the cottages.  They were very effective at drying bags, headcovers, shoes, golves, etc.

[Kalen Braley]

Latest forecast:



I'm pulling out my budas, rosary beads, hindu gods, and everything else I can think of to get that weather to break up and be 60 and sunny with a slight breeze.  

[Michael Hayes]

I hope all the wussy's nervous about the weather have a good time regardless .  As a boisterous touter of the quality Jan. weather in Bandon. I will remind all that the week prior to my 7 days of no rain and 3 days of shorts the resort was closed for 4 days due to snow.  As always it is all about luck.  

FWIW, I have spent 75+ nights at Bandon during Jan in the last 8 years and have worn raingear less than 50% of the time.

[Tim Pitner]

FWIW, I have spent 75+ nights at Bandon during Jan in the last 8 years and have worn raingear less than 50% of the time.

Michael,

Good for you for getting to enjoy Bandon so frequently.  But, somewhere near 50% is not exactly the batting average I'm looking for.  As far as I'm concerned, one of the virtues of Bandon versus Ireland or Scotland is that, at Bandon, you can have extended stretches of very good weather.  Of course, as you say, luck is everything.

[Michael Hayes]

Tim, as a former Seattlite, 50% of golf without raingear is a great batting average .  Now that I am in the Idaho Mountains, I have found myself becoming a weather wussy.  I really would not play golf out here in the rain unless it were a tourny.

Regarding Bandon, the time I have spent in Jan. would pay for about half the golf during the summer season.  I'll keep taking my raingear for a more extended winter visit...

[Kalen Braley]

While golf in Seattle and Portland means playing in rain more often than not, I don't think its the accepted default setting of anywhere else you go in the U.S.

I prefer to not play in the rain, but if I were going someplace special like the Bandon Resort I would probably have a go of it.  If just at home though, on my local track or elsewhere that I play often, I'd stay home.

That being said, this is for a constant rain where you are sloshing and getting soaked to the bone.  Playing while a few showers pass thru is no big deal.

[Garland Bayley]

FWIW, I have spent 75+ nights at Bandon during Jan in the last 8 years and have worn raingear less than 50% of the time.

Now here's a strange bird! Apparently this fellow wears rain gear to bed.

Michael, save the rain gear for the golf!



Or maybe I didn't understand him....there is that old joke about wearing a rain coat in the shower.



 

[Andy Troeger]

Good luck gentlemen. If it does in fact rain as much as predicted you're welcome to come to the desert next February

Although, come to think of it I think we're supposed to get some combination of rain/show/wind tonight and tomorrow ourselves, so maybe I should keep my mouth shut.

[Jeff Doerr]

My SoCal buddies went on Super Bowl weekend and faced a similar forcast. They played 6 rounds in 4 days with I think only one really wet 18!

I'm trusting on better weather in mid-march. My struggle is what Irish whiskeys to bring for St. Patrick's Day!  

[Mike Erdmann]

Whata bunch of pansies.....it's going to be 45 here today with rain and 25mph winds.....and I'm heading out the door for my normal Saturday morning 18.  Oh to be lucky enough to be in Bandon!  

[Jeff Doerr]

Agreed Mike!

With the invention of rain gloves and Bandon's playing surfaces, any weather is great.

On my worst outing at Bandon Dunes we only found standing water on 18 green. I think that is my real 2 question test: 1) Can you putt the greens? 2) Can you find a high tee ball that lands in the middle of the fairway?

Golf is an outdoor game, if you want perfect conditions...

"Learn to play pool brotha, learn to play pool!"  

[Mike Benham]

It rained, it hailed, the wind was blowing ... we all played and I won the skins ... one round down, 5 to go ...

And the forecast for tomorrow is 100% rain .. which we can handle ...

[John Kavanaugh]

How is Huck taking it?  Can you see through him yet?

[ed_getka]

How did day 2 go men?

Whoa, if the guys played today they are DIEHARDS. Rain showers, lightning, and 35-45 degrees.

[rjsimper]

Day 2 is in the books

Bit colder than yesterday - wind howling yet again.

36 holes later, we saw our share of hail, 50mph squalls, blue skies and sunshine, and umbrellas tumbling down the fairway.

A great day to be sure, and 36 holes later we're all ready for dinner now.

Trails and Pacific today, tomorrow goes Pacific then Sheep Ranch if the weather's not awful.

[Mike Benham]

Whoa, if the guys played today they are DIEHARDS. Rain showers, lightning, and 35-45 degrees.

And the matches are tied 2-2 ...

[Jeff Doerr]

I don't remember seeing that lake on BT!  

[Garland Bayley]

Here in the Columbia River Gorge, it has been calm while you have been feeling the wind on the south Oregon coast. Seems we sent our wind your way. Besides that in honor of your being from California, it seems we sent a 5.4 or higher earthquake your way last night.

Hope Huckaby is not whining too much to ruin your trip.  

[John_Cullum]

Well, they can spin it anyway they want, but over the weekend they had over 2   1/2 inches of rain, the highest temp was 49 degrees, and the winds were from 9 to 26 mph.  

I hope they brought some good books.                                                                              

[jeffwarne]

John,
It seems to me we were playing 36 a day with you down in Zephyr Hills in similar temperatures and light rain a couple weeks ago.

Warmest ever winter on record and I bring 37 and sleet to Augusta at Thanksgiving and 47 and rain to Tampa!