Report - The "Need One More" Bandon Trip Feb 8-11, 2008

[Jeff Doerr]

Hey Everyone,

The verdict is in -- Mr. Kavanaugh can indeed predict the weather and Mr. Weersing has a knack at picking dates! We had about 7 misty holes on Sunday morning. The photo below is after our last round at Pacific. We are missing Simon who was sick. This group was taller than most High School basketball teams! I'm the short one in the middle left (5' 9"). Scott is wearing shades next to me and John K is in the middle. I'll post more as I get back in the swing of things here at home.



The first day all arrived safely and were treated to an outstanding opeing round at the new Bandon Crossing course. We teed off at 12:30 under cloudy skies and a very mild breeze.

The course was firm and very playable in all parts except the par 5 green in the bottom lands. The par three in the bottom was fine and one of our group landed well short of the green and had the ball bounce.

This is 14 with 5 behind (we played the upper green - par 4).


This is the upper green. Great bunker work.


The par 3 11th is a great illustration of the strong contours in the greens. This one has a reverse false front that calls for a very precise approach to the front flag.


Here is a closer shot of the green.


The really striking thing about Bandon Crossings is how much movement and elevation there is in the course. It also boast some really great and varied greens. It really is a first rate effort for a new designer. I liken it a lot to Juniper in Redmond as a really top flight public access course in the PNW. If it works into your schedule, you will not be disappointed.

[Greg Krueger]

Jeff, looks like you guys had a great time! Look forward to more stories & pictures!

[Scott Weersing]

I can't decide which was better- the weather, the golf, or the company I was with.

The weather was perfect for the third straight year. It is good all this week in Bandon but we wondered how much trouble we would get in if we had a trip over February 14.   

The courses share new things each time I play them. My favorite for this trip was Bandon Dunes as I had five birdies on Sunday afternoon including a birdie on No. 11. Another thing I noticed was that all the divots were filled in. I saw a crew of two guys filling in divots on No. 15 at Pacific on Monday. The caddie said there are 2 man crews that take 6 holes each day.

In the past, our trips have been just 4 guys but this year we had 8 and it was great. I got to play with and against a variety of players. We were all just shaking our heads when we hit what we thought was a good shot and watch it roll and roll and roll off the green.

I played the entire trip without my 8 iron. I went out to practice the day before I left on the trip so I was practicing those 35 yards chips from way off the green. I left it at the course. It was not until the 14th hole at Bandon Crossings that I noticed it was missing. I managed to hit some hard 9 irons for the trip and then use my 7 iron for the long chips from off the green.

[Scott Weersing]

Another highlight was taking a look at Old Macdonald being shaped. We saw them loading sand from the dune near No. 13 at Pacific Dunes into large dump trucks and hauling it to some place on the course. Someone remarked that it looked like men playing in a big sand box with real Tonka trucks.

There was also a great looking green that was shaped and displayed a yellow flag. In the fairway, they were building a bunker as wide as the fairway which was faced with railroad ties. There was a routing of the course in the Pac Dunes clubhouse.

The new lodge across from Bandon Dunes' 18th green fits in well with its surroundings. It is the right size and look.

Another change I noticed was that they cut down all the pine trees to the right of the 8th green at Bandon Dunes. I always thought that the trees were too close to the green and did not fit the rest of the course. Now it is just sand and tall grasses. You can find your ball but it is not an easy recovery.

We played a four ball tournament where each day I got to team up with another player. The big winner was Chris from Santa Ana as he won all four of this matches, finishing off with a 75 at Pacific Dunes on Monday with birdies on no. 2 and no. 4.  I helped him along by winning our match on Sunday morning at Bandon Dunes.

 

[Jeff Doerr]

I think I helped Chris by not winning on Sunday  .

Here are a few more for your enjoyment.

No 4 at Pac Dunes


No 5 at Pac Dunes


No 7 at BT - Scott took this and proclaimed it would be a great BW as he took it. He tinted it a bit blue also. BEAUTIFUL by my standards...


No 18 at Bandon Trails


A few of us followed the 36 crew in at Pacific Dunes on Saturday afternoon. They actually finished 18 with almost no visibility, but a lot of pars. These guys hit it straight! What a sunset we had that day.

[Jeff Doerr]

Here are a number of other images, including one of Simon (under the weather for the group shot). There is a shot from the 6 misty holes we had and a bunch of others taken from some different angles by myself and Scott.





Hydroseed at BD


Simon


John K hammering a tee shot

[John Kirk]

Great pictures.   There are some good photographers in your group.

[Andrew Balakshin]

Those are great pictures!

[Joe Hancock]

Unbelievably cruel.......

 

[Dieter Jones]

What sort of grass is Bandon Trails? I was surprised to see a group playing the 7th in that photo Jeff Doerr posted (great photo by the way with those purples & greys) in that frost. I thought maybe they might have used fescue at Bandon but would that be hardy enough for frost play?

[jeffwarne]

Dieter,
I'm sure that's simply dew.

[George Freeman]

Awesome pictures guys! Keep them coming!

I didn't think it was possible, but now I'm even more excited for April!

[rjsimper]

Nice photos guys - looks like a far cry from our February trip just last year...

[Jeff Doerr]

What sort of grass is Bandon Trails? I was surprised to see a group playing the 7th in that photo Jeff Doerr posted (great photo by the way with those purples & greys) in that frost. I thought maybe they might have used fescue at Bandon but would that be hardy enough for frost play?

Scott took that one and made the modifications to it. It was just dew, although I've teed off a number of times at the resort when the ground was still frosty. I think the fescue can handle it. That's really a question for Tom Jefferson.

[Jeff Doerr]

Ryan,

I've always loved that shot with the hail frozen in space. Many of my favorite memories involve weather. We played Bandon Dunes one year and I broke 100 and beat my buddy who was a 4 at the time. I think I was playing to a 6 at the time.

[Garland Bayley]

Unbelievably cruel.......

 

You think it is cruel for you ........     

[Garland Bayley]

I have to second the smaller JKs sentiment. There are some excellent photographs there.

[John Kirk]

I especially like the picture of Arnold Palmer and his unmistakable follow through.

[Garland Bayley]

I especially like the picture of Arnold Palmer and his unmistakable follow through.

Ummmmmmmmmmmmm, I don't think you got a good look at the face in that one.
 

[Norbert P]

I can't decide which was better- the weather, the golf, or the company I was with.

It looks like they all added up to one great trip. Thanks for sharing the  exceptional pictures and tales.

[Michael Dugger]

I especially like the picture of Arnold Palmer and his unmistakable follow through.

I noticed that too!!! 

That's a full blown chicken wing.

[Mike Benham]

Looks like the hail is rising not falling to the earth ...

Nice photos guys - looks like a far cry from our February trip just last year...

[Don Dinkmeyer]

Just awesome pics and reporting. This is one of my favorite parts of GCA - the illustrated round report from a great course!

[Jason McNamara]

I especially like the picture of Arnold Palmer and his unmistakable follow through.

Heh.  I was going to ask if it was the full Jim Thorpe whirly-bird.

[Scott Weersing]

Many people wonder what the weather will be like in Bandon. It seems that the middle of February takes a break from the rain and wind.

Our forecast from weather .com two days before the trip:

Fri
Feb 08  Showers 51°/41° 50 % of rain

Sat
Feb 09  Few Showers 52°/43° 30 %

Sun
Feb 10  Showers 50°/43° 60 %

Mon
Feb 11  AM Clouds / PM Sun 52°/41° 10 %

The only day that was actually like the forecast was Monday. There was no rain on Friday. None on Saturday. On Sunday, it drizzled for an hour and then was cloudy the rest of the day. I played 36 holes on Sunday. It seems that the forecast is a worse case scenario.