[John Kavanaugh]

I'll start with the first tee and go so far to say the first hole.  I am glad to report that the new green on #1 at Bandon is out of use and they are back to the original site up on the hill to the right.  I love the location of the first tee right out of the main resort with people coming an going to and fro during their daily activities.  I love the look of the tee like it was just placed on the nearest piece of flat ground.  The tee shot is now even more interesting given the lore of the broken windows and damaged cars.  The approach to the green is realitively blind and a rare uphill shot not easily found anywhere on Pacific Dunes.  The first hole at Bandon is clearly superior that its sister at Pacific.

Do you have an example or should we discuss this one for a while?

[Pete Lavallee]

John,

Did the to and froing give you cause to flash your famous "icy stare" while preparing for your first tee shot?

[John Kavanaugh]

John,

Did the to and froing give you cause to flash your famous "icy stare" while preparing for your first tee shot?

I think to and froing near a first tee is a lost art of the modern course.  Think Riviera and Merion for example.  Sadly due to my out of control thyroid condition my icy stare has become Marty Feldmanesque.

[Ken Moum]

John,

Did the to and froing give you cause to flash your famous "icy stare" while preparing for your first tee shot?

I think to and froing near a first tee is a lost art of the modern course.  Think Riviera and Merion for example.  Sadly due to my out of control thyroid condition my icy stare has become Marty Feldmanesque.

Think St. Andrews Old, New and Jubilee. And Dornoch. And Cruden Bat. And...well, you get it.

I think you've identified one of those things that makes the old courses special.

Ken

[jeffwarne]

John can you elaborate on the broken windows?

The best "two and fro" or theatre for a tee shot I've seen is the first tee at Sleepy Hollow,
perched 15 feet below the caddie staging, pro shop, and grill/outdoor bar area-always a crowd.
A great way to start a round.

[John Kavanaugh]

John can you elaborate on the broken windows?

The best "two and fro" or theatre for a tee shot I've seen is the first tee at Sleepy Hollow,
perched 15 feet below the caddie staging, pro shop, and grill/outdoor bar area-always a crowd.
A great way to start a round.

There are buildings to the right of the first tee where damage go to be so bad and regular that they went to the extreme of building a new green to get people to aim left.  Lucky for us the people in charge decided golf was more important than glass and the new green has been abandoned.

[John Kavanaugh]

Staying with the first hole, does everyone also agree that the second shot to an elevated green at Bandon is more interesting than the short chip looking down on the green at Pacific?

[Steve Kline]

Best first tee is without a doubt Royal Aberdeen. While most courses have the club house window behind the 18th green - at Royal Aberdeen the big clubhouse window in the grill is so close to the first tee you think you might hit it on your backswing. You really don't want to hit a bad one there.

[Bill Satterfield]

I like the introduction to the ocean at Bandon better.  And when I say introduction, I mean being close enough to see the crashing waves come in.  Walking around the dogleg corner and hitting your approach shot towards the ocean on #4 at Bandon is a fantastic experience while at Pacific I first saw crashing waves from the 3rd green and thought, "Oh there is the ocean."  However, #4 at Pacific is one of my all-time favorite holes.

[John Kavanaugh]

I like the introduction to the ocean at Bandon better.  And when I say introduction, I mean being close enough to see the crashing waves come in.  Walking around the dogleg corner and hitting your approach shot towards the ocean on #4 at Bandon is a fantastic experience while at Pacific I first saw crashing waves from the 3rd green and thought, "Oh there is the ocean."  However, #4 at Pacific is one of my all-time favorite holes.

Excellent,  I could not agree more with the statement "introduction to the ocean".  That is a huge reason so many of us travel so far, it can not be discounted in importance.

[Tim Pitner]

John,

I'm a defender of Bandon Dunes--I like it better than many on here--but if BD were to go hole-by-hole against Pacific Dunes, #1 is one of the very few holes to which I would give the nod to BD.  Maybe #5, #12 and #14.  I love BD #11, but PD #11 is a great hole too.  #16 is kind of a tough one--PD is probably a better hole, IMO, but BD is so dramatic.  Anyway, PD wins big in that form of comparison. 

One of the great virtues of Bandon is that the courses are very different.  I'm very reluctant to try to tear down one course there in order to elevate the others. 

[John Kavanaugh]

Let's talk about ocean side tee shots.  I was lucky enough to catch a strong wind behind my back the first time I played Bandon and drove the 16th.  This took a very aggressive line towards the ocean.  Does Pacific have a tee shot along the ocean that compares to the drive on 16 at Bandon?

[Tim Pitner]

Let's talk about ocean side tee shots.  I was lucky enough to catch a strong wind behind my back the first time I played Bandon and drove the 16th.  This took a very aggressive line towards the ocean.  Does Pacific have a tee shot along the ocean that compares to the drive on 16 at Bandon?

It's not the hero shot that the drive on BD#16 can be, but I would put the drive at PD #4 right up there, especially after you realize that the shot to the green from the bail-out area left sucks--for me, it's always a lay-up toward the front of the green. 

[Joe Bentham]

Isn't anyone else as tired of JK's act as I am?   

[John Kavanaugh]

On both the 16th and 4th holes at the respective courses I got scared and pulled my drive left away from the ocean.  At Pacific I ended up in the only fairway bunker I found in 72 holes at the resort and did go on to make par.  At Bandon I found an alternate fairway that left me a blind shot to the green with the ocean in back and a pot bunker in front.  It may have been the most exciting 90 yd shot I had at the resort.

[John Kavanaugh]

Isn't anyone else as tired of JK's act as I am?   

Joe,

The title of this thread is a little misleading.  I am not trying to prove that Bandon is better than Pacific.  I just want to explore the possibilty that a certain type of golfer may think so.  Do you think it was the best piece of raw property at the resort.  If not, which course got so lucky?

[Tim Pitner]

On both the 16th and 4th holes at the respective courses I got scared and pulled my drive left away from the ocean.  At Pacific I ended up in the only fairway bunker I found in 72 holes at the resort and did go on to make par.  At Bandon I found an alternate fairway that left me a blind shot to the green with the ocean in back and a pot bunker in front.  It may have been the most exciting 90 yd shot I had at the resort.

I've had a similar shot and I also enjoyed the challenge. 

As far as JK's "act" goes, I don't mind a discussion of BD vs. PD because it's been my observation that many golfers do indeed prefer BD and, IMHO, too many posters here automatically favor PD because it has blow-out bunkers.  On the whole, I too favor PD but I don't think BD gets its due here (including in Mr. Morrissett's review, which is unusually negative). 

[Joe Bausch]

I've only played one day at Bandon, two falls ago where I played Bandon Dunes in the morning, then PD in the afternoon.  Wow, what a great day.  I hope to do it again real soon.

That being said, I played PD in the afternoon in a foursome that included the pro from Southampton, a pretty accomplished player in his day.  Heck, he is still damn good.  On around the 15th hole we were chatting about the two courses, as he had played Bandon Dunes in the morning like I had, and we both came to the conclusion that the bogey golfer would probably like BD more than PD.  That is just my opinion (and his as well).  BD is just more forgiving if you ask me.

[John Kavanaugh]

Because you guys seem to care about how people play I played Bandon in the morning and Pacific in the afternoon.  I shot a much lower score at Pacific.   I was even after 17 at Pacific when we were eclipsed by total darkness.  I can not recall my score at Bandon as I did not touch a scorecard the entire trip...It's just hard to forget even par.

I didn't think there was any dispute that Bandon is the better tournament course for top level male golfers. 

[Joe Hancock]

Isn't anyone else as tired of JK's act as I am?   

I learn much more from his provocative questions that take me out of the box than going with the status quo all the time.

Back to the reading....

Joe

[John Kavanaugh]

Let's consider strategic fairway bunkers.  I just love the fairway bunkers of 10 and 14 at Bandon.  Is there anything comparable at Pacific?

[Tim Pitner]

Let's consider strategic fairway bunkers.  I just love the fairway bunkers of 10 and 14 at Bandon.  Is there anything comparable at Pacific?

PD #3. 

[Chip Gaskins]

the fairway bunkers on PD #3 are great.  so many options.

#1 at BD is better than #1 at PD

#3, #7, #8, & #11 are mediocre at best at BD

#13 & #18 at BD is simply bad holes

i don't think there are in "bad" holes at PD

#2 and #15 are the only holes that i would even consider as mediocre as many at BD

i actually can't believe i am comparing these two courses being i think trails is best course on the property.

[John Kavanaugh]

I thought the fairway bunkers on two were the best on Pacific.  I have gone back and even looked at the pictures on the web site and can not recall the play of the bunkers on 3.

Chip,

When did you last play Bandon Dunes?  It has changed or been tweaked more than any course at the resort.  I do not recall ever seeing a course that gets better every year with every change. 

[Tim Pitner]

Chip,

I consider #7 and #11 at BD to be strong holes, especially #11.  #13 has grown on me some--I used to not like it all.  #2 and #15 at PD mediocre?  I suggest you revisit those thoughts. 

John,

Depending on the wind and the tees from which you play, the center bunker on PD #3 forces you to either go left (between the gorse and bunker) or right (the safe play that takes getting home in 2 out of the equation).  Unless into a strong wind, the bunkers on PD #2 shouldn't be in play for many players (although I have a mental block on that hole and have often hooked drives into the nasty bunker on the left). 

On PD #12, there is a centerline bunker that comes into play nicely on the 2nd shot. 

I agree with your thoughts on the revisions done at BD--I particularly like what's been done on #16, eliminating much of the rough to the left, up closer to the green. 

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()