Did Kaiser save C & C for Bandon Trails because ...

[Mike Hendren]

He believed they could to more with less?

[Tim Bert]

I don't think that's the case, though there are probably only a handful of people (maybe one) that could answer that question without speculating.  Haven't their most spectacular courses been on pretty darn good pieces of land?

Maybe he waited because he thought they would do less with more? 

[Matthew Hunt]

Mike is smart man; he would have realized that if he put C+C on one of the first two sites the product would get compared head to head with Sand Hills. From both marketing perspective and a personal perspective he would have wanted something cool and unique not someone reporting ‘Its Sand Hills by the sea, just not as good”. He wanted the land and course to do the talking not some architects reputation.

[Tom_Doak]

Mike:

Matthew's answer is pretty close to the mark.  I am certain that Mike did not want to be perceived as "copying" Sand Hills' approach, even though he respected it tremendously.  And in point of fact, both David Kidd and I approached Mike (instead of the other way around) back in 1994-95, and I think we were rewarded for our initiative.

I can also tell you for certain that when we were building the second course, Mike was not yet seriously thinking about the third.  I really don't think that at the start of the operation he had so much confidence that he would "save" Bill & Ben for a third course, because who would have bet there would ever BE a third course?

I do think that for the fourth course (presumed to be the worst site of the four, although opinions differ ) Mike was uncertain that any living designer could take the fourth best site and produce something equal to the first three courses ... that's partly how he got the idea to hire C.B. Macdonald.

[JC Jones]

Mike:

Matthew's answer is pretty close to the mark.  I am certain that Mike did not want to be perceived as "copying" Sand Hills' approach, even though he respected it tremendously.  And in point of fact, both David Kidd and I approached Mike (instead of the other way around) back in 1994-95, and I think we were rewarded for our initiative.

I can also tell you for certain that when we were building the second course, Mike was not yet seriously thinking about the third.  I really don't think that at the start of the operation he had so much confidence that he would "save" Bill & Ben for a third course, because who would have bet there would ever BE a third course?

I do think that for the fourth course (presumed to be the worst site of the four, although opinions differ ) Mike was uncertain that any living designer could take the fourth best site and produce something equal to the first three courses ... that's partly how he got the idea to hire C.B. Macdonald.

Fascinating.  Thanks for sharing the inside scoop.

[Kalen Braley]

I do think that for the fourth course (presumed to be the worst site of the four, although opinions differ ) .

I don't think I'd buy that considering C&C were begging to work on that site as opposed to what is now BT.  Overall though, tough to be picky, because the whole place is so darned good, just working on anything would be great.

Tom,

Can you give us any insight as to where the 5th course at Bandon Resort would go in?  I've heard the land south of BD and west of BT is out, but other than that where else would it go?   East of BD and North of BT?  Or Perhaps North and East of ODM?  Just curious.   

[David Botimer]

I'm not sure how the 4th site could be considered the worst, given its proximity to the water and the massive sand ridge running through the heart of it.

The course is really taking shape and looks awesome.  The 7th hole green setting will drop your jaw!

As for the 5th course, I thought the Sheep Ranch was still slated as the 5th.  True?

[Tom_Doak]

Since I'm not supposed to acknowledge whether or not The Sheep Ranch even exists, I can't say where I believe the fifth course at the resort might be.  But I don't think it's going to happen anytime quickly.