[JC Jones]

Do the 3 (4) courses at Bandon offer enough variety for you to spend your life playing only those courses (or 95% of the golf you play the rest of your life)?

[Ronald Montesano]

Throw in the Sheep Ranch and the answer is a resounding "YES."

[C. Sturges]

I spent five years there and miss it every day since I have left!

[Tom Huckaby]

No. Eventually I would want to seek greener pastures.  I've said it before when this question was asked about which one course one would want to play all the rest of his golf on - to me that would be a definition of hell no matter what the course was.  Adding the variety of these 3/4 just makes a little longer until the realization that it is hell sets in.

But I would dare say that those would come the closest to keeping me happy... along with Fife, Long Island and Carmel (in this dream world).

TH

[George Pazin]

I've always found the happy-go-lucky Huck's opinion on this matter fascinating. I'm the exact opposite. I think the game is so fun that I think I could be happy playing almost any single course for life (yep, even Wolf Creek).

Thankfully, I don't think either of us will have to test our theses.

[Tom Huckaby]

I think you're right, George; neither thesis is darn likely to ever be tested.

And my take may seem odd to more than just you.  I guess to explain it better, I grew up playing tennis, and quit that in favor of golf for really one and only one reason:

Golf provided so much more variety in its fields of play.

So variety is what always has driven me about the game.  I'd go nuts if I were confined to a range.  In fact I pretty much hate practicing.  Testing myself on diverse fields of play is the facet of the game I love most.

So take away the diversity and I would indeed go nuts.

But I do respect very much those for whom the game itself is enough.  I've often said that I could have fun playing golf on a parking lot if the friends were good and the beer was gold.  I just wouldn't want to do that FOREVER.

TH

[Adam Clayman]

JC, IMO, the answer is yes!  The courses at Bandon separate themselves from most other US courses because they are all built on solid fundamental core principles. A typical golfer may not even realize what it is that makes them so intriguing. Throw in the proximity to a weather generator and the four courses are sure to be compelling everyday of one's life. If one course can do it, TOC, these four are a no brainer affirmation.

[Charlie Goerges]

There is a guy up in northern Minnesota who played a record number of rounds or some such thing. He played pretty much every day, 3 times a day for six months on the same course. And it was a non-descript northern MN course. He and others like him essentially do what it is you're asking about. I saw him on the news, he seemed extremely happy. I don't think he regrets not playing Cypress Point or Bandon (though I can't say for sure that he hasn't), he would regret not playing as much as humanly possible I would bet.

Most of us would probably define reading the same book again and again as the definition of hell as well. But there was a time in history when a peasant (like myself) would be thrilled to have even 1 book, and (if he/she could read) would read it again and again.

Just playing devil's advocate (for my part I'd prefer variety). Though I would bet that the four courses at Bandon could satisfy my untrained palette for a pretty long time.

Charlie

[Mark Chaplin]

In the south east of England a large number of members at the classic heathlands think Sunningdale, The Berkshire, Walton Heath, St Georges Hill, etc are also members at Rye, Sandwich and Deal. Completely different challenges but complimentary golfing experiences.

[Tom Huckaby]

Charlie:  well-said.  And I am with you, of course - the key being the words "a long time."  The standard here is "forever."

TH

[George Pazin]

I thought the standard here was a lifetime. Or are you going to live forever?

[Tom Huckaby]

Good catch, George!

The standard is a lifetime. 

It doesn;t change my stance.

TH

[JC Jones]

Well, my original question allowed for 5% to be "non-bandon" courses so, Huck, you would get some variety in there.

I just think that with the 4 courses, the Sheep Ranch (assuming it exists, something I cant prove), the new par 3 course and the practice facility, my every need w/ respect to golf (i.e. challenge, variety of courses, variety of shots, etc.) would be available.

Maybe I cant speak for a lifetime but I can speak for at least a decade or more.  Especially since the 5% would allow for 5 rounds per 100 at Cypress or Sand Hills or Kingsley or Shinnecock or wherever else you can play.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I may not tire of the course, but I would tire of being in Bandon that much.  In additon, I love parkland courses, Heathland courses.  So the answer would be NO.

[John Burzynski]

I essentially play my golf at the same course maybe 80+% of the time, and the other 20% is usually on non-descript courses.  I don't have a problem with it, golf is golf when you come down to it, a challenge of one kind or another on every course.

[John Kirk]

I could easily play one course the rest of my life.  The golf at Bandon is unparalleled in these parts, but I'd get tired of the cold windy weather.  It almost never gets hot there, and I appreciate the occasional 100 degeree blast furnace.

[Bart Bradley]

This sort of sounds like you have to get married to a golf course...I've already had to swear off all other women than my wife....

I want to keep my options more wide open instead of having to make such a commitment...I want to be a "player" when it comes to courses.

To be honest, given the obvious interest in the people on this website for golf course architecture, I am surprised that everyone doesn't feel the need to see a large variety of courses...

Now let me be clear..I could have fun playing the same course all the time;  I could have fun playing golf on the worst course in the world;  but if given an option I want to see what the whole world has to offer.

I wonder if there is any correlation between a person's opinion on this topic and there love (or not so much) of travel and seeing new places/cultures, in general.

[Mike Wagner]

Let's see....um.....YES!  It feeds the soul like none other.

[Ian_L]

I think it depends a lot on what courses you expect to be playing for the rest of your life.  If you expect to be touring the best of the best, then you'd probably rather not tie yourself down to four courses.  If you're short on cash and don't have access to private clubs, you might go for the Bandon courses (assuming money is not an issue in this question).

Personally, I think I'd get tired of the resort atmosphere after a while.

[JC Jones]

I think it depends a lot on what courses you expect to be playing for the rest of your life.  If you expect to be touring the best of the best, then you'd probably rather not tie yourself down to four courses.  If you're short on cash and don't have access to private clubs, you might go for the Bandon courses (assuming money is not an issue in this question).

Personally, I think I'd get tired of the resort atmosphere after a while.

My guess is it would feel less "resort like" if you were there w/ enough regularity that you knew the staff, etc.

[RJ_Daley]

I could play the same course, provided it was what I felt was a very good course, forever, IF I had a never ending supply of friends and new people to play with.  I couldn't even play Cypress Point or Pine Valley or Sand Hills for the rest of my life - maybe not even on season, alone.

[John Moore II]

I should think that any place that has 4 courses on hand like that would provide enough variety to last a lifetime. I have never been to Bandon, but certainly I have been to Pinehurst, and I can say that I could stand having only Pinehurst Resort available to me for the rest of my life. 5 courses at the main clubhouse, a great amount of variety, I could manage that.

[Andy Troeger]

I'm with Huck on this one--I enjoy getting out to new places. Playing a new course is more exciting to me than seeing an old favorite again. Heck, I enjoy seeing new lousy courses sometimes--I've tried to play every course in Albuquerque include a few awful ones. I haven't been to Bandon, but even if I could play Pebble and Cypress under a similar plan I think I'd want to get out for more than 5% of my rounds.

I could manage it, but I don't think I'd play as often as I currently do.

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