Seth,
I just got back from an EPIC trip to Bandon last night. We played Pac Dunes 2x, Bandon Dunes 1x, Bandon Trails 1x, and.... a 10 holer
with a couple of board members (Joe, REALLY great meeting you thanks for your help out there).
We played the back/black tees on all courses, I'm an 8 on my course, which I now realize is an easy test of play, and had a blast from back there. I went par-free until the second day but through the week had a couple birds, a bunch of pars, and even some big double digit numbers and never had more fun doing it. Depending on the psyche of the group, a higher handicapper may really struggle from back there possibly to the point of not enjoying it. I wasn't at all concerned by my score, just finding a way to get it in the hole. The weather was a perfect mix of 30-40mph winds, to no wind, to rain, to torrential rain, to hail, to sun, then cloud, a bit more rain, more wind, then sun, a bit of rain. Then we moved onto the 3rd hole.
Have fun, Bandon is a yearly must in my calendar now!
B.