Bandon vs Traditional links courses

[Thomas McQuillan]

I have never been to Bandon. Ever. There has been a lot written about all of the courses and I'm just wondering what differences (if any) there are between the Bandon courses and courses like Rye and Portmarnock in GB&I? Which type do you prefer?

[Scott Weersing]

I have never been to Bandon. Ever. There has been a lot written about all of the courses and I'm just wondering what differences (if any) there are between the Bandon courses and courses like Rye and Portmarnock in GB&I? Which type do you prefer?

What are some of the differences?

Dollars in the US, Pounds in GB.
Lots of maintenance and gorse removal at Bandon, not much changes in GB.
New courses are built at Bandon. Very few new courses in GB.
Lots of marshalls patrolling the courses at Bandon; no marshalls on courses in GB.
Lots of players who don't appreciate links golf at Bando;, more people who appreciate links golf in GB.
Lots of slow players at Bandon; fast players on GB courses.

[Tom_Doak]

Counterpoint to Scott's post:

In Bandon you stay in one place and play four top courses.  Not possible in very many places in Scotland.
In Bandon you don't have to drive at night, so you can do other things.
In Bandon you play from whatever tees you want.  Not in Scotland.
In Bandon caddies are always available.  Not in Scotland.

I am not saying the golf experience in Bandon is BETTER, necessarily.  But I will happily argue the case that it's just as good.  And yes, I'm biased, but I did live in Scotland, too, so I'm not completely biased.

The one main golfing difference is that in Bandon, you are not often playing a running shot into the greens.  It's firm and fast, but most of the holes allow you to fly the ball onto the green from some position and hold it, and that's the way most people play there.  Of course, that's how a lot of Americans play golf in Scotland, too ... I guess I'm just saying that not many players in Bandon play the sort of low shots into greens as you see the Scots play.  We have tried to reward that sort of play more on Old Macdonald, but we'll have to see if anyone notices.

[Mike Wagner]

I would add to Tom's list:

In Bandon you get great food.  In Scotland.....enough said.

[JohnV]

Lots of marshalls patrolling the courses at Bandon; no marshalls on courses in GB.

Last time I was at the Old Course, there were quite a few.

Bandon, you are treated like a valued customer.  A lot of courses in Scotland you become a member for the day and are embraced.  Others, you have to play by yourself and make sure you don't violate any of the unwritten rules.

[Rob Rigg]

I have played a few links courses in Ireland - and I find the Bandon courses to be "better maintained" - meaning - maintained in a more uniform manner across each course while still playing F&F. When I was at BDGR - BD was "distressed", BT was "perfect" and PD was somewhere inbetween - all very purposeful maintenance.

The Irish links courses were a little more "rough around the edges" which was kind of endearing - and they also had more "quirk" which was fun.

I can't say that I prefer either - links golf in GBI and links golf at Bandon are both spectacular with some small differences.

As far as a great golf trip goes, I cannot think of anything that would be better than Bandon for the reasons mentioned by the other gents. Four of the best courses in the world on one site - 36 a day, eat a great meal, enjoy a few pints or a Scotch at the bar, crash, repeat - it's awesome.

I'm heading to BDGR next week and I'm already having trouble sleeping because I'm so stoked.

[Mac Plumart]

First off Rob...rubbing it in that you are going to Bandon Dunes next week is not cool at all!!!1

But seriously, that will be mid-February.  What will the temperature be like? 

Conversely, GB&I is too cold to play golf then, right?

[Scott Weersing]

Counterpoint to Scott's post:

In Bandon you stay in one place and play four top courses.  Not possible in very many places in Scotland.
In Bandon you don't have to drive at night, so you can do other things.
In Bandon you play from whatever tees you want.  Not in Scotland.
In Bandon caddies are always available.  Not in Scotland.

I am not saying the golf experience in Bandon is BETTER, necessarily.  But I will happily argue the case that it's just as good.  And yes, I'm biased, but I did live in Scotland, too, so I'm not completely biased.

The one main golfing difference is that in Bandon, you are not often playing a running shot into the greens.  It's firm and fast, but most of the holes allow you to fly the ball onto the green from some position and hold it, and that's the way most people play there.  Of course, that's how a lot of Americans play golf in Scotland, too ... I guess I'm just saying that not many players in Bandon play the sort of low shots into greens as you see the Scots play.  We have tried to reward that sort of play more on Old Macdonald, but we'll have to see if anyone notices.

I think that the golf is great at Bandon, but I have not been Scotland, so I am not one to say which is better.

But Tom's differences point to Bandon being better than GB. I cannot see how GB could be better than Bandon.

[Mac Plumart]

I haven't been to either yet, but I just got my Muirfield tee time set...May 3rd 2011...and am lining up TOC and a few others in Scotland.

I choose Scotland over Bandon for specific reasons.  For starters, Scotland is the home of golf.  Links golf at its most historic...for that matter golf at its most historic. 

How could GB be better than Bandon?  History.  Musselburgh, Muirfield, TOC, North Berwick, Carnoustie, Turnberry...First Open, First Golf Club (HCofEG), Tom Morris, original Redan, Van de Veld  , Duel in the Sun...I could go on, but I'll stop.

No doubt Bandon has to be AWESOME!!!  But I can see clearly how Scotland could be better...it depends on what turns you on regarding golf, right?

[Ryan Admussen]

Just booked our flights for a return trip to Bandon in November, It's a lot easier coming from the west to go to Bandon for a week, waiting on GB&I until I can go for a longer period of time, sure there are differences but don't think you can go wrong either way!

[Jeff Tang]

I have never been to Bandon. Ever. There has been a lot written about all of the courses and I'm just wondering what differences (if any) there are between the Bandon courses and courses like Rye and Portmarnock in GB&I? Which type do you prefer?

I've played both at Bandon (BD and PD only) and in Scotland (St. Andrews courses plus Kingsbarns and Carnoustie) and I thought the playing conditions were very comparable.  What I mean by that is I found the turf conditions at both locations to be very similar, and I thought the greens putted very similarly as well.  I played in Scotland first and then three years later was very pleasantly surprised to find the same conditions in Bandon.

While I haven't played in Ireland before when at Bandon Dunes I kept hearing comparisons that BD was more like Scottish courses and PD was more like Irish courses.  I guess I can see where they're coming from but that seems like a pretty large generalization to me.

[Matt MacIver]

More quirk in the UK, although each course at BD has some...suspect (hope?) there will be a bit more still on OM. 

[Rob Rigg]

Mac,

It has been 40s to 60s and sunny/cloudy during the day for most of January and February in Portland and apparently pretty nice on the coast so I am hoping for some decent weather at BDGR next week.

I didn't think courses really "closed" in GBI - just depends on the weather (similar to the PNW). I think some courses use "winter" tees and perhaps more "temp" greens but not sure about the links courses.

I am very jealous of your plans for Scotland - I may be moving to Europe in the next couple of months and playing some great links and Heathland courses in England, Ireland, Scotland and BeNeLux is an exciting prospect.

Links golf is fantastic regardless of what country it is in.

[Carl Nichols]

If all you cared about was weather, what's better in late June, St. Andrews, RCD, London, or Bandon? (I had unbelievable weather in Bandon a few years ago in late June, but realize that might have
 been pure luck)

[Kevin Pallier]

Counterpoint to Scott's post:

In Bandon you stay in one place and play four top courses.  Not possible in very many places in Scotland.
In Bandon you don't have to drive at night, so you can do other things.
In Bandon you play from whatever tees you want.  Not in Scotland.
In Bandon caddies are always available.  Not in Scotland.

Counterpoint to Tom's post:

There is not much to do at Bandon outside golf....more sightseeing / things to do outside of golf in GB&I
Travelling to Bandon is difficult - it's in the middle of nowhere (Coos Bay being the nearest airport) whereas most GB&I courses are easily accessed by plane / car
There's only 4 courses in Bandon - there's thousands to chose from in GB&I and prices to suit your budget
Accomodation is relatively expensive and one style in Bandon - you can stay at your choice of accommodation in GB&I
Some of Bandon's holes are "copies" - there's nothing like playing the "originals" 

[Sean_A]

I have never been to Bandon, but I hope to go one day.  I would have thought that one of the big differences is that Bandon is a resort and golf in GB&I doesn't tend to be.  From my experience, resorts aren't the best way to enjoy proper golf because they tend to be expensive and geared toward draining money from one's pocket.  Plus, there is a certain hard to pin point atmosphere at the GB&I courses which the resorts fail to reproduce.  It doesn't sound like a big deal, but if you are into the experience of it than things like this and history make a difference.  Of course, there are advantages that Tom pointed out.   Bottom-line for me, if one can't/won't get to GB&I then Bandon sounds an excellent substitute. 

Ciao

[Jamie Barber]

If all you cared about was weather, what's better in late June, St. Andrews, RCD, London, or Bandon? (I had unbelievable weather in Bandon a few years ago in late June, but realize that might have been pure luck)

Can't speak for Bandon, but London on average is likely to be drier and a little warmer in June than Scotland or Ireland. We had a trip to RCD a few years back, and our Captain (native of Belfast) said the summer forecast is always "sunshine and showers" every day, because it rains pretty much every day there.

We went in August and got rained on most of the week, but luckily:

1. Our pro shop had a sale on Galvin Green the day week before!
2. We had a dry (but cool) day at RCD.

[Mark Chaplin]

Mike - is the food bad or just different? No Scot will claim to serve a decent double cheese burger. Places such as The Old Clubhouse in Gullane serve decent good value food and Leith is loaded with Michelin stars.

I cannot imagine enjoying a conversation at the bar or cocktail lounge at Bandon with a friendly old fella who tells you about the place and has a yarn or two. There is something special being surrounded by trophies and winners boards often dating back over a 100 years.

[Brian Phillips]

First off Rob...rubbing it in that you are going to Bandon Dunes next week is not cool at all!!!1

But seriously, that will be mid-February.  What will the temperature be like?  

Conversely, GB&I is too cold to play golf then, right?

Mac,

You are going to get tears in your eyes in the clubhouse after your first links round.  You will be sitting there having a single malt overlooking one of the great courses of the world (that you have just played) and you WILL get teary, I promise.

It is never too cold to play links golf it is only too wet to play links golf, never too cold!

There is no such thing as bad weather only bad clothes.

I have to meet you in Scotland when you come over. You are such a virgin!  As I say to all my Norwegian golfing friends, you are not a golfer until you have played in Scotland.

You should also read Two years in St.Andrews by George Peper

[Jud_T]

I would add to Tom's list:

In Bandon you get great food.

Mike,

you need to get out more....The food was the ONLY thing at Bandon that wasn't absolutely first class IMHO....I'll take the menu and wine list at Turnberry over Bandon's any day....(particularly the Haggis!)...

[George Freeman]

I would add to Tom's list:

In Bandon you get great food.

Mike,

you need to get out more....The food was the ONLY thing at Bandon that wasn't absolutely first class IMHO....I'll take the menu and wine list at Turnberry over Bandon's any day....(particularly the Haggis!)...

Jud,

Obviously you didn't try Grandma's Meatloaf at McKee's Pub??  Maybe food just tastes better after walking 36 in 30 mph winds, but I thought the food at BDGR was pretty darn good (and when I was there the Trails restaurant was closed, which is supposed to have some of the best food at the resort).

To each their own I guess.

PS and OT - I know you are a Chicago guy so go try The Purple Pig on Michigan Ave.  One of the best meals I've had in Chicago.

Cheers

[Jud_T]

I would add to Tom's list:

In Bandon you get great food.

Mike,

you need to get out more....The food was the ONLY thing at Bandon that wasn't absolutely first class IMHO....I'll take the menu and wine list at Turnberry over Bandon's any day....(particularly the Haggis!)...

Jud,

Obviously you didn't try Grandma's Meatloaf at McKee's Pub??  Maybe food just tastes better after walking 36 in 30 mph winds, but I thought the food at BDGR was pretty darn good (and when I was there the Trails restaurant was closed, which is supposed to have some of the best food at the resort).

To each their own I guess.

PS - I know you are a Chicago guy so go try The Purple Pig on Michigan Ave.  One of the best meals I've had in Chicago.

Cheers

George,

I didn't think the food was bad, it was decent, just not world class like the golf and accomodations...p.s. I didn't have the meatloaf, next time!

[Mac Plumart]

Brian...

I would love to meet up with you in Scotland.  I fully expect to tear up more than once on the trip.  I'm not afraid of it!  

Here is what I am trying to line up...

Muirfield is already set...and fyi, I've got a twosome booked but thus far it is only me playing...so I've got a spot open.

St. Andrews Old...I would like to play it at least twice (hopefully more).

Musselburgh (old)...for the history.

And then I am trying to set up a few days trip to The Machrie and Askernish.  I don't have this worked out yet, but I am really compelled to go there.  Those places just seem like great places to play golf.

If you or others want to join me...that would be AWESOME!!!  But I am not afraid to go as a single either.

Also, I probably won't get to Bandon Dunes this year...but maybe next...so I won't be able to directly compare for a few years.  But I am pretty sure it will be worth the wait.

[Joel Zuckerman]

Another thought that hasn't been mentioned until now.  For the Americans on this board, GB & I are foreign countries (stating the obvious) while Bandon, isolated and cool as it is, is just another address in the good old US of A.

So--for the adventurous among us, the different currency, idioms, accents, roads, pubs, stores, people, etc, can be a big draw.  The golf is fantastic at any of these locales, but it's the "out of your own comfort zone" aspect of GB & I that adds a certain flair to a a trip overseas.

[Brian Phillips]

Brian...

Muirfield is already set...and fyi, I've got a twosome booked but thus far it is only me playing...so I've got a spot open.

If that is an invite to join you I am in! I have only walked Muirfield...make sure u bring a jacket and tie.