I agree completely with the travel difficulties. I flew out of Syracuse airport, as I am at school near there and I had to go Syr-WashingtonDC-Chicago (stay overnight at a friends)-San Fran-North Bend, and on the way out go North Bend-Portland-Seattle-WashingtonDC-Syracuse. It was a hassle to say the least, and one of my bags didn't make it out there on the way (luckily, it was my suitcase... the sticks made it).
I believe Bandon Golf is links golf. Interestingly, playing and walking around Bandon Dunes, I felt that some of the holes didn't feel completely like links golf (ie 7-10) but overall the experience was that of a links course. There were a few times where I missed the fairway by a long ways and was not met with the penalty that I felt I should have on some of the Irish links I have been fortunate enough to have played. But then again, BD is the most open of the bunch, and while you don't get penalized by long grass on dunes, you do get those funny lies that sit down between tufts(!) of rough that offer similar dangers. That being said, its not supremely important to have every hole play through towering sand dunes and offer extreme penalty to the wayward strike. Old MacDonald, while not playing completely through the dunes (save for #3, #7, and #14 through #16) definitely had the links feel. Pacific Dunes obviously had it, and Bandon Trails played through the Dunes at least for #1, 2, 17, and 18. The resort overall definitely is a links feel. Just getting off the property to play Bandon Crossings makes you feel this way. For instance, I was able to make ballmarks at BC, and had less than 3 at Bandon for all 5 of my rounds there. The firm linksland combined with cool weather, open terrain, and high winds makes this nearly impossible -- all characteristics of a LINKS golf course.
I agree with him somewhat about the surrounds, as the drive from North Bend to Bandon was rather dismal, however as soon as you get to Bandon and furthermore driving through the town, there is plenty to see in terms of scenery and sights.