So Mark, How would you split 10 rounds between the 4 courses?
OM: 3
BD: 3
BT: 2
PD: 2
Love this game...
PD - 4
OM - 4
BT - 2
I have only walked the Preserve prior to the opening, but I would suspect I would play that as well before Bandon Dunes as well...
Chris, why such dislike for BD? I played it once and loved it!
Sorry for the delay, I am just catching up...
I wouldn't say it is a "dislike" for BD, but rather a stronger preference for the others. Bandon Dunes is a special place by any measure and we are certainly fortunate to have a place like that to escape to in our lifetime, with that said, when I make the trek out there and my time is limited - I am going to be very selective in what courses I play.
I have made four trips out there, my first when it was just BD and PD and my last soon after OM opened, but just before the Preserve opened. I have played BD at least 10 times now and I don't really feel the need to play it again. Don't get me wrong, there are some great holes/stretches (#4-6 & #15-17) that I really like, but then I think some of the worst holes on the property are there are as well - holes that just don't do it for me include #1, #2, #9, #13, #14, and #18. I would say, on my very first round ever at the resort, when I made the slight turn to the right on #4 and saw the green and ocean on the horizon - I thought I had found finally religion, so it has a special place in my book.
I think the points made earlier about it being the first course, Mr. Keiser being careful to make it playable, etc. all make a lot of sense - and most likely are the reasons why it falls to the bottom for me when ranking them. I found the routing a little awkward and the walk from #8 green to #9 tee is my least favorite on the property - and that includes the walk/shuttle from #13 to #14 on BT.
We have a good group of guys who try and make the trip every few years, I have always been the one to plan, coordinate, and book the trips. If it were solely up to me, I would skip BD entirely on a 4-5 day stay and maybe include one round if we stayed longer. One of my very good friends, and a much better player than me, loves BD and would probably prefer to get more than the one round I schedule each trip.
As for the gorse removal, I understand why it was done and certainly the course is more playable now, but from a visual standpoint, the course just doesn't look as good to me now. My last trip there I was shocked to see how different #5 looked with the naked dunes.
One other point that I often wonder about is the turf at BD, I know they altered the grass mix as the new courses opened and I have always felt that the turf at BD was softer than the rest and certainly more forgiving - it was almost shaggy on my last visit in 2012. I am sure there is a good explanation on why, but I certainly prefer the surfaces at PD, OM, and BT.
As for the 4 round split between PD and OM and then just 2 at BT - that is probably a moment in time call and I will say that BT grows on me each time I play it - I am anxious to get back there and see the recent work on #18.
PD is my favorite course on the property and in the top 5 I have ever played. If I had just one round at Bandon Dunes, it would certainly be on PD. I have just played OM three times and I don't feel I know her very well yet and am looking forward to my next trip out there. I can say that the best bourbon I ever sipped was on OM under a gorse bush near #9 during a gale storm last March...