Sheep Ranch - Yardage Chart, Map, Scorecard, Photos

[Chris Bevan]

We played green M twice.  Once as a par 3 coming over the crest from green B, and once as a par five coming from green A.  

To answer Brett_Morrissy, who said:
What do you think the most challenging element is about playing to almost any green from almost any direction? I am sure there were or are some unique design elements that were required in the design. Tom has probably already discussed previously, but Chris, was anything obvious to you?

Not all the greens can be played to from every direction.  In fact, I would say that only K, D, and H are what you might call a 360 degree hole.  All the rest are 180 degree holes, as they back up to either the coastline or the back boundary of the property.  It's all about the greens ability to hold shots.  And in my opinion, Tom did two things to make sure the greens could hold shots.  1) he made them HUGE.  2) he made them multi-dimensional, with zones and swales.  Just because one portion of the green won't hold a shot from the north, doesn't mean the whole green is that way.  I mean, take a look at C green.  It's almost like two greens connected end to end.  E green is massive, but really plays as two (or three) greens.  Coming from J green, all you see is a smallish portion out beyond the dune.  Coming in from C green, you see the left (much longer) side of the green to the left of the dune and play an alps style shot into the green that contends with the left side of the huge hump in the green.  And coming into it from D green, you can really play the ground game, as there is an amazing funnel of rollers and humps between D green and the flatter portion of E green on the point.  One green, three entirely different approaches, and all are just fantastic golf holes.  

The most challenging element to me was that depending on the angle coming into a green you can either have the whole green spread out before you, or have a semi blind shot where you can't see the portion of the green you're aiming at.  

But blind shots are fun too, so it's really a win win!

[Chris Bevan]

Would G to M, playing the full length of the course, be a par-8 or a par-9 at 1380 yards?

That is just over half a mile.  And the tough part is that green M is not oriented back toward the north at all, you have to come into it from the east.

If an average player drives it 240 and can hit a 3-wood 200, then with one drive and 5 3-woods you're sitting pretty at 1240, leaving a 140 yard 7 or 8 iron into the green.  2 putts for a 9.

[Tom_Doak]

Not all the greens can be played to from every direction.  In fact, I would say that only K, D, and H are what you might call a 360 degree hole.  All the rest are 180 degree holes, as they back up to either the coastline or the back boundary of the property.  It's all about the greens ability to hold shots.  And in my opinion, Tom did two things to make sure the greens could hold shots.  1) he made them HUGE.  2) he made them multi-dimensional, with zones and swales.  Just because one portion of the green won't hold a shot from the north, doesn't mean the whole green is that way.

The most challenging element to me was that depending on the angle coming into a green you can either have the whole green spread out before you, or have a semi blind shot where you can't see the portion of the green you're aiming at.  

Chris:

I've highlighted your comments because they pertain to the reversible course at Forest Dunes we are working on now.

I think everyone assumes that we will make the greens at Forest Dunes really large to address the shot values you discuss.  Instead, my goal is to make them normal-sized greens that work from both directions ... and to build them so that generally, you can use any hole location for either direction you are playing.  That precludes making the greens too wild in contour, but that doesn't mean they can't be fun.

We only have two directions to worry about at Forest Dunes, not 3 or 4, so it's easier to think about what we are doing.  Visibility is definitely an issue, but as you say, it's not essential to see the whole green surface 100% of the time.

[C. Sturges]

Great first post Chris!  The sheep ranch is one of my all time top five golfing experiences!  To me there is nothing better than being out there with your own group and playing lots of golf, and when you get hungry play to the car and eat and then go play more!  It is one of the best experiences. 
For those concerned with not being able to post a score, I think you are missing the point of the sheep ranch.  Maybe you are the type that hates five some's or more in a group and love playing golf in a cart, I don't know...  I have played there with as few as two and with as many as ten, all great times.
That is an interesting point about angles into the greens.  Yes some are much more approachable, but then again sometimes you need to hit a high approach verses a low running shot.  Staying with the resort, Shorty's course that is part of the practice grounds has two distinct areas to approach the greens.  One from the range side and another from the teeing ground when playing it as a par three course.  I think Mr. Kidd did a wonderful job of this.  The greens are both great target greens for the range and very playable from the tees.  When playing Shorty's course I have played both high shots and ground shots to all the greens.  It is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon also!
Mr. Doak, I look forward to playing your new course that will be reversible!  I am sure you and your crew will do a great job making it playable and fun!  Have you and the resort discussed how it will be reversed?  With that I mean will it be every other day, once a week, or just for special occasions like The Old Course?
Thanks,
chris

[Tim Leahy]

Who maintains the course?
How often do they mow?
What would you estimate the green speeds?
Anybody ever bring a caddie there?

[Evan Fleisher]

Whenever I see a post about SR I think of two things:

#1... One of the truly greatest places on earth to simply "play" golf

#2... A favorite picture of mine, hopefully answering how the site is maintained.  Gotta get the water out there somehow! (That's me on the front)

[C. Sturges]

Evan,

Great picture and so true!

Tim,

I can help with some of your questions but not all, have not played there in a couple years.  The sheep ranch has a superintendent and one or two staff.  They used to mow the greens when groups were coming to play and mowed the rest when needed.  I played there at least once a year for 6-7 years and the greens improved every year.  The greens always looked great and rolled great, but the first time I played there they rolled around a 5, last time it was closer to an 8.  Slower than the resort, but still a lot of fun.  Yes caddies do go over to the sheep ranch, not sure the resort sets that up, but if you have a caddie at the resort you can ask them to go with you.  Joe B. would be the better person to answer that question.

chris

[Will Lozier]

Anybody ever bring a caddie there?

Tim,

I only had one job there during my 6 months and it was with my group for the week... not uncommon.

Cheers

[Stephen Davis]

the ultimate match play course where the winner of each hole picks the next hole/green

just more oceanfront golf in Bandon

Thank you Chris

You are absolutely right! What a great course for match play. My rounds at Sheep Ranch have been some of my favorite times spent on a course. Also, I agree that the E green is one of the best green sites I have seen!

[Michael Underwood]

Chris - thank you so much for posting.  I have been to the Bandon Resort six times since 2005, but never had the opportunity to play the Sheep Ranch.  We usually go in July or August and if memory serves me the Sheep Ranch usually closes for two or three months on about July 1 because of the dry conditions and associated harm that could be done to the course with no irrigation.  Your photographs have made the Sheep Ranch a priority for me during a future trip to Bandon.  Thank you so much for posting!

[Mark Hissey]

Would G to M, playing the full length of the course, be a par-8 or a par-9 at 1380 yards?

That is just over half a mile.  And the tough part is that green M is not oriented back toward the north at all, you have to come into it from the east.

I'm pretty sure I played that one the first time I played there. Massive fun.

I also won $300 playing skins which made me very happy.

[Michael Taylor]

The Sheep Ranch looks sensational. Great concept and it would be an awesome day out with your mates. My question is...it seems like everytime someone plays it they're the only group on the course, and if the place is closed for 3 months during summer, the total rounds per year must be very low? Around 1500? I definitely want to play it when I finally get to Bandon. 

[Michael Essig]

The Sheep Ranch looks sensational. Great concept and it would be an awesome day out with your mates. My question is...it seems like everytime someone plays it they're the only group on the course, and if the place is closed for 3 months during summer, the total rounds per year must be very low? Around 1500? I definitely want to play it when I finally get to Bandon. 

Yes, you are the only group on the course.  You reserve and pay for the course for the day - $100 per person.  You bring as many or as few people as you like.  Because of the lack of a routing, it could get unsafe if you didn't know where the other players were on the "course."  Honestly, because there aren't many blind shots, it wouldn't be difficult to keep track of 3 or 4 groups, but that isn't the way SR thinks.  As a result, I was able to play a two-ball all day without having to think about anyone or anything except enjoying the beautiful surroundings and a great day golfing.  As a relaxing, golfing experience, it doesn't get much better.

[Howard Riefs]

It appears that Keiser is thinking about fully developing the land where Sheep Ranch sits into an 18 hole course. One day:

"I don’t have a good guess as to when that would be. Right now, it’s 13 greens in a pasture. Eventually, it will be 18 holes on a mile-and-a-half of ocean frontage. So eventually, it will be exciting.”

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2015/4/14/bandon-muni-and-sheep-ranch-updates.html

[Michael Essig]

I don't know if that is good news or bad news. So, I guess I will just have to tell the wife I have to get back before that happens.   Who's with me!?