Reflections on first trip to Bandon

[Jud_T]

James,


Glad you had fun.  If you thought BT 14 was borderline fair, you should have seen it before they softened that green!  Not sure I agree with your conclusion about PD 6.  The severity of the green makes the hole IMO.  Otherwise it would become a rather simple drive and pitch hole.  As it stands it's one of my favorite short 4's.

[William_G]

James,


Glad you had fun.  If you thought BT 14 was borderline fair, you should have seen it before they softened that green!  Not sure I agree with your conclusion about PD 6.  The severity of the green makes the hole IMO.  Otherwise it would become a rather simple drive and pitch hole.  As it stands it's one of my favorite short 4's.

+1!

No doubt 14 is a different hole now than when it first opened...been redone 3 times

Trails is different overall as each has been modified in some way except maybe a few holes

6 at Pacific is an awesome hole!

[Joe Zucker]

As for the 6th, the best play is indeed to hit driver or 3 wood to set up a chip down the length of the green. To do so, one must hit it over the brow of the hill to a blind landing area usually into a hurting and left to right wind which may require a draw starting it probably 40-50 yards right of the center of the very wide fairway - a shot that seems CRAZY if you don't know the hole. A lesser player (or even a better player in a very strong wind) may not have this option as the right-sided fairway bunkers can be quite penal and offer little chance to hold that green especially having to flirt with the monster greenside bunker which is usually death!


Cheers

That's a good assessment, Will.  I think the bunker on the right of 6 looks more in play from the tee than it actually is.  I remember hitting a terrible 3 wood that I thought was dead, but it carried the trap and left a wedge it.  That being said, if you actually do find yourself in it, that would be a tough shot.  I found the landing area on the right side of the hole to be wider than it looks from the tee.  The architect makes you a little more scared on the tee than you actually need to be.

[William_G]

As for the 6th, the best play is indeed to hit driver or 3 wood to set up a chip down the length of the green. To do so, one must hit it over the brow of the hill to a blind landing area usually into a hurting and left to right wind which may require a draw starting it probably 40-50 yards right of the center of the very wide fairway - a shot that seems CRAZY if you don't know the hole. A lesser player (or even a better player in a very strong wind) may not have this option as the right-sided fairway bunkers can be quite penal and offer little chance to hold that green especially having to flirt with the monster greenside bunker which is usually death!


Cheers

That's a good assessment, Will.  I think the bunker on the right of 6 looks more in play from the tee than it actually is.  I remember hitting a terrible 3 wood that I thought was dead, but it carried the trap and left a wedge it.  That being said, if you actually do find yourself in it, that would be a tough shot.  I found the landing area on the right side of the hole to be wider than it looks from the tee.  The architect makes you a little more scared on the tee than you actually need to be.

yes, a solid shot right is the play...leaving a doable chip/bump up

[James Brown]

James,


Glad you had fun.  If you thought BT 14 was borderline fair, you should have seen it before they softened that green!  Not sure I agree with your conclusion about PD 6.  The severity of the green makes the hole IMO.  Otherwise it would become a rather simple drive and pitch hole.  As it stands it's one of my favorite short 4's.

I actually loved PD 6.   I don't think I said anything specific to this hole.  Scary fun fun, as is most of the rest of PD.