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Bill Brightly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Par 3's at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
« Reply #25 on: June 18, 2010, 11:33:44 AM »
Bandon Trails might have the best set of par 3's in the world, let alone in southwest Oregon.  Without having seen OM, I would say that 2, 5, and 17 at Trails (in that order) are the best three one-shotters at the resort.  12 is not too shabby either. 

Name any course in the world with a better set of par 3's than Bandon Trails.

Anthony,

I agree that Bandon Trails has excellent par 3's. But they could be built almost anywhere in the US with similar terrain: North Carolina, the pine barren reghion of New Jersey, etc. The par 3's at Pacific Dunes have far more dramatic settings, obviously. Are you totally discounting that? Wind is far more of a factor at all of PD's than BT's, and I think you have to somehow factor that into the ratings.

Anthony Fowler

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Par 3's at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
« Reply #26 on: June 18, 2010, 11:47:23 AM »
Hi Bill, the par 3's at Trails are in beautiful, dramatic settings as well.  I'm not discounting the ocean views and dramatic settings of BD and PC, but I'm just not giving it the same weight that everyone else does.  I don't think a hole like 2 at Trails could have been built anywhere.  It's one of the best ways in which I've seen any architect incorporate the natural dunes into the hole.

I probably do discount the par 3's at Bandon Dunes because they are too similar, and a bit plain.  I look at those par 3's and think that they could have been built anywhere (just without the ocean views and the wind -- which obviously has significant value).  The par 3's at Trails are truly unique.

10 and 11 at Pacific are both great par 3's but I just don't think they're quite as good as 2, 5, and 17 at Trails (even giving Pacific a slight bump due to the ocean, wind, and setting). 

Michael Dugger

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Par 3's at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
« Reply #27 on: June 18, 2010, 01:28:34 PM »
What makes #2 at Bandon Trails so great?  I like the beauty....she's a nice downhill par 3, a short to mid iron.

But the green is basically sloped back to front.

Good hole...but significantly better than the others, I think not.
What does it matter if the poor player can putt all the way from tee to green, provided that he has to zigzag so frequently that he takes six or seven putts to reach it?     --Alistair Mackenzie--

Bill Brightly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Par 3's at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
« Reply #28 on: June 18, 2010, 08:10:38 PM »
I guess my point is that #2 at Trails might be better if the Pacific Ocean was hard to the left side...


Kevin Pallier

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Par 3's at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
« Reply #29 on: June 19, 2010, 03:49:31 AM »
Bandon Trails might have the best set of par 3's in the world, let alone in southwest Oregon.  Without having seen OM, I would say that 2, 5, and 17 at Trails (in that order) are the best three one-shotters at the resort.  12 is not too shabby either. 

Name any course in the world with a better set of par 3's than Bandon Trails.

Pine Valley
Royal Melbourne (West)
Sand Hills
Merion (East)
Old Macdonald  ;D

Anthony Fowler

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Par 3's at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
« Reply #30 on: June 19, 2010, 12:46:12 PM »
Michael, 2 at Trails is 214 yards and can play into a stiff wind.  Either you hit your short irons a lot further than I do or you're not playing the right tees.  It's a great par 3 from back there.  The green is a big target, but the wind makes it challenging to hit, and those natural sand dunes are easily in play.

Kevin, that's a nice list.  Of those, I've only played Merion.  While Merion has a great set of 3's, I don't think they compete with Trails. 

Compare their short ones (5 at Trails and 13 at Merion).  5 at Trails has much more interesting green.  13 at Merion is a charming do-or-die wedge shot, but Trails just offers more variety, more pin locations, more ways the hole can be played, etc.

Compare the mid-length ones (17 at Trails and 3 at Merion).  They both have great greens, but I still think 17 at Trails is a more exciting hole with more interest, options, variety from day-to-day.

Now compare the long ones (2 and 12 at Trails --- 9 and 17 at Merion).  All 4 of these are great holes, so it might just come down to personal taste, but I would prefer Trails.  They all have exciting tee shots and great greens, but the holes at Trails offer more excitement if you miss the green. 

Obviously this all comes down to taste.  Merion has one of the best sets of 3's in the world, and I think Trails 3's are better.  I'd be happy to hear others' opinions on these holes.

Tim Bert

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Par 3's at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
« Reply #31 on: June 19, 2010, 01:25:01 PM »
I prefer the par 3s at Pacific Dunes, Cypress Point, Banff Springs, and Ballyneal to those at Trails. Bandon Trails has a wonderful set of threes, as does the entire resort as demonstrated by this thread, but to say that Trails has the best set in the world is speaking in hyperbole although I will certainly grant you it is a matter of opinion.

Dan Herrmann

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Par 3's at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort New
« Reply #32 on: June 19, 2010, 02:31:10 PM »
11 at PD
11 at PD
11 at PD

10 at PD is damn good too

I also like 17 at BT
15 at PD


Heck - I like them all!

PS - Anthony, I don't think there's any way BT's 3s are better than Merion's.  In fact, I'd say that they're not even close - Merion's beat BT's by a mile.
« Last Edit: June 19, 2010, 02:33:06 PM by Dan Herrmann »

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