Like many people, I tend to myopically view golf courses from the perspective of my own game.  After spending 4 beautiful and benign days playing the courses at Bandon Dunes alone, I got to see a wide variety of players try and tackle these fine courses.  Rather than critique the courses, I thought I would write my observations of how each course played for my companions.

I'll put my observations on each course in this thread as I have time.


Pacific Dunes

1st 9 - Mr. and Mrs Havershkamp

This older couple struggled in every way imaginable.  They struggled to put the ball in play.  The wife struggled to find the next tee (and then struggled to find where she had left her pull cart).  The difficult greenside undulations were a huge aggravation because neither member of the couple could anticipate them.  Even the view was compromised for them.  The fogged rolled in on 4 tee.  This couple enjoyed the more moderate Bandon much more.

2nd 9 - 3 handicap gamblers

Perfect course for this group.  A ton of birdies but a few X's as well.  

2nd 18 - erratic players out for the only round of the year

These guys lost a ton of balls and generally could not get out of the bunkers.  Their caddy did an outstanding job shepherding  them around the course, teaching the putter from 40 yards and teaching the fundamentals of sand play.  The entire group was thrilled when the father hit a good one.  Both people shot a million but had enough good holes and fantastic views to enjoy the course.



3rd 18 - Bomber and his Dad

The 25 year old bomber really enjoed the course but shot in the mid 80's after being in the mid 70's at Bandon Dunes.  After hitting a bad shot or two and some poor putts,this guy started to press, his swing went awry and his short game did as well.  As a result, the course got in his cranium on a very calm day.

Woman with a good swing

The one woman I played with made a ton of pars and enjoyed herself.  The bunkers were close to impossible for her, but, so long as it was not a stoke play event, I cannot imagine a much more ideal course.




Me (8 handicap)

Fighting my swing a bit, and not making solid contact around the greens, this course generally ate my lunch despite little wind.  (84, 92, 82m with some stroke control).  I always had a good chance and thought the course played equally difficult from the back (about 6600) and the green (about 6100) tees.  Great course but I felt a bit worn out and frustrated after 3 rounds of fighting to score.


Based on the Bomber, the erratic father and son and me, I think I agree with Pat Ruddy's comment that it is impossible tobuild fairways wide enough for someone off their game.

Jason,
   I'm enjoying the report, keep it up. Also, what was the perspective of the golfers you golfed with? What were their comments about the course?

Interesting - I'm an erratic low-teens golfer and struggled mightily at PD - I know the fairways are wide but I found the gorse more penal than anywhere I've played in Scotland...I played BD twice and PD 3x on a trip two years ago and found BD more forgiving and (thus?) more fun - I need to return when (if?) my game is 'on' so I can take a fresh look (and play Trails)

The players who disregard their medal score in favor of match play games enjoy Bandon (and IMHO golf in general) more then the players who insist on counting every stroke, or at least writing a number down for every hole.  'My seven beats your 8.  I win', should be everyone's mantra when they come out here.  That mindset allows for conservative play, and opens up the options even more then for the player who is simply trying to post the best number on every hole.  Thats why its important to come with people you enjoy playing with and against.  Your mindset sours when your constantly writing down double bogeys.  But if your in a close match, you can maintain your focus and interest better, regardless of the medal score.

Jason,
   I'm enjoying the report, keep it up. Also, what was the perspective of the golfers you golfed with? What were their comments about the course?

Most of my playing partners enjoyed themselves greatly.  Focus was more on views and trying unique links shots than the merits or demerits of particular holes.

The course was perfect for match play nassaus.  If you make a big number, it is one hole.  If you make 2 big numbers it is a press.

It was interesting to see reactions to seemingly good shots that rolled into trouble and seemingly bad shots that bounced back into play.  Generally, like gambling, I think most people thought the good bounces were due to skill and the bad bounces travesties of justice.

One person made the comment that the severe greens at Pacific slow down play.  My guess is that they probably do.

The players who disregard their medal score in favor of match play games enjoy Bandon (and IMHO golf in general) more then the players who insist on counting every stroke, or at least writing a number down for every hole.  'My seven beats your 8.  I win', should be everyone's mantra when they come out here.  That mindset allows for conservative play, and opens up the options even more then for the player who is simply trying to post the best number on every hole.  Thats why its important to come with people you enjoy playing with and against.  Your mindset sours when your constantly writing down double bogeys.  But if your in a close match, you can maintain your focus and interest better, regardless of the medal score.

I agree and think that approach probably works best for enjoying golf in general, but particularly at any links type course or one with big numbers as a part of the mix.

Jason -

What was the pace of play for each of the foursomes?

Mike

Jason, thanks for the report. You (and those commenting) really helped set my expectations appropriately for my upcoming first visit to Bandon. I signed up for a 4-day event there next month with the Shivas Irons Society.  Can't wait!!! I'm still determined to break 80 just once!

Good luck.  I'd try for that aura thing.  

Independent of that factor, the ratings seemed greatly askew when compared to each other.  Bandon Dunes yielded the lowest scores to nearly everyone I talked to.  Its rating was 73.9 (142), which was completely out of whack on a calm day.  Bandon Trails struck me as somewhat more difficult, but I could see the rating being lower (73.4, 130) because of the relative protection from the elements.  What made no sense to me was Pacific's rating of (71.5, 129) given the relative difficulty of the greens and exposure to the wind.

We can agree here.  Bandon Dunes has been the most scoreable for me.  While I haven't exactly caught fire at any of the courses for a full 18, this is the only course where I'e broken 90.  I did it twice with an 89 and an 86.  I also shot a 90 there that was the best ball striking round of the three.  The wind was absolutely howling that afternoon.

OTHER IMPRESSIONS

The resort comes very close to my ideal of service - very helpful and always available but it did not feel like a CCFAD with people trying to either help you or sell you something all of the time.  The service is particularly impressive given the volume of customers.  They did 585 rounds one day I was there and the operation did not seem to strain at all.

The caddies are probably as good as can be found anywhere, certainly anywhere with 300 caddies.  I probably say 15 of them work and I thought they ranged from above average to excellent.  

It was interesting how they set up the first tee.  At Bandon Dunes and Pacific, if you wanted to play the back tees, you had to go backwards from the startetr, have everyone milling around the tee move out of the way and then hit.  You feel a bit silly creating all of that commotion and need to be confident it is the right thing to do if you do so.  

If I went back right now, the course I would most want to play would be Bandon Trails, which I think ranks with the other two courses.  I think playing all three in equal doses, however, is a superior experience to focusing on one of them.

Next time I go, I want wind and opponents for bitterly contested matches.

Some really excellent content in the writeup, Jason - well done.

Here's hoping you get some wind and worthy opponents upon your return visit.

Jason,
   Excellent report, I hope to hear more as you ponder over the experience. If you don't mind pick one hole from each course that was a favorite of yours and why.

And....

Bandon Dunes Resort in February