[Steve_ Shaffer]

Posted in Oregon Golf News
Old Macdonald Has a Course
By: Blaine Newnham
Looking over the construction of the fourth course at Bandon Dunes, Mike Keiser, the owner, was asked, "Why?"
"The resort doesn't need another course," he admitted, "but I just like building them. And I'm not going to fill the site with homes."
The construction of Old Macdonald, due for completion in 2010, says a lot about the success of Bandon Dunes and the iconoclastic nature of Keiser, who understands bigger isn't necessarily better. That the success of the resort has everything to do with golf and little to do with spas and speeches or the other things you find at modern golf complexes.
"In my lifetime," he said, "there will be no homes built on the property. Despite what you've heard, there will be no conference center."
He did admit there might some day be a fifth golf course, however.

Here's the rest of the article:

www.cybergolf.com/golf_news/old_macdonald_has_a_course

[Kirk Gill]

Mike Doak?   

[Tom Huckaby]

Kirk:

SHHHHHH!  No one was supposed to know this, the most closely-held secret in golf.  EIEIO is not being designed by the Tom Doak we all know from here, but rather via MIKE DOAK, a cybernetic golf course architecture robot created in Russia via the melding of chromosomes from Tom Doak and Mike Keiser.  Now that you let this out, be prepared for each of us to shortly get a knock on our door by large men wearing dark suits and carrying automatic weapons.  Damn you!

 

[John Kavanaugh]

I've got to call out Bahto on this one as the most over the top full of crap sales pitch in the history of man...

George Bahto, a golf historian and architect, has written a book about Macdonald, including the mysterious Lido. "He told me if you give me the site (at Bandon Dunes) I can reconstruct Lido within a quarter of an inch," said Keiser. "I thought about it, but that would be a replica, and we're not interested in replicas."

[Kirk Gill]

Tom, both cybernetic golf architecture robots AND copy editors have tough jobs. My apologies for spilling the beans!

[J Sadowsky]

I've got to call out Bahto on this one as the most over the top full of crap sales pitch in the history of man...

George Bahto, a golf historian and architect, has written a book about Macdonald, including the mysterious Lido. "He told me if you give me the site (at Bandon Dunes) I can reconstruct Lido within a quarter of an inch," said Keiser. "I thought about it, but that would be a replica, and we're not interested in replicas."

If it could be done, it would be nice to see Bahto try that somewhere, though.

[John Kavanaugh]

I've got to call out Bahto on this one as the most over the top full of crap sales pitch in the history of man...

George Bahto, a golf historian and architect, has written a book about Macdonald, including the mysterious Lido. "He told me if you give me the site (at Bandon Dunes) I can reconstruct Lido within a quarter of an inch," said Keiser. "I thought about it, but that would be a replica, and we're not interested in replicas."

If it could be done, it would be nice to see Bahto try that somewhere, though.

It is an impossible idea given the mapping that existed in Lido's day.  Why stop at a quarter inch when a knats ass is so much closer.

[George Pazin]

John, think about the telephone game you played as a kid. (You did play as a kid, didn't you? You weren't always a cynic, no?)

My limited exposure to the esteemed GB tells me if he did say this, he said it with a smile.

[Kalen Braley]

I never knew that C&C had begged Keiser about putting thier course on that piece of land, but it makes sense certainly to hear about it now.

I am curious where the 5th course would be placed....assuming its a regulation length course.  The arguement could be made that OMD is already the 5th course. 

[John Kavanaugh]

John, think about the telephone game you played as a kid. (You did play as a kid, didn't you? You weren't always a cynic, no?)

My limited exposure to the esteemed GB tells me if he did say this, he said it with a smile.

I chalk up this to either poor golf writing or a golf writer not understanding the technical nature of construction. 

[Mike Sweeney]

I have to say that Jaka is on the money. I have never been to Bandon but Keiser seems to be competing more with Pebble than St Andrews at this point.

[Scott Witter]

I could be wrong and if so I apologize to Tom in advance, but I think his son is named Michael and quite possibly the son may follow in dad's footsteps... ,  and without knowing, the writer may have made a mild Freudian slip

[John Kavanaugh]

I have to say that Jaka is on the money. I have never been to Bandon but Keiser seems to be competing more with Pebble than St Andrews at this point.

Mike,

I'm thrilled that you are with me but isn't the St. Andrews trust building course after course much in the Keiser vein?

[wsmorrison]

How much earth moving would be required to turn the site for Old Macdonald into the essentially flat man-made site that Lido was created on?  If the site is not naturally flat, as photos seemed to indicate, why would anyone ever suggest doing something so invasive on the natural coastline of Oregon?  How daft is that?  Was he joking?  Perhaps.  If not, I am solidly with John and Mike on this one 

In any case, there is no way George could possibly know the contours and elevations of Lido to the foot let alone to the quarter inch.  That is of course unless the mysterious George Bahto Collection has hole drawings the detail of which has never before been seen and are withheld from public study.  Perhaps David Moriarty and Tom MacWood can draw the iron curtain concealing that collection. 

[Jon Spaulding]

Nice article; a good decision not to do a replica of the Lido, or to waste one on a perfectly good, natural site. I can only picture Walters Golf developing this in Las Vegas.

250 total rooms, with 4 courses sounds like a near-ideal amount of play for a resort. Mike Doak....call 1-800-renaissance; he's the guy to talk to if you don't like any of the templates.

[Mike Sweeney]

I have to say that Jaka is on the money. I have never been to Bandon but Keiser seems to be competing more with Pebble than St Andrews at this point.

Mike,

I'm thrilled that you are with me but isn't the St. Andrews trust building course after course much in the Keiser vein?

Valid point. I suppose Royal Dornoch might be a better choice. I am having dinner with Fat Baldy Drummer next week, and I will ask him his offline opinion about the new St Andrews.

[Adam Clayman]

Hopefully Mr. Keiser will be true to his word and build a Mackenzie course next.

[Rich Goodale]

Mike and John

The Links Trust has only built one significant new courses in the last 100 years, the Castle course in 2008.  Prior to that the latest significant new course was the Jubilee course 1897.  I would hardly call that "building course after course."  They have built two children's/beginners courses in 1972 (Balgove, 2,100 yards, 9-holes) and 1993 (Strathtyrum, 5,100 yards, 18 holes).  Maybe Mr. Keiser could start thinking in that vein, i.e. build courses for the community rather than for fat-cats I flying in or driving the Winnebago?

Rich

[David Stamm]

For a 5th, how about giving Hanse a crack at one. Imagine having TD, C&C and one of his all in one place.

[Rich Goodale]

Mr. Kiser has done that.  If I am not mistaken local schools get priority on Shorty's and I have seen articles on a number of local junior events played at the resort...

I really am not sure why there is a negative backlash towards Mike Kiser from building Old MacDonald.  They have always promoted the resort as any good business does.  That is not a bad thing at all.  Personally, I hope the resort always stays true to what it is currently about, no carts, no homes, just golf, etc., but the fact that more people are learning about it is inevitable due to the quality of the courses and the entire experience. 

The only thing in the article that bothered me was the George Bhato comment re: rebuilding Lido, but considering the writer called Tom Doak, Mike Doak I would be skeptical of the accuracy of anything in it.

Chrlie

What is "Shorty's?"

[Mike Nuzzo]

Hopefully Mr. Keiser will be true to his word and build a Mackenzie course next.

Why would you want that?
Cheers

[Adam Clayman]

Mike, In MK's first interview on this site, we were asked to provide questions to him. Mine was which ODG would he hire. He answered the good doctor.

[Tim Liddy]

This world needs more people like Mike Keiser.   

[Matt Varney]

Tim,

I second your opinion about Mike Keiser a guy that will spend whatever it takes to make sure the golf is great and yet show restraint not building a huge hotel or condo towers or homes along the fairways.  This is all about pure golf and I will make prediction that Bandon in about 25 years will have a cult like following like Pinehurst and the collection of great nc sand hills courses in that region. 

If you added Gil Hanse, Kyle Phillips maybe even Pete Dye into the mix to create something like Whistling Straits only unique to Coastal Oregon.  Bandon would be so unique and you could go all over the world and be hard pressed to find a collection of great courses from all these good architects.  If I was buying property for a long term hold it would be around Bandon the golfers are going to keep coming for many decades to come.  I think when Mr. Keiser is done they will have at least 6 courses maybe 7 the guy just loves building courses he can't stop himself!

Matt

[Jim Nugent]

I never knew that C&C had begged Keiser about putting thier course on that piece of land, but it makes sense certainly to hear about it now.

Interesting C&C loved it so much.  If I recall right, after seeing the land (I think from the other Bandon courses) John Kavanaugh predicted lots of people will be disappointed with Old Mac. 

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