A Fan's Photo Tribute to Bandon Dunes - 6th hole commentary now in progress

[Tim Bert]

Hole #5 is a par 4
428 from the black tee
400 from the green tee

The first time I played Bandon Dunes, #5 green tee was playing from a tee further back than the scorecard yardage.  The more I think back to the trip in 2003, several of the green tees were playing from the black location that day.  I'm certain we played the greens.  I guess we caught the tee marker guy on an angry morning!  With the wind howling from green to tee, this hole plays much longer than the distance on the card.

The fairway is split by a small mound with some scrubby bushes and long grass.  The spot is just big enough to be a nuisance to the drive.  From the true green tee with not much wind, carrying this spot isn't usually an issue.  From further back tees or into significant wind, this mound can prove penal. 

The disappointment here for me is that there isn't more room on the left side of the fairway to provide a true split fairway option.  The left side is reserved for providing a little extra room for mis-hit drives.  I have to believe that every person that plays this hole is aiming over or to the right of the mound.

If the drive weren't tough enough, the approach can be a stressful one.  The fairway narrows to a narrow chute between dunes.  The green sits in an isolated area, and the elevated surroundings provide an amphitheater-type feel.  The green is extremely deep, and the back pin can stretch this hole an extra 20 to 30 yards.  The bunkering on the right of the green is not the place to miss.  Come to think of it, there isn't really a great place to miss this green, which adds to the overall difficulty.

A recent thread on this site posed the question, "Is Anyone Ever Truly Happy With a Bogey?"  While one un-named GCA participant would never settle for bogey on any hole, he'd certainly be happy with a bogey here.  This one is a round-wrecker for him.  In 7 tries, his lifetime average on this hole is worse than triple bogey.  He has only one bogey and zero pars to his credit here. 

Finally, my scorecard from my final round at Bandon Dunes indicates I made a 3 here.  I'm notorious for a terrible selective memory, but this isn't the kind of thing I usually forget.  I trust I wrote the correct score, but it is a bit disappointing that I can't remember my birdie performance on this massive hole.

Two views from the tee




One from a closer tee


The mound in the fairway


The approach from the fairway


Approach from the left side


A view from the beginning of the neck in the fairway


The green from the dune


Two views looking back from behind the green

[Steve Kline]

Another good hole. I played this hole in the winter wind - downwind - in the Mid-Am. So even from the farthest back tee I had to hit 3 wood from the fairway to keep from driving into the really narrow part of the fairway. From the I was hitting 8 or 9 iron in. The hole seems like it would be much, much easier downwind than into the wind. But you can have blind or semi-blind second shots if you don't hit the center of the fairway. Right of the green is really nasty and I love how that bunker just feeds into the natural sandy areas. Off the tee there is no reason to go left of the mounds as I didn't see any strategic advantage.

[Cory Brown]

Tim, I hope you don't mind me piggybacking pictures onto your post.  Bandon is such a great place, this gives me the opportunity to relive it.  Thanks again.

The bunkers that blend off into the dunes on this hole are amazing.

[Scott Stambaugh]

Did the natural areas in the tee shot landing area of #5 used to have some larger pine trees in them?

I seem to recall my first trip to Bandon having a caddy tell me to hit a low draw around a pine tree (which happens to be the only shot I have.)

Scott

[Tom Jefferson]

Scott;

Yep.
Removed, as pines tend to grow quickly.
That is a common practice at the resort.

Tom

[Alan Gard]

I have to appreciate Tim's class in actually naming me on the good shot whose result was in the picture on #4 but leaving me anonymous when talking about my travails at #5. 

I have tried several different clubs off of this tee, so I appreciate this hole offers one choices off the tee.  It is the tightness of this green (and the area leading up to the green) that really gets me.  The dune and almost certain lost ball left that starts at about 100 yards takes some strategy away.  If one doesn't want to go for the green with the second shot, there really is no where to lay up to that will give you a legitimate shot at an up and down.  A little more room at 30 to 50 yards out would give players a few more options.  Put this hole in an average setting and it becomes an average golf hole. 

Nonetheless, I can't wait to get another crack at this one to see if I can keep it from being a scar on the scorecard.  If I remember correctly, Tim hadn't parred this one and just went straight to birdie, so I know that good scores can happen.

[Matt MacIver]

This hole seriously illustrates the idocity that is my game -- that is, attempting a low %age second shot (aerial to anywhere on the green) vs. playing a low runner to the front and taking bogey at worst. 

[Tim Bert]

Boy am I ever lucky I made that last minute change to remove Alan's name from the #5 post. Classy is something I don't get called too often.

[Chip Gaskins]

my favorite pic from trip...

[Doug Wright]

Bandon Dunes 5th is a narrow and very challenging hole with any significant wind, which is typical. I think this hole is really visually intimidating. This is a "happy bogey" hole for me--after Xing this hole the first couple of times through over-aggressive (ie foolish) play I now play this hole very defensively.

[Craig Van Egmond]

I parred this hole twice in 1 day many moons ago. During the morning round it was driver, 6 iron, 2 putts and in the afternoon it was driver, 3 iron, PW and 1 putt.   

[Steve Kline]

At the Mid-Am Mr. Keiser was following my group for a few holes. On this hole he was standing near the tee. After I hit I went over to him and thanked him for letting us play his courses in the tournament. His response was more excited than a kid in a candy store - "Isn't this awesome! You're one of 264 people who got into this tournament!" I'll never forget how excited he was - and the weather stunk that day.

[Mike Benham]

It is hard for me to remember some of these holes but they look pretty interesting.

Of course, my only trip around Bandon Dunes was in a driving rainstorm ....

[Jeff Doerr]

I wish they would've kept more of the scruff in the middle islands. The last time I went, the little pines were gone. These are images from a trip in probably 2004 or so.

[David Botimer]

This is one of the best par fours at the resort, easily the equal to #4, and almost as good as 13 Pacific.  Its playability dropped a bit with the removal of bushes / trees in the center islands, as this changed the teeing line.  Before, the line was typically to the right center of fairway through the center of the mounds, bringing the summer wind more into a hard pushing left to right influence on the ball, and trouble right more into play.  Now, without the stuff, players can go straight at the flag, reducing the winds crossing influence.

In spite of that, the hole is VERY challenging with the summer wind, needing 2 great shots to arrive at a large green with a potentially very long 1st putt as the green measures 47 yards front to back!

One of the greatest green settings with natural mounds on 3 sides!

[rjsimper]

The tee shot looks like the hard part of this hole, but the second shot is where you will make 8.
(and by you I mean me)

[Jason Topp]

I know this hole is highly regarded and it is visually stunning but I recall nothing in the way of strategic decision-making.

Why is it a great hole?

[Tom Huckaby]

I know this hole is highly regarded and it is visually stunning but I recall nothing in the way of strategic decision-making.

Why is it a great hole?

Because it's highly-regarded and visually stunning.

 

Seriously though, have you played the golf hole?  If you have, I'd be very surprised you are asking about strategic decision-making, as I see plenty on this hole.  It all depends on the wind, of course.  But you have:

1.  Tee shot - left, right, or directly at or over the knobby bushes?  Each has their merits.  All will be determined by wind.  I don't think the choice is ever going to be that easy except in a wind hard against - in that case, all one can do is go short right.  But outside of that, the choices are there to contemplate.

2.  Attack the narrow green or not?  If not, where to lay up?  Again, a strong headwind eliminates the choices and it becomes survival more... but outside of that, the choices are there.

I find this hole to be very difficult, but also very fun.  I like it a lot.

TH

[Tim Pitner]

I know this hole is highly regarded and it is visually stunning but I recall nothing in the way of strategic decision-making.

Why is it a great hole?

Seriously though, have you played the golf hole?  If you have, I'd be very surprised you are asking about strategic decision-making, as I see plenty on this hole.  It all depends on the wind, of course.  But you have:

1.  Tee shot - left, right, or directly at or over the knobby bushes?  Each has their merits.  All will be determined by wind.  I don't think the choice is ever going to be that easy except in a wind hard against - in that case, all one can do is go short right.  But outside of that, the choices are there to contemplate.

2.  Attack the narrow green or not?  If not, where to lay up?  Again, a strong headwind eliminates the choices and it becomes survival more... but outside of that, the choices are there.

Also . . . downwind, you can drive through the wide part of the fairway to the edge of the bottleneck or into the rough.  If you choose to lay up, you'll have to pick a line and may flirt with the scrubby stuff in the center of the fairway.  A very cool hole, in my opinion. 

[Tim Bert]

Huck

What are the merits of left?  I agree this hole isn't completely void of strategy, but I think you are over-stating. The only reason to aim left that I can tell is if there is a 30 mph crosswind in which case you aren't really planning to land there. Left is too small and doesn't create a preferred angle or view of the green.

Do indulge.

[Jason Topp]

I know this hole is highly regarded and it is visually stunning but I recall nothing in the way of strategic decision-making.

Why is it a great hole?

Seriously though, have you played the golf hole?  If you have, I'd be very surprised you are asking about strategic decision-making, as I see plenty on this hole.  It all depends on the wind, of course.  But you have:

1.  Tee shot - left, right, or directly at or over the knobby bushes?  Each has their merits.  All will be determined by wind.  I don't think the choice is ever going to be that easy except in a wind hard against - in that case, all one can do is go short right.  But outside of that, the choices are there to contemplate.

2.  Attack the narrow green or not?  If not, where to lay up?  Again, a strong headwind eliminates the choices and it becomes survival more... but outside of that, the choices are there.

I find this hole to be very difficult, but also very fun.  I like it a lot.

TH

I have played it, both times down wind.  I just hit a tee ball right of the nob and then on or near the green (and I am not exactly a tour pro).  I wanted to find a reason to hit it left off the tee but saw no advantage whatsoever. 

[Tom Huckaby]

Jason/Tim:

I too don't see much advantage going left of the knob, other than it does shorten the golf hole at least a little.  I can see that mattering big time depending on the wind, as Tim alludes to.  In any case, even if you eliminate that as an option, one still does have the choice of short/long of the knob, how close to come to it, etc.  Then how much - if at all - to attack the green seems to be a strategic choice in any sort of wind.

I did not enter here to get into yet another debate though!  I just found it odd to say this hole is devoid of strategic options.  I see plenty.

TH

[Kalen Braley]

If one preferes to draw the ball off the tee, I think this strategy can work very well.  Draw it to the left side of the fairway beyond the knobs to set up a draw shot into the green...

[Tim Bert]

If one preferes to draw the ball off the tee, I think this strategy can work very well.  Draw it to the left side of the fairway beyond the knobs to set up a draw shot into the green...

Kalen - I see where you are coming from, I just don't think anyone plans to land left of that dune and can actually execute consistently unless they've got a REALLY strong game.   I'm a lefty and I play a fade off the tee.  I might aim to end in line with the knobs but not left.  I can still fade my approach to the green even if I'm not in the left side of the fairway.

Huck - Thanks for clarification.  I think you and I agree on this hole.  I think the hole is good, but not great.  I wasn't trying to debate you; just never heard anyone call left off the tee a strategic decision here and I've heard plenty of people say left makes no sense because it is too small.  Wanted to see if you had a different perspective. 

My opinion is that the hole would be more interesting if the left side of the fairway were twice as wide as it is now and there were some advantage to being over there (either a better view into the green or a green that was biased right-to-left where balls would hold up better for approaches coming from the left side.)

[Tom Huckaby]

Tim:

While I think we agree in general about the merits of playing to the left side, I think that may be where our agreement ends.

I do think this is very much a great golf hole, and I wouldn't change a single thing about it.

To each his own....

TH

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