Michael:
Yeah, I'm with you on the whole Bandon Dunes thing. For whatever reason, it just seems to get less love from the GCA crowd. For the record, I'm in the Pacific Dunes is my favorite camp, because there's just something special about the whole feel of PD that gets me every time. But I'm almost a pick 'em between BD and BT. Haven't played Old Mac yet, but I have a five day trip planned for next year to remedy that situation. When I'm there next year, I've got two rounds planned for the Trails and only one for Bandon Dunes, but that has more to do with the fact that I've only been around the Trails three times, while I've played Bandon Dunes six, I think. Want a bit more time to explore the Trails since it's grown in a bit.
But Bandon Dunes has some absolutely fantastic golf holes. I think 1 is the best opener on the property, and I like 2 way more than most on here seem to. Obviously 4 and 5 are superb, and 6 is a beautiful oceanside par three. 7 I quite like, although the tee shot could probably use a bit more interest -- however, there's a bigtime crosswind there usually, and I like that the correct line isn't obvious from the tee. 8 is a bit so-so, although the fairway bunkering is quite attractive. 9 is also kind of bland -- and I do agree that both nines have something of a weak finish. But that's compared to a very high standard -- if most people played those two holes at their home course, I think they'd certainly be considered at least interesting, if not spectacular.
10 is a great golf hole, I think -- quirky, a bit of an oddball in a very good way, and again not at all obvious from the tee. Plus I like that much of the downside of choosing a poor line on that hole is simply one of stance or blindness, rather than a more obvious penalty. That more people don't rave about 11 I don't get at all. That is a very stern and superb golf hole in my opinion, with a really terrific green guarded by that deep front bunker -- I love that hole, even though it routinely kicks my ass. 12 is also nice one-shotter for sure. 13 is one where I can see why people don't get all that wowed by, but I always enjoy the extreme undulation of the fairway, which may not make up for some of the hole's shortcomings, but certainly keeps it interesting. 14 -- an excellent two-shotter, 15 -- a very testing par 3, with a great skyline green, and I'm in the total love of 16 camp. That is a great, great hole in an unbeatable setting. 17 is pretty good and 18 is fine, but again, the nine ends with a little bit of a letdown, although not a terrible one.
So again, I think the course deserves way more praise than it gets here. I think the bunker style just isn't loved on GCA because it's not quite so artistic, but I think it fits the course well. And while I agree that there are places where the contouring tends to be a bit simpler and has perhaps less finesse than much of what you see on PD and BT, I wouldn't really call it lack of attention to detail, personally. So I'm in agreement that the things that make the course so much different tend to elevate it for me, because it makes the whole Bandon experience richer and more varied.
Anyway, that's my $.02.