5th course @ Bandon - "Conservation Course"

[George Freeman]

It was mentioned in the latest Golf Architecture Magazine that a 5th course is in the works at Bandon.  The article states that it will be a 12 hole par three course near the first few holes of Bandon Trails; done by Bill Coore; holes ranging from 70-190 yards; opening in 2012 (I apologize if any of this info is erroneous, I'm going from memory).  The resort is apparently currently in the zoning/state approval process.

That is some fantastic ground and sounds like a really neat idea.  Does anyone have any information on the course or its progress?

Cheers

[Jud_T]

great idea! perfect for batting it around with a few cocktails on the days when u r only playing 18 (or 36 for you flatbellies).....

[Tom Jefferson]

George;

Your statements regarding the Preserve course are close enough in accuracy.  The concept for the course is equal parts golf and ecosystem rehabilitaion; i.e., it lies within the boundary of the Howard Mckee Preserve (all of the sand dunes and much of the forest of the Bandon Trails course).  Our intent is to create habitat for the native plant community that has largely been lost to non-native encroachment.....european beachgrass, gorse, broom, and shore pine, and to use that work to contribute to the science of dune restoration (we have the largest population of a federally listed plant, silvery phacelia). 

And, for C&C to design/build 12 really good short holes!

Thanks,
Tom

[Will MacEwen]

great idea! perfect for batting it around with a few cocktails on the days when u r only playing 18 (or 36 for you flatbellies).....

Jud - I was thinking that the course sounds like it will be a playground of drinking and gambling - which is perfect.

[Steve_Roths]

T. Jefferson,

Are they finally going to be able to use the Madrone tree as a logo? 

[George Freeman]

George;

Your statements regarding the Preserve course are close enough in accuracy.  The concept for the course is equal parts golf and ecosystem rehabilitaion; i.e., it lies within the boundary of the Howard Mckee Preserve (all of the sand dunes and much of the forest of the Bandon Trails course).  Our intent is to create habitat for the native plant community that has largely been lost to non-native encroachment.....european beachgrass, gorse, broom, and shore pine, and to use that work to contribute to the science of dune restoration (we have the largest population of a federally listed plant, silvery phacelia). 

And, for C&C to design/build 12 really good short holes!

Thanks,
Tom

Tom,

Thanks for additional information!  It sounds like an awesome project.

Has any work begun on the site/proposed site? 
How many acres will the project encompass?
Is the 2012 target opening accurate?
Any idea on what/if they'll charge to play (curious b/c the other par 3 "course" justs asks for donations, however I assume this one will be more formal and more widely used/promoted?)

Thanks again!

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Tom I doubt they can do any better than your effort. I am excited and wondering if this will impact another full 18 in the future.

[K. Krahenbuhl]

They should put some lights up on that bad boy.

[David Schofield]

You're suggesting an eco-friendly lighted course?

[K. Krahenbuhl]

You're suggesting an eco-friendly lighted course?

I guess it wouldn't be a great fit for an "eco-friendly" course.  Just trying to extend the day.

Definitely exciting news for the resort.  I know they can build one hell of a short course.

[Mark Smolens]

Lamps made of bulbs filled with lightning bugs. . . which are released at the end of the evening??

[David Botimer]

For those of you who've played Bandon Trails, standing on the 2nd tee looking west is the location.  It's best described as "heaving dunesland", as the ground is almost totally sand, and the dunes (think of the dune that flanks the right side of #2 Trails is almost the entirety of the land.  It looks to me (admittedly a novice at this, but I get paid to look at it ) like the best real estate for golf on property.  That's saying a lot as I'm #1 fan of all 4 courses currently, but with C & C I'd guess this will be an incredible golfing experience.  This should also fit perfectly in the business model, with the "non flatbellies" who'd like a little more golf, but can't muster the legs to go another 18.

[Paul_Turner]

I thought there was already a par 3 course designed by David Kidd at Bandon?  By the practice ground?

[Kyle Henderson]

These dunes are to the right as one walks from the back tees to the green site on the 2nd hole. .

Another dunes teaser.

[Kevin Pallier]

Kyle

I also took some photos around that area - great minds think alike 

I felt like I wanted to route a few myself whilst standing there 

[Tom Jefferson]

Whoa Nellie, hold on here just a second, and let's get a few things cleared up, just for the sake of some accuracy!

First, David B.'s verbal description of the area of the proposed short course is not close; nor are the photos from the esteemed Kyle H.  Sorry, gentlemen.
The correct location is immediately west/southwest of the first tee of the Trails course, and extending in the dunes immediately adjacent to Cut Creek.  Imagine 17 green/18 tee of Bandon Dunes; across the creek from those features gets you in the middle of the area. 
Further, the beach trail (some of you might have taken that trail) generally defines the southern boundary of the holes.
So, the photographs, and David's descriptor, are about 350 yards too far south.

Ok.  Now, to answer George:  The approval process for the project is just beginning, and respect is due that process.  That work must come first.  So, no work of any physical nature has started.  There has been siting/routing/planning/mapping by C&C, with the involvement of Bandon Dunes staff.   There has been the beginning of botanical work associated with the native plant community in the dunes, most notably the Silvery Phacelia plant (a Portland State Univ. student wrote her masters thesis on that plant, and we have used that work as part of our springboard into the science of that plant community).  The plan that focuses on the restoration of the natives, a plan which stretches 5 to 10 yrs into the future, has been developed. 
The area of the proposal is a scant 23 acres, 7 or so of which is turf....islands of landing areas and greens/tee complexes, with the remaining acreage of open sand surrounding those turf islands, in which the restoration work will be conducted. 
With the variables as suggested above, the date of 2012 is close enough, and in a perfect world is a pretty good estimate.

There are stunning ocean views throughout the routing.

Night lights ARE NOT part of the plan..........sorry!

Tom

[Kyle Henderson]

Tom,

I didn't mean to suggest that holes would be built in the exact places depicted. But, the pictures do give a general idea of the character of the adjacent property that will be used, do they not?

[Ronald Montesano]

Paul,
You are correct...the practice green targets on the practice range are positioned in such a way that nine holes (correct me if I'm wrong) can be played there.

[Tom Jefferson]

Kyle;

Yes, in that regard, the general scene in your first photo does resemble the proposed site, as they are above the pine forest of Bullards State Park, with the ocean in the distance. 
Yet, the dunes in our proposal are smaller in scale, less linear, more bumpy, highly impacted by invasive vegetation, with great views of the Bandon course looking north, the Cut Creek delta (just south of 17 tee/fairway at Bandon!), and the beach.  They are more perched in the air than are the dunes your photo suggests.
But yes, the general scene is represented well enough.

BTW, thanks for your terrific photo essays of the courses in your Scotland trip....great stuff.

Tom

[Norbert P]

 Tom, thanks for the info and clarifications.   Will the existing trail to the beach remain open?  It is one of my favorite walks to the coast in Oregon.  It's a great thing that y'all are doing this with Howard McKee's namesake attached.  Bandon Dunes Resort probably would not exist without his efforts.    


                                                              Phacelia argentea



BTW . . .  somebody oughta tell Tim Weiman about this news.  He always had far-off dreamy thoughts about that piece of land and golf.  I sure hope he's doing well.  Quite an interesting man to talk to about golf architecture and golf attitudes.   Oddly, I've met him twice.  Once in Bandon and once in Bridport, Tasmania !

[Steve Lang]

.. and what makes the phacelia so Theatened in Oregon? 

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PHAR

[Ronald Montesano]

Gangs of Gorse have been seen on the streets of Bandon, brandishing thorns.  Sometimes so angry, smoke and flames come out of the gorse's ears.  The Phacelia is a passive plant and prefers not to engage, thus the turf war and endangered status.

[Tom Jefferson]

Slagbert;
Thanks for the photo of the elusive silvery phacelia! 
Yes, absoluteamento, the beach trail stays; it's location shifts here and there in the routing of the golf holes.  BTW, the beach trail is the most heavily used trail in the resort trail system.  Much of it is on Bullards State Park property, where we have an agreement to maintain the trail.

Steve Lang; The culprit in the silvery phacelia story is twofold; habitat loss (roads, structures, damage by off-road vehicles), but perhaps most significantly severe encroachment by European Beachgrass, gorse, and broom.  The native dunal plant communities evolved, and thrive, in relatively open sand, which was the condition before the agressive, sand binding, beachgrass was introduced.  The beachgrass does such a good job holding the sand in place that the sand movement is halted, the natives are choked out, and over time an organic component develops in the sand profile, allowing species such as gorse, broom, shore pine, etc., to dominate.

 

The restoration work that is envisioned in the Preserve course proposal seeks to reverse that....to eliminate the beachgrass and non-natives, and allow open sand to exist, in areas surrounding the green/tee complexes, and to encourage, by several methods, the redevelopement of the native plant communities..

Hope this helps!

Tom

[Jeff Taylor]

Respectfuly, what is the benefit of devloping an area to restore a "native" plant habitat? Are the dunes north of this site threatened by a lack of "native" plant life? Can any visitor to this site recognize the difference in the plant life from one course to another? If so, will they know why one site is "better" than the other? Would this 12 hole course exist if not for the restoration effort? Was the restoration effrot the only way to biuld this course? Is restoration cost effective without the revenue of the colf course?

[David Botimer]

Whoa Nellie, hold on here just a second, and let's get a few things cleared up, just for the sake of some accuracy!

First, David B.'s verbal description of the area of the proposed short course is not close; nor are the photos from the esteemed Kyle H.  Sorry, gentlemen.

Tom, please accept my apologies, I didn't realize the fact checkers would catch me in the act  .  Having talked about it's location with both Mr. Keiser  (caddied for him last year on Trails) and Hank Hickox (GM), I was aware of the precise location.  When caddying Trails though, I save the intro for most players on #2 tee when the timing of the conversation is more appropriate than #1 tee (hey, doesn't this look cool!) and #1 fairway (let's concentrate on hitting a golf shot!).  I often walk my player to the black tee on #2 en route to the green tee.  From that elevated vantage point it gives a nice view of said property AND fits in the timing of the story for players.

Dave