[Ted Cahill]

I recently returned from another perfect visit to Bandon.  As usual, I found myself enjoying and admiring Bandon Trails as much as Pacific Dunes and shared these thoughts with my caddie.  He readily agreed, but let me know that Trails gets a lot of criticism and often goes unplayed while visitors concentrate on the other two courses.  That is a shame.  I am new to this site (where have you been all my life!) and I imagine there has been plenty of discussion about #14 at Trails.  I have made my peace with it- I now walk on to that tee box, inhale the view and challenge myself to play the hole well.  If I blow up, I chalk it up to a really difficult golf hole.  But on this past visit, I got up and down for par from the left collection area(which forced me to get creative with my punch shot and the resulting suprise/satisfaction when I pulled it off)  and had the greatest thrill of my visit.  More than any other course, BT gives me the feeling of being secluded in the woods- just me, my playing partners and the golf.  Isn't that what it's all about?

[Jeff_Mingay]

Ted,

Regarding the 14th, when was the first time you played Bandon Trails? The reason I ask is, I understand that the 14th green has been revised since the course originally opened for play.

If you've played this hole prior to the green revision, I'm interested to know a bit about this change.

[Anthony Gray]

 The ocean is what is missing and is what hurts the course. It beets the bejeebers out of Spy but suffers from being at Bandon.

   Anthony

[Jud_T]

Ted,

Welcome aboard! If you search there are many threads about these courses.  The general thinking here seems to be:

1. Pac Dunes
2. Bandon Trails
3. Bandon Dunes

and Old Mac may very well end up being #1 or 2....

When was this green revised?

[Will MacEwen]

The revisions to the green were pretty minor - I doubt they added more than 5 feet of effective width to the front portion of the green.

On a recent Sunday, we were the first group of BT at 7:20.  We got in at 10:50, and were the only ones in the restaurant.  We were scheduled to reload at 1:00.  Nobody was teeing off, and we were free to go at 11:20, with only one other group booked for the afternoon.  When we finished around 2:30, it was a ghost town.  We saw the other twosome that played that afternoon in the pub at night and they had also had the course to themselves.

I think it is a great course.  As Anthony says, it struggles from the no Ocean factor.  When OM opens, it will be interesting to see how much traffic BT gets, as it already seems to get measurably less that PD and BD.

I must also say that I renewed my appreciation for BD this trip. 

[Jed Rammell]

Aside from the tee shot on the 18th hole, I loved everything about Bandon Trails. Pacific Dunes is a 9/10 for me, Bandon Trails is an 8.9/10.

[Jason Topp]

Ted:

I think Bandon Trails ranks with the other two courses as well.  The only drawback for me is that it is a more difficult walk. 

The thing I love about the complex is that each course is unigue.  I would rather play all three than just play one of them repeatedly.

[Michael Dugger]

The changes to the 14th are something I struggle to notice anymore.

Still damn small and doggone hard up there....

[Jud_T]

were these changes done after 2006?

[Ted Cahill]

I started going to Bandon in the beginning of '09, I believe the changes to the green on 14 had already been made.  However, my looper informed me that they have cleared more room for tee shots pulled left -which I preceded to pull left and benefit from the clearing!  It's nice to hear from other BT fans.  I agree with an earlier post that mentioned the difficult tee shot at 18.  Possibly they could add a target pole, ala RCD?

[Evan Fleisher]

Although I agree with other posters here regarding the lack of said ocean...but if the course were not next to its other two "famous" neighbors, would we be having the same conversation?

The sense of isolation and solitude around those golf holes is a thing of beauty, the cooridor widths tremendous giving you a sense of vast playing fields, and the greens there are as challenging as anywhere else you'll play.  What's not to love?

[Ross Waldorf]

I always wind up coming out of the woodwork to post about topics Bandon, which is my favorite golf place. I'm going again this year in September and just can't wait to see the place again -- it'll be my third trip, but I haven't been since '05.

The Trails is great, isn't it? I do think the general golfer probably misses the immediacy of the ocean, so the course loses some admirers because of that. My only issue has always been that for me the middle holes (around 8-10) are just a little less interesting to me. 8 has never been one of my favorite short 4s, although I know many people here are ardent admirers. And I'm with Evan (how are you, man? -- I still lament completely choking like a DOG on that last tee shot at Sherwood and letting you off the hook -- ah, my fragile nerves . . .) about the solitude and width in the woods. The panoramic vistas off many of the tees on the Trails is really unique in my experience and creates some very cool ambiguity in your head when trying to figure out just where the hell to aim. Very cool.

It's funny about the tee shot on 18 -- I hear a lot of complaints about that shot, but I love it. I'm a devotee of blind tee shots (in moderation, of course!), and that one is really dramatic. I'm looking forward to seeing the Trails again in September.

Put me in the camp who thinks that missing any of the courses at Bandon during a trip is a mistake. There are all wonderful in their own ways.
R

[JohnV]

I personally prefer Trails to either of the other courses.  Pacific Dunes is great, but I think Trails is a better test of golf while giving many options on how to play.

Jason, I don't think it is a tough walk other than 13-14 and I think they always have a shuttle there, 14 if you hit it down the hill and up the 16th hole.

[Michael Dugger]

When I hear this lack of oceanfront argument I always think, Pine Valley isn't on any ocean.

Neither is Royal Melbourne....or Shinnecock Hills.

[Will MacEwen]

When I hear this lack of oceanfront argument I always think, Pine Valley isn't on any ocean.

Neither is Royal Melbourne....or Shinnecock Hills.

Michael, I don't think you will get much dispute on this board with that position.  However, when I was there two weeks ago people were voting with their feet and Trails was clearly #3.  It is just as good a course, but people like being on the Ocean.

[Michael Dugger]

were these changes done after 2006?

You will struggle to notice any difference with the new version even if the last time you played it was the old one.

About a 1  to 1 1/2 after the course opened they came back and reworked the green a little.  As someone mentioned earlier, it was widened by maybe 5', and the little hollow to the left was sort of reshaped.  Hardly makes a difference IMHO.

And then a year or so ago they started clearing out some of the gunk up in the trees to the left.  This may help with lost balls, but all it means is you can find your unplayable lie or possibly whack it into play as opposed to playing your provisional.

[Michael Dugger]

When I hear this lack of oceanfront argument I always think, Pine Valley isn't on any ocean.

Neither is Royal Melbourne....or Shinnecock Hills.

Michael, I don't think you will get much dispute on this board with that position.  However, when I was there two weeks ago people were voting with their feet and Trails was clearly #3.  It is just as good a course, but people like being on the Ocean.

Yeah, maybe, but nobody ever said the average golfer had any taste...

[Adam Clayman]

The trails is the most artistic to me because it has not one jarring feature. Everything flows so naturally and epitomizes the principle of not telling the better golfer exactly where to hit their shot. Leaving it up to the individual golfer's awareness level and familiarity.

You have good taste, imo.
 

[JESII]

To Adam's point, Hidden Creek also does that very well...keeps you off balance with understated visuals and partial penalties for missing the correct position.

Not a thread jack, unfortunately that's the closest I've been to Bandon Trails...

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

Include me among those who think that Trails is the best of the Bandon courses.  There is a great chance that Old Mac will claim the throne.   My only critique is that 9 is missing a great risk/reward opportunity down the left side if it was cleared and a bunker placed near the hollow so that a hot hook could not chase into a reachable position

[Tom Jefferson]

Rob't Mercer Deruntz;  Respectfully,  please expand on your statement re: #9......so that we/I can more clearly understand your statement.  More specifically, what do you mean by "the left side if it was cleared"....where specifically, and "a bunker place near the hollow".....do you mean the deep swale in the fairway?  Or the deep rough area near the left bunker.

While the ninth is sometimes criticised as lacking, I find it to be a sublime hole where one can easily become lazy, and thereby entrapped by the subtle challenges of that hole, ones that in my case, at least, often lead to one walking off the green marking a 6 and wondering just how that happened.

Just wondering.

Thanks,
Tom

[Ted Cahill]

Tom- I agree with your respect for nine at BT.  The left bunker that accepts lay up shots haunts me on every visit.  If you can execute a solid lay-up, then up and down from inside a hundred is in play.  But, like myself, when I get nervous about the left bunker and inevitably end up there- up and down is off the table and its bogey or worse.

[Jason Topp]

I personally prefer Trails to either of the other courses.  Pacific Dunes is great, but I think Trails is a better test of golf while giving many options on how to play.

Jason, I don't think it is a tough walk other than 13-14 and I think they always have a shuttle there, 14 if you hit it down the hill and up the 16th hole.

John
 I do not think it is a tough walk other than compared to the other two courses.  It is probably an easier walk than 95% of courses in general.  I do think you do more hill climbing there, however.  Keep in mind I am thinking of the walk in terms of 36 holes.


Tom J

I agree with you about the 9th.  The location felt magical to me.  Temptation abounds on the hole even though it was a clear 3 shotter for me.  A also think the tall trees on the right create an interesting visual deception although I cannot remember why. 

[Brett_Morrissy]

I am certainly excited to get to Bandon later this year for my big trip to the states, and clearly there are loads of fans of all 3/4 tracks at Bandon.

I iam very keen to see Trails, as C&C have hardly put a step wrong, and the thought of a peaceful, uncrowded round walking thru beautiful Oregon forest, where a nicely struck shot echoes and rings thru the trees- that sounds like a perfect day.

I was also thinking of perhaps playing Trials first, before the ocean courses, so as to appreciate it before it having to 'compete' with the others - would anyone who has played there, recommend this?

Brett

[Jason Topp]

I am certainly excited to get to Bandon later this year for my big trip to the states, and clearly there are loads of fans of all 3/4 tracks at Bandon.

I iam very keen to see Trails, as C&C have hardly put a step wrong, and the thought of a peaceful, uncrowded round walking thru beautiful Oregon forest, where a nicely struck shot echoes and rings thru the trees- that sounds like a perfect day.

I was also thinking of perhaps playing Trials first, before the ocean courses, so as to appreciate it before it having to 'compete' with the others - would anyone who has played there, recommend this?

Brett

Brett:

I do not think it matters much.  I played Pacific the first day and Trails the 2nd.  Trails was magic even after the ocean. 

Even though it gets less play, the tee sheet was pretty full at Trails when I was there so I am not sure "uncrowded" will be a reasonable expectation.

The one thing I would recommend is playing Bandon Dunes after the other two.  The greens at Bandon Dunes are less complex than at the other two courses.  I found it much easier to post a good score there - which I really enjoyed after scoring pretty poorly at the other two courses.

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()