Mark,
You mention 'across the country' - so assume you are American?
I think the choices at Bandon can be predicated on what you know, where you regularly play, and what you are hoping to get out of seeing the resort...and also if you a planning to go back in the near future. Also the time of year from tee time availability point of view, if it is a quieter time of year, it will be easier to change your plans once there.
I do not know how Sean can give advice on courses to play, give BT a whack without having been there.
Our trip was in July, so pretty busy at the time, and we left our bookings a little late and struggled a bit to get exactly the tee times we wanted.
The rationale on selection was based on advice from GCA brethren and two of our group had played BD/PD, we took the approach to play 36 on each course, to ensure we got the most out it, and we also decided to play them in the order they were built, to try and 'get' the project and visualize it as it grew.
We were very pleased with the resulting experience, and left ourselves some time at the end to throw in a favourite 3rd play.
For Australians, I believe, we have a vey limited number of courses here that are anything like Bandon Trails, forests, meadows, dunes - so for me, and only experiencing the more popular courses in GB&I, BT was a very unique, and beautiful experience, and very different to the other 3.
We had 4 club breeze the entire time we were there, so, it was also very pleasant to be up in the Forest for a while.
So, if you think BT will be like your home course, on ones younplay regularly, then see it early so you can avoid repeat and leave room for PD /OM.... But if you play on wind blown open courses, then I would suggest that you will love Bandon Trials.
Arrive the night before, late enough so that you 'cannot' play golf, just to extend the suspense and fun a little longer, knowing you are finally there, but still can't play!
Play each course twice, then on your final day(s), play your favorite course(s). Also played 7 holes on trails after 36 at OM, it was awesome as the sun went down. Holes, 1,2,3,4,5,17,18 - OR you may just want to go out to BD #16 and just bang a bunch of tee shots along the rim of the cliff!!