Matt Ginella has an in-depth Q&A with Mike Keiser about various topics, including Bandon, Cabot Links, Sheep Meadow, Bandon Muni, Ireland, etc.
http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/blogs/wheres-matty-g/2012/04/catching-up-with-mike-keiser-o-1.html#entry-moreTakeaways...
Bandon DunesPreserve-- Tee sheet is full for opening day.
-- Donating all Preserve profits to south-coast conservation.
-- When asked "If I play 36 in a day on one or two of the big courses, is my late-afternoon round at Preserve free?" Response: "This is how it’s going to work: If you play a big course in peak season, it’s $230. A replay rate on a big course is $115. The Preserve will be $100 in peak season; $50 off-peak, and although there will be no replay rate at Preserve, the third round in one day on any of the five courses is free.
In order to avoid an afternoon jam on Preserve, we're considering an age stipulation. One suggestion: you can only play Preserve in the afternoon if you’re over 50." <---- Craziness
Trails-- On #14, Coore moved the trap that’s left of the green, farther to the left.
-- "We know Trails doesn’t get a lot of play for two reasons: It’s not on the ocean and the finish is too hard. We’ve made the finishing holes easier and more forgiving."
* #16: The fairway bunkers have been moved to the right, so it will be an easier lay-up shot.
* #17: Added a tee.
* #18: Taking out the fairway bunker on the left, moving the green to the left. Will be less undulation to approach shot to the green.
Busiest course-- "Old Mac, then Bandon, then Pacific, then Trails. And I think that has a lot to do with the fact that Old Mac is fun. How often is a course designed to be fun? Turns out, that’s a popular concept."
Sheep Ranch-- Heard about a possible complete renovation to Sheep Ranch? "There’s no architect and no current plans. I’m pushing as best I can."
Bandon Muni-- "We’re moving on the property as fast as we can, but we’re navigating a glacially political landscape. I recently upped the ante on what I’m willing to trade the state. ... I’d say it’s 50/50 it happens in the next six months."
-- How does Gil Hanse building Olympic Course in Rio affect him designing Bandon Muni? "Rio will take a lot of his time and energy. So even if we get the land in the next six months, Gil will slow us down. It’s a setback, but it’s not permanent."
-- Consider hiring an alternate architect? "I thought about it, but [Tom] Doak has done two at Bandon Dunes, [Bill] Coore has done two, and will be the next architect if we build a second course at Cabot Links. I like and want to work with Gil, so I’ll wait for Gil."
Big 3-- Re: Bandon Muni, You only mentioned Doak, Coore and Hanse? "They are the new Big 3, aren’t they? If you haven’t been to Streamsong, be prepared to be astonished."
Cabot Links-- "Need 200 golfers a day to be successful. July and August are the first two prime months. And that’s when I’ll find out if the investment is worth it. I have a quite a bit of money into it."
-- If you build a second course at Cabot Links, the architects would be Coore and [Ben] Crenshaw? "Yes. We’ll know a lot more by the third week in August. If we can’t do 200 golfers per day, there’s nothing to do."
Ireland-- "I’m going in July or August to look at two sites: the Inch Peninsula in the southwest, and Bushmills Dunes in the north."
Keiser's priorities-- "Preserve. Cabot Links. A second course at Cabot Links. Bandon Muni is only behind the second course at Cabot Links because of Gil’s commitment to Rio. The Sheep Ranch and Ireland are both on the priority list."