An optimal Bandon/Pebble 18 holes.

[John Kavanaugh]

Using a combination of Pebble Beach and all the courses at Bandon what is the perfect 18?


Please only use a hole in the sequence as it appears on that given course.


For example I would start with the first at Pebble and finish with the 18th. Now fill in the sandwich.

[John Kavanaugh]

For the 2nd hole I choose #2 at Sheep Ranch. I choose it because I love short par 4’s. Don’t like the 2nd at Pebble and can’t find another 2nd at Bandon that is not a par 3. Par 3 second holes are stupid. Tell me that I’m wrong.

[Kalen Braley]

For the 2nd hole I choose #2 at Sheep Ranch. I choose it because I love short par 4’s. Don’t like the 2nd at Pebble and can’t find another 2nd at Bandon that is not a par 3. Par 3 second holes are stupid. Tell me that I’m wrong.

You mean like the par 3 2nd hole at Pacific Dunes? 

[Matt_Cohn]

If you get to use all five courses at the Bandon resort, can you use all four courses at the Pebble Beach resort?

[John Kavanaugh]

If you get to use all five courses at the Bandon resort, can you use all four courses at the Pebble Beach resort?

No.

[John Kavanaugh]

For the 2nd hole I choose #2 at Sheep Ranch. I choose it because I love short par 4’s. Don’t like the 2nd at Pebble and can’t find another 2nd at Bandon that is not a par 3. Par 3 second holes are stupid. Tell me that I’m wrong.

You mean like the par 3 2nd hole at Pacific Dunes? 

Yes and the 2nd hole par 3's at Trails and Mac and Bandon Dunes. Get me to the ocean anyone? A par three 2nd hole chokes the flow of play just like the 2nd at Cuscowilla.

[Jason Thurman]

I'll take the opener at Trails.


2 at Pac Dunes.


3 at Pebble is one of my personal favorite holes, but come on, I'm taking Old Mac.


4 at Pac Dunes.


5 at Bandon Dunes.


6, 7, 8, 9, 10 at Pebble. I didn't even think about it. Am I wrong?


We're out in a par of 36, with one par 5 and one par 3. Sounds like a pretty good course to me so far.

[Jason Thurman]

If I weren't trying to create a decent composite course, I could see 6 or 7 at Trails, or 7 at Old Mac. 7 at Old Mac is awesome anyways, and the memory of my playing partner reaching the top of the hill, walking to the back of the green, blading a shot back off the front and then falling down and rolling over three times down into the swale while rapid-fire farting is one I will cherish forever. After the starter explained that he was putting a GPS unit on my bag in case somebody needed medical assistance, I was positive that the guy was having a heart attack. Turns out he just tried to lean on his putter and it slipped out from under him. He did it again on 14. Farts and all.

[Kalen Braley]

For the 2nd hole I choose #2 at Sheep Ranch. I choose it because I love short par 4’s. Don’t like the 2nd at Pebble and can’t find another 2nd at Bandon that is not a par 3. Par 3 second holes are stupid. Tell me that I’m wrong.

You mean like the par 3 2nd hole at Pacific Dunes? 

Yes and the 2nd hole par 3's at Trails and Mac and Bandon Dunes. Get me to the ocean anyone? A par three 2nd hole chokes the flow of play just like the 2nd at Cuscowilla.

Ummm...

https://www.bandondunesgolf.com/golf/golf-courses/pacific-dunes

[John Kavanaugh]

So Doak isn't stupid. Got anything else to prove? I'll stick with the Sheep Ranch 2nd because my gut is rarely wrong.

[Kalen Braley]

So Doak isn't stupid. Got anything else to prove? I'll stick with the Sheep Ranch 2nd because my gut is rarely wrong.

Nothing, Barney.  its your world Boss, fire away.

PS, I'll bet your gut is wrong thou after eating Taco Bell...

[Alex Miller]

I'll take the opener at Trails.


2 at Pac Dunes.


3 at Pebble is one of my personal favorite holes, but come on, I'm taking Old Mac.


4 at Pac Dunes.


5 at Bandon Dunes.


6, 7, 8, 9, 10 at Pebble. I didn't even think about it. Am I wrong?


We're out in a par of 36, with one par 5 and one par 3. Sounds like a pretty good course to me so far.

I like it Jason, and since I haven't played Sheep Ranch yet I'm going to continue with this...


11 at Pac Dunes. Trails was a very very close second, but we've just played two long par 4's with water on the right.


12 at Pac Dunes. Underrated par 5.


13 at Pac Dunes. Trails in 2nd.


14 at... I don't know. This is choice probably relies on personal taste more than any other. I choose Trails.


15 at Old Mac! I love the greensite and hitting toward the ocean. Trails again a close 2nd.


16 at Bandon Dunes.


17 at Bandon Trails. Pacific Dunes's redan is a close 2nd - both lovely golf holes.


18 at Pebble Beach. None of the finishers at Bandon overwhelm me, and this one's iconic.


Back 9, par 37 with 3 par 5's and 2 par 3's.

[John Kavanaugh]

How are the 9th and 10th at Pebble not the same hole?

[Jason Thurman]

9 and 10 at Pebble are both big par 4s with the bay on the right. But 9 is REALLY big from the tees I played, and plays more downhill, and I think the approach sets up more for a shot from the right. There's real reason to swing hard off the tee, and real benefit to challenging the water right, because I'm unlikely to have an approach that's anything less than a 6 or 7 iron and so the angle coming into the green matters quite a bit if I'm trying to make a par - which is a stupid thing for a 10 handicap to try to do there I guess.


10 is a lot shorter, and flatter, and I think it actually sets up best for an approach from the left side of the fairway. It's not really crazy to think I could have 9 iron or wedge in. Honestly, for a good player, it's probably a bit of a scoring opportunity... it was really the last downwind hole on the day I played and it's a pretty medium-length par 4 by modern standards. It's a good time to hedge away from the water a bit off the tee and the tee shot is pretty straightforward, where the downhill slope on 9 means the fairway just doesn't quite lay out as comfortably in front of you... for me at least. But the approach is almost the opposite - the little nook that cuts into the green at front right has a way of damning a not-too-bad-looking approach to a fate on the beach below. You have a lot more room coming into 9, and it's probably pretty necessary given how long the approach is likely to be.


To recap, 9 is a big mean bastard of a hole where the trouble you need to navigate is presented to you audaciously, and you need two really strong shots and are granted some room to play them, but not without some visual discomfort. 10 is a little more technical, and it's easy to feel confident on the approach after you play down the left side and see the open green lined up for you, but it's real easy to hit an approach there that you like in the air only to see it disappear instead of landing safely to the right of the flag.

[John Kavanaugh]

Jason,


Thanks. That is an excellent break down.


For my third hole I'm going with the 3rd at Old Mac.


1. PB
2. SR
3. OM

[Tim Leahy]

How can the first at Pebble be included? I have not played Bandon but there has got to be a better first hole there somewhere. Also the 14th at Pebble is under rated as a great virtually unreachable par 5 that takes a great third shot to have a chance at a birdie.

[John Kavanaugh]

Tim,


I've played quite a bit and think the first at Pebble is the finest 1st hole I have ever played. It's one of the few non-par three holes in the world where I could sit for hours and watch random golfers tee off. Given the location of the range and all there is to do besides hit balls before the round it calls for a perfect little fade. Pebble is a pretty nice course and the 1st green may be the best on the property. It is just a perfect starter.


I could be convinced that #1 at TOC is as good but not better.


note: My first swing of the day is my first tee shot of the day. That eliminates most more famous holes.

[John Kavanaugh]

For the 4th I'm going with Bandon Trails.
The 5th will be a somewhat random 75 yd putt on the Punch Bowl. Par 3 of course.
6, 7, 8 are Pebble.
I'll give the 9th to Pacific Dunes. Just for giggles because some poor bastard has to pick a green each day.


1. PB 4
2. SR 4
3. OM 4
4. BT 4
5. Punch Bowl 3
6. PB 5
7. PB 3
8. PB 4
9. PD 4
Par 35

[Kirk Stewart]

For the 2nd hole I choose #2 at Sheep Ranch. I choose it because I love short par 4’s. Don’t like the 2nd at Pebble and can’t find another 2nd at Bandon that is not a par 3. Par 3 second holes are stupid. Tell me that I’m wrong.

You mean like the par 3 2nd hole at Pacific Dunes? 

Yes and the 2nd hole par 3's at Trails and Mac and Bandon Dunes. Get me to the ocean anyone? A par three 2nd hole chokes the flow of play just like the 2nd at Cuscowilla.

The 2nd at Cuscowilla isn't a Par 3. Or did they switch nines ?

[John Kavanaugh]

Looks like I'm wrong once again. I thought Cuscowilla was par 5, par 3. Looks like I forgot the starter par 4. Sorry.


What I will never forget is the massive backup we had on that first par 3 at an early Dixie cup. I thought it was a design flaw. Which I might argue makes a par 3 2nd even worse.

[Jason Thurman]

I ride for the first hole at Pebble Beach. The tee location is wonderful, as John alludes to, and the fact that it lets you pull something less than driver and just try to make a nice solid swing is a welcome quality for the opening hole at one of the three most famous golf courses on Earth. Of course, there's still plenty that can go wrong. And I've always loved the way the green is benched into the hillside. It passes the "firm handshake" test for me.

I'll take the opener at Trails.


2 at Pac Dunes.


3 at Pebble is one of my personal favorite holes, but come on, I'm taking Old Mac.


4 at Pac Dunes.


5 at Bandon Dunes.


6, 7, 8, 9, 10 at Pebble. I didn't even think about it. Am I wrong?


We're out in a par of 36, with one par 5 and one par 3. Sounds like a pretty good course to me so far.

I like it Jason, and since I haven't played Sheep Ranch yet I'm going to continue with this...


11 at Pac Dunes. Trails was a very very close second, but we've just played two long par 4's with water on the right.


12 at Pac Dunes. Underrated par 5.


13 at Pac Dunes. Trails in 2nd.


14 at... I don't know. This is choice probably relies on personal taste more than any other. I choose Trails.


15 at Old Mac! I love the greensite and hitting toward the ocean. Trails again a close 2nd.


16 at Bandon Dunes.


17 at Bandon Trails. Pacific Dunes's redan is a close 2nd - both lovely golf holes.


18 at Pebble Beach. None of the finishers at Bandon overwhelm me, and this one's iconic.


Back 9, par 37 with 3 par 5's and 2 par 3's.

Some great calls here, Alex.


I also love 11 at Trails, but yeah, 11 at Pac Dunes wins. And yeah, 12 and 13 go to Pac Dunes too.


14 is indeed a tough one. I might agree with you with a few more plays, but I'm taking Old MacDonald in memory of Fall & Fartapalooza Part II.


I love 15 at Trails. I also love 15 at Old Mac, and Pacific... but I'm taking Trails.


16 goes to Bandon Dunes, and it's pretty much a no-brainer. Honorable mention to all the other 16s in the running. I haven't played Sheep Ranch, but the 16th there is probably awesome too.


Again I might agree with you with a few more plays, but I hit a perfect tee shot on 17 at Pacific that took the slope and fed to about 12 feet, just short of the pin, and then got the joy of watching a playing partner hit what he thought was a better shot that landed at the pin and caromed over the back of the green. #Architecture. I made my worst swing of the round at Trails and got stuck in some shrubberies right of the green and made a lame double.


18 Pebble. Duh.


Par 72, 3 par 3s, 3 par 5s total.