The dream is coming true - Bandon Dunes!

BrooklynGolfer · October 22, 2015

So I've been asking buddies for ages to sort a Bandon trip out. Of course, all of them say 'great idea' until I actually talk about booking, then it's a lot of 'hmmm' and radio silence, so I decided to do a PNW trip with the wife and do 3 nights at Bandon while I'm there. Going Feb 22nd-25th. Hoping to get to play all 4 of courses, but at the moment, they could only secure me a 10:50am on my 1st day, so no chance of getting 2 rounds in. I've been put on the waitlist for an earlier tee time, so I'm hoping that happens. Here's the itinerary:

2/23/16 - 10:50am - Bandon Dunes (hopefully can get earlier to get 2nd round in)

2/24/16 - 8:00am - Old Mac

1:00pm - Bandon Trails

I really want to play Pacific Dunes, so please keep your fingers crossed for me for an earlier tee time!

Would you replace Pacific Dunes for any of the others? Don't think I'm gonna be disappointed either way!

So excited! Roll on February!!

buzlin · October 22, 2015

That's excellent!!! Definitely do what you can to get on to Pacific! I wouldn't drop Bandon Dunes, but the other two could for sure be replaced by Pacific. Obviously, it's best to play all four! As a single, I'd expect you'd be able to get earlier/better times. As the 30-day deadline approaches, I think space will open up.

cbbaron · October 22, 2015

You can't go to Bandon without playing Pacific Dunes

BrooklynGolfer · October 23, 2015

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm hopeful that as a single I can slip in somewhere.
Which would u drop if u could only play 3?

cbbaron · October 23, 2015

Probably Trails but that is a great course also the one I posted my best score.

Edaw68 · October 23, 2015

I would personally drop Old Mac. Pacific is my personal favorite. Old Mac to me is kind of gimmicky, and after a couple trips the gimmick is slightly worn off. But if you haven't played any of them, all are excellent, so it's hard to go wrong.

Another idea is to do the Preserve after Bandon on your first day, should have plenty of daylight. If your wife is a golfer, even a beginner, the preserve can be a blast. Or have her walk the course with you. Mine did that and enjoyed it.

BrooklynGolfer · October 23, 2015

Edaw, that's pretty much what I was thinking. If I can only get the 10:50am on the 1st day, play the preserve also, I've heard it's a blast!
I can also always get the wife another massage and sneak a round in on check out day
Can't freakin wait! Just pray that I can get out of NYC in late Feb!

duffer987 · October 23, 2015

OP I've been making a few trips to Bandon in Nov/Feb the past few years (trip 5 is in 33 days!) and I know the arithmetical 'fun' of trying to jam a load of golf in
I'd offer up the following advice for what it's worth:
- firstly how about the 22nd or the 25th? Surely you can squeeze a round in that way
- don't leave it up to the 'waitlist' to get a better time, ring back every two weeks or so to check on an earlier time for the 23rd up to the 30 day limit. People change reservations all the time there and you could luck out and it could mean changing your whole teesheet around, but still worth a look.
- Trails has always been the slowest round, with a 1pm tee-time that gives you a full 5hrs to get it in so you will, but I would leave it as the 2nd round of the day regardless if it comes to some tee-time juggling later on.
- All things being equal I'd leave your sched as is and go out on Pacific after your Bandon round. You could be teeing off on Pacific by 3:30pm after your 10:50 round (accounting for transfer times and making a bathroom break). You could be the only person out there and be able to play all sorts of loops to get all the cool holes in.

BrooklynGolfer · October 23, 2015

Thanks for the advice duffer....I will squeeze it in any way possible, I'm a WRXer . As you said, I can get out on the 25th for sure. Was gonna use the 22nd PM to hit the range/par 3 just to get used to the place.
I'll give them a call in a couple of weeks about the tee times, appreciate the advice!
In the end, it's not the worst looking 2/3 days of golf ever, is it

ryu123 · October 23, 2015

as duffer987 noted, don't wait for the resort to call you back from the wait list, but phone them regularly.

One issue is in the offseason they do a lot of maintenance on the courses, so often one course is closed on any given day.

I agree with buzlin and Edaw68: Pacific Dunes is a must (for your first trip) because it's gorgeous.

Personally I would swap out any of the other courses for Pacific, but if you can't swing it, don't worry. Most Bandonistas would agree that even their least favorite Bandon course is superior to most other top-tier tracks.

Finally, you've got a great spouse.

Chris_NH · October 23, 2015

[quote name='BrooklynGolfer' timestamp='1445536033' post='12492628']
So I've been asking buddies for ages to sort a Bandon trip out. Of course, all of them say 'great idea' until I actually talk about booking, then it's a lot of 'hmmm' and radio silence, so I decided to do a PNW trip with the wife and do 3 nights at Bandon while I'm there. Going Feb 22nd-25th. Hoping to get to play all 4 of courses, but at the moment, they could only secure me a 10:50am on my 1st day, so no chance of getting 2 rounds in. I've been put on the waitlist for an earlier tee time, so I'm hoping that happens. Here's the itinerary:

2/23/16 - 10:50am - Bandon Dunes (hopefully can get earlier to get 2nd round in)
2/24/16 - 8:00am - Old Mac
1:00pm - Bandon Trails

I really want to play Pacific Dunes, so please keep your fingers crossed for me for an earlier tee time!
Would you replace Pacific Dunes for any of the others? Don't think I'm gonna be disappointed either way!

So excited! Roll on February!!
[/quote]

I hope you don't get to play Pacific. That way, you'll have no choice but to return ;-)

More seriously - I hope you do manage it - it's not my favorite there, but it's darn close and it is definitely the most visually stunning course I've ever played.

You'll love it regardless, though - all the courses are outstanding.

duffer987 · October 23, 2015

[quote name='BrooklynGolfer' timestamp='1445629898' post='12498072']
Thanks for the advice duffer....I will squeeze it in any way possible, I'm a WRXer . As you said, I can get out on the 25th for sure. Was gonna use the 22nd PM to hit the range/par 3 just to get used to the place.
I'll give them a call in a couple of weeks about the tee times, appreciate the advice!
In the end, it's not the worst looking 2/3 days of golf ever, is it
[/quote]

No. No is not a bad few days of golf you have lined up.

I went back and looked at my reservations from my first trip, when like you I struggled getting ideal times. I had an 11:10 teetime in Nov (so less daylight that end of Feb) and went back out on Pacific after and played 1-5,10-11, 5, 10-11, 6-7.

I genuinely think (if its not raining meaning dark earlier) you could easily get through the best of Pacific (1-13) while it's light out. Not saying 'do what I do' just that it's not that big of deal to go with your current itinerary and worry about missing out anything. You're not going to miss out on anything.

There's an elemental feeling about the place, that is unique to North American golf in my experience, that barring a total wash out guarantees you'll enjoy yourself and immediately start thinking about returning

short and straight · October 28, 2015

All the advice above is accurate. I kept calling inside of 30 days for my October trip last year as a single, and new times kept opening up. Eventually, I found a way to schedule all four courses.

All four are great. Pacific is amazing, so you should really try to play it. The other three are also awesome. It's hard giving someone advice on which three to play, bc all four are great and different. My opinion is that bandon is my fourth favorite, which is saying how great the other three are, because bandon is world class.

Enjoy the trip!

spud3 · October 28, 2015

[quote name='duffer987' timestamp='1445620604' post='12497318']
OP I've been making a few trips to Bandon in Nov/Feb the past few years (trip 5 is in 33 days!) and I know the arithmetical 'fun' of trying to jam a load of golf in
I'd offer up the following advice for what it's worth:
- firstly how about the 22nd or the 25th? Surely you can squeeze a round in that way
- don't leave it up to the 'waitlist' to get a better time, ring back every two weeks or so to check on an earlier time for the 23rd up to the 30 day limit. People change reservations all the time there and you could luck out and it could mean changing your whole teesheet around, but still worth a look.
- Trails has always been the slowest round, with a 1pm tee-time that gives you a full 5hrs to get it in so you will, but I would leave it as the 2nd round of the day regardless if it comes to some tee-time juggling later on.
- All things being equal I'd leave your sched as is and go out on Pacific after your Bandon round. You could be teeing off on Pacific by 3:30pm after your 10:50 round (accounting for transfer times and making a bathroom break). You could be the only person out there and be able to play all sorts of loops to get all the cool holes in.
[/quote]

+1 on all these points, especially the last one. The courses are not very full in the late afternoon, and you could get a whole lot of Pacific in before dark. Let them know at the pro shop and they'll be able to give you a routing to catch the best holes.

I'm there the week before you and will be posting updates on course conditions.