Bandon Winter/Spring Reviews - When did you stop raining so much Oregon?

[spud3]

This week looks pretty gnarly. Love the description for today and Wednesday:

[attachment=3057944:BandonForecast.jpg]

[Edaw68]

[quote name='duffer987' timestamp='1449526185' post='12692084'][quote name='Edaw68' timestamp='1449525635' post='12692042']
[quote name='duffer987' timestamp='1449248018' post='12680088'][quote name='mallrat' timestamp='1449202921' post='12678520']
When I was there last Feb, my caddy said there had been talk of letting the greens at Pac go full Poa because it has been a losing battle. Does it look like they still are losing the fight or in the process of letting them go full Poa?
[/quote]

I couldn't say TBH - it still looked like too much of a mix to think they're still not trying to combat it - but they did remind me of the greens at Harding Park, before they ripped them up and replaced them.[/quote]

I just got done playing Pacific Dunes, the greens weren't too bad other than a couple of cliffside ones. 11 and 12 had noticeable poa issues. I honestly didn't pay that much attention though since it was in the middle of an epic wind/rain storm...
[/quote]

I got the warnings on my phone - Weatherbug app - 60mph gusts?!!!![/quote]

Yep, it was that easy. Hard to stand or walk sometimes.

[coach2011]

I was just at Bandon Dunes Nov 20-22

Weather was amazing 17-18 each day light clouds no wind no frost delays

Greens were some to the truest I have every putted and rolled a good 10.5

730am tee time on the Sat afforded me a 36 hole day BT in the am OM in the afternoon

Real nice quiet feeling and would recommend that time of year

[Edaw68]

[quote name='coach2011' timestamp='1449536009' post='12692710']I was just at Bandon Dunes Nov 20-22

Weather was amazing 17-18 each day light clouds no wind no frost delays

Greens were some to the truest I have every putted and rolled a good 10.5

730am tee time on the Sat afforded me a 36 hole day BT in the am OM in the afternoon

Real nice quiet feeling and would recommend that time of year [/quote]

I'm jealous, as I have my room draped with drying gear.

[duffer987]

[quote name='buzlin' timestamp='1449511958' post='12691094']
I feel you Duff. There's something inspiring about the game when you're at Bandon. It all feels flat afterward when you get back on your home course/s.

Love that you even thought of posting this picture, you're a true bandon addict/romantic. hahaha.
[/quote]

Haha thanks
When I stumbled upon it - up in Fairfield - I sent the pic to my friend and we both got a big laugh out of it. We identify regional chains with our golf trips and Dutch Bros says Bandon, like Einstien Bagels says Kohler and the Southwest, Bo Jangles says the Carolinas, and Costa Coffee at motorway services says the UK... full life, full life.

[spud3]

[quote name='Edaw68' timestamp='1449550150' post='12693722']
[quote name='coach2011' timestamp='1449536009' post='12692710']I was just at Bandon Dunes Nov 20-22

Weather was amazing 17-18 each day light clouds no wind no frost delays

Greens were some to the truest I have every putted and rolled a good 10.5

730am tee time on the Sat afforded me a 36 hole day BT in the am OM in the afternoon

Real nice quiet feeling and would recommend that time of year [/quote]

I'm jealous, as I have my room draped with drying gear.
[/quote]

Was it better today? Tomorrow looks heinous...

[Edaw68]

[quote name='spud3' timestamp='1449620863' post='12696882'][quote name='Edaw68' timestamp='1449550150' post='12693722']
[quote name='coach2011' timestamp='1449536009' post='12692710']I was just at Bandon Dunes Nov 20-22

Weather was amazing 17-18 each day light clouds no wind no frost delays

Greens were some to the truest I have every putted and rolled a good 10.5

730am tee time on the Sat afforded me a 36 hole day BT in the am OM in the afternoon

Real nice quiet feeling and would recommend that time of year [/quote]

I'm jealous, as I have my room draped with drying gear.
[/quote]

Was it better today? Tomorrow looks heinous...[/quote]

Better by comparison, actually had 10 rain free holes on Old Mac. Wind was still at least 5 clubs.

[Edaw68]

[attachment=3059544:ImageUploadedByGolfWRX Mobile1449633603.493400.jpg]

The nightly gear drying.

[coach2011]

5 club wind?!?!
You deserve a hot tub and a cigar in the bunker

[Edaw68]

[quote name='coach2011' timestamp='1449634174' post='12697612']5 club wind?!?!
You deserve a hot tub and a cigar in the bunker[/quote]

I found a solution...

[attachment=3060312:ImageUploadedByGolfWRX Mobile1449694711.408154.jpg]

[buzlin]

[quote name='Edaw68' timestamp='1449694719' post='12700124']
[quote name='coach2011' timestamp='1449634174' post='12697612']5 club wind?!?!
You deserve a hot tub and a cigar in the bunker[/quote]

I found a solution...

[attachment=3060312:ImageUploadedByGolfWRX Mobile1449694711.408154.jpg]
[/quote]
That's the solution to everything.

[coach2011]

Ahhhhhh

[spud3]

You know, what's really odd is that I don't like Guinness anywhere else... but I do love it there....

Context, I guess.

[Chris_NH]

[quote name='spud3' timestamp='1449699192' post='12700386']
You know, what's really odd is that I don't like Guinness anywhere else... but I do love it there....

Context, I guess.
[/quote]

Everything tastes better there ;-)

[coach2011]

[attachment=3062504:ImageUploadedByGolfWRX Mobile1449845076.405593.jpg]

How can it not all taste better after a round and this view....

[duffer987]

My swing went to sh1t (ya I know how can I tell the difference) in January so I quit paying attention to the weather up there in case I thought of a last minute Feb trip, but I may have fixed my issues, so now I am getting the bug again.

For you PNWers, how's Jan been in Oregon? Lots of that El Nino wind and wetness I am assuming? If the resort has taken a bit of a pounding, maybe this is the best Feb to visit.

[Matt J]

It has been real wet. And this week it is cold. Wet and cold.

[spud3]

Like Matt said, it's been a gnarly wet winter. December was just brutal. Can't remember when we had this much sustained precip. Coming from a native, that's saying something.

 

The temp trend has been slowly upward, so I remain optimistic for my visit in a couple weeks. But I do believe I will get a full workout of the ZR raingear this year.

 

Frankly, I think we were a bit spoiled by the last two winters. Awesome for golf, lousy for skiing.

[Matt J]

I've been trying to remember how to ski. Where is that ski forum I used to belong to?

[Mr60Degree]

Just called the resort to setup lodging and golf to try two play in two weeks and was told they are fully booked till 2017........

[spud3]

Wow.

 

Do you mean *completely booked* like, there are NO rooms available for any night at all this year? Or is that just weekends/high season?

 

I know they had a "waiting list" for making 2017 reservations, which they recently opened. I wonder if they are going to either raise the prices or go to a minimum-stay policy.

 

I've made my reservation for Feb of 2017, and will start calling for booking Feb 2018 around October/November.

 

There's a few places that I can think of that are like that - Timberline Lodge comes to mind. You just need to be prepared to book 10-12 months out if you want to stay a night there. Looks like Bandon now joins that list.

 

As I'm now less than a week out from my trip, I'm heavily into prep/excitement mode. That entails watching the course cams at least three times a day (they are in in the middle of an absolutely gorgeous weather pattern right now), watching the long-range weather forecast a couple times a day (not really accurate until a couple days out, but things look really good for getting three out of four days without significant rain), and trying really hard not to buy anything.

 

I'm especially looking forward to the Links Lesson on Monday morning before my opening round at Trails.

[duffer987]

Wow! That is bonkers. At this rate, at some point they may have to ratchet up their reservation policies to stop 'squatters'.

For my winter 5 trips (3 solo, 2 group) I've never booked further out than July for that coming winter.

 

TBH I'm happy staying offsite, but obviously the lack of access to tee times that way is a bit of a constraint. After having such fantastic weather for winter '15 trips we were thinking of branching out - as there's "no way" we could get 3 straight trips of no rain - now we might be forced to.

[Mr60Degree]

Wow.

 

Do you mean *completely booked* like, there are NO rooms available for any night at all this year? Or is that just weekends/high season?

 

I know they had a "waiting list" for making 2017 reservations, which they recently opened. I wonder if they are going to either raise the prices or go to a minimum-stay policy.

 

I've made my reservation for Feb of 2017, and will start calling for booking Feb 2018 around October/November.

 

There's a few places that I can think of that are like that - Timberline Lodge comes to mind. You just need to be prepared to book 10-12 months out if you want to stay a night there. Looks like Bandon now joins that list.

 

As I'm now less than a week out from my trip, I'm heavily into prep/excitement mode. That entails watching the course cams at least three times a day (they are in in the middle of an absolutely gorgeous weather pattern right now), watching the long-range weather forecast a couple times a day (not really accurate until a couple days out, but things look really good for getting three out of four days without significant rain), and trying really hard not to buy anything.

 

I'm especially looking forward to the Links Lesson on Monday morning before my opening round at Trails.

 

Good question. My buddy was the one who called and relayed the message to me while in complete disbelief (he is already set to fly to Oregon from SoCal). Based on what he told me it sounded like it was completely booked regardless of day of the week. Neither of us thought this could happen in the off season.

 

Looking at their website I dont see a number directly for the pro shop. Im assuming each course has their own pro shop right? Anyone know the phone numbers to see if we can book a round through the pro shop and skip the resort phone line?

[spud3]

Each course has its own pro shop. l'd think you can just call the main line and ask for one of them. They all have access to the full tee sheets for all the courses.

 

I would just keep calling the reservation line, as cancellations happen a lot and things open up Good luck!

[duffer987]

Each course has its own pro shop. l'd think you can just call the main line and ask for one of them. They all have access to the full tee sheets for all the courses.

 

I would just keep calling the reservation line, as cancellations happen a lot and things open up Good luck!

 

Yup. Offsite/onsite - they are tied into the same reservations system. What they can see in the call centre is the same as what the guy at the counter at the proshop sees. This has me very interested. I'm going to call them and see darnit :)

[buzlin]

This doesn't surprise me. People are catching on to how amazing Bandon is. Many repeat trips every year, and each year newbies are getting hooked. High season is high season. The value in low season is unbeatable. When I tried to make February reservations a year in advance they were entirely booked up.

[mallrat]

It may depend on what your buddy is asking for. Maybe just ask what they have available around that time frame. We booked our 4some for early March in Oct. we had to adjust the dates a bit (Sun-Weds) vs Thurs - Sun. But they said they were booked for the original dates I asked for. I followed that up with what do you have available around that time frame and a few options popped up.

 

Kinda annoyed because this last week is the week I go every year by myself but this year I had to adjust to accommodate the buddiesni'm going with.

 

As for reservations at the courses, you don't need to speak to each pro shop. Central reservations can take care of it for you.

[Mr60Degree]

sorry guys I think I might have misunderstood my friend when he said they were taking reservations for 2017 to mean there were no 2016 spots available..it seems that there is at least no availability for February 2016 at least...

[mallrat]

Yeah, even for a single it's generally 3 months out now. For groups of 8 they are recommending 18 months.

[spud3]

Ah, so it's fully booked for Feb 2016? That makes more sense.