Bandon Dunes Trip Report - May 2017

[Kernel]

Back from my second trip to golfing nirvana . . . still thinking about it on a constant basis.

 

Trip overview:

We drove down from Portland Friday morning and were staying off site. After lunch at Trails End, we teed it up at Bandon Dunes Friday afternoon. We played Old Mac and Bandon Trails Saturday, and Pacific Dunes Sunday before heading back home.

 

Bandon Dunes - Friday pm

-The entire drive down from Portland was sunny and blue skies, that is right until we turned off of US 101. The marine layer had crept in and it was soupy. My buddy and I teed off by ourselves and after the first few holes we had to stop and slow ourselves down. We were going too fast to appreciate the course. Once we got to 4 it was difficult to see past 150 yards. It cut into the impact of seeing 4 green for the first time. It looked like it was sitting inside a cloud. The fog/clouds let up a bit and the back nine was much improved. After playing in perfect weather last time, not getting ideal conditions was a bummer . . . I guess I'm spoiled. The course was in great shape and just as fun and beautiful as I remembered. I love BD because it feels pure links to me and leaves you with options as to how to play most holes.

 

Old Mac - Saturday am

-Overcast but no fog and very little wind. I love Old Mac. It's pure insanity trying to navigate some of those contours and those greens. We teed off as a twosome once again since the pair that had our same time was running late (how are you late for a tee time at Bandon??). We both played fairly well, though I continued to putt poorly (usually the strongest part of my game). I struggled all weekend with the putter. But my swing was starting to come back. The highlight was hitting a pure 4 iron from 205 to within 5 feet on 16, despite being blocked out by the Alps dune. Of course I missed the birdie putt.

 

Bandon Trails - Saturday pm

-In some ways I was looking forward to Trails more than any round because I played so poorly last time and it definitely impacted my experience. I played better this time around and damn, that's a hell of a course. The sun started to come out and wind picked up slightly. I forgot how amazing it is in the amphitheater that the dunes create on 2 green. The bunkering an green complexes are world-class. It's just spectacular. No. 13 is still one of my favorite holes on the property. Still some hiccups along the way, but I finished strong, parring 3 of the last 4.

 

Pacific Dunes - Sunday pm

-Three rounds of ok but not great golf had me a bit frustrated, but my swing started to come together on the back 9 at Trails. So the only sane thing to do was declare I was going to shoot 76 at Pacific. Lots of sun and not too much wind - perfect conditions. I still couldn't putt worth a damn, but ball-striking was really good. Hit a 6 iron on 2 from a totally blind lie to 5 feet and that really got me going. I think I love this course now more than ever. I loved it the first time I played it, but wasn't crazy about the 6-9 stretch. Completely on board with those holes now. Six is just a diabolical short par 4. I hooked my hybrid and had no chance to hold the green. I was lucky to make 5. Seven is long and tough. Eight has one of the best green complexes on the property. Nine is my least favorite of the bunch, but still a good hole. Standing on the upper tee on 10 is still breathtaking. And here is where I turned it on. I was dialed in the rest of the way. I knew I was close to my predicted score but didn't want to look. After missing a 12 footer for birdie on 18, I tallied it up and . . . so close - a 77.

 

 

Takeaways:

-The greens have been discussed in several threads here lately. I can only compare them to last April. They are clearly in poorer shape overall. Trails was the worst - very slow, fairly bumpy and more than a few bare spots. Bandon Dunes were probably the best and fastest, then Pacific, then Old Mac. Old Mac were ok, but just didn't roll as true as I was expecting. Though I'd say only on Trails was it a playability issue and even then it was easy to get passed (you are at Bandon, after all).

 

-Another recent topic has been the food quality. I was never in the "food is great" camp (good, solid IMO), but didn't notice any drop off from last April. And sitting outside at Trails End or Pacific Grill is so beautiful you can forgive some slights in the food.

 

-My buddy and I don't use caddies and, until our final round Sunday, we'd never played with anyone using a caddy. The other twosome did have one and let me say that if you are looking for a great caddy consider Daniel - knowledgeable, easy-going, funny, adaptable. He was great and even gave my buddy and I some unsolicited help - enough that we tipped him post round.

 

-Customer service was once again A+

 

-A cup holder on the Rickshaw would be appreciated

 

-Ranking the courses is impossible for me. I love them all. That said, at this very moment if I could could play one round only, here's how I'd rank them:

1. Pacific

2. Trails

3. Old Mac

4. Bandon

 

I expect it will be a few years before I make it back, but I will be back. It's one of my favorite places on earth.

 

On to the pictures

 

Bandon Dunes

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old Mac

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bandon Trails

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pacific Dunes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[spud3]

Sounds like a great trip - thanks for the photos and report!

[buzlin]

Awesome trip report and photos. Thanks for posting.

[spud3]

Noticed that you're in shorts - temps must have been decent?

 

Also notice that not a single gorse blossom can be seen...

[Kernel]

Noticed that you're in shorts - temps must have been decent?

 

Also notice that not a single gorse blossom can be seen...

 

Sort of that border between pants and shorts. It was cool on Friday thanks to the stubborn marine layer. Saturday started cool but warmed quickly. I switched from pants to shorts between rounds. Sunday was perfect . . . mid 60s.

 

Only a few small patches of gorse blossoms left.