Bandon Trip Report: 3/13 - 3/17, first trip

[Stevo85]

Wow. 
After all the hype, prep, and excitement for the last 8months, I started to get bummed the week before the trip thinking there was noway it could live up to my expectations. I was dead wrong. Thanks to all thoseon this board for the recommendations and time taken to post tips andsuggestions. Some of the best tips I gleaned from the boards that helpedwere:

• Bring athletic tape, after round one, I felt some hot spotson the feet and ended up taping my feet daily, no issues after that. 
• McKee's is a great option for dinner, and the meatloaf wassolid.
• Stopped at Fiddler’s on the way down. Great shop topick up last minute supplies on the cheap due to no sales tax/good prices.
• Chromelake was the perfect mix of comfortand affordability. One room was plenty for the four of use, as we arebros/close friends, it was easy enough to share beds.

I was the planner for our foursome, we were all first timers. Here wasour itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive, Bandon Dunes PM
Day 2: Old Mac AM, Pacific PM, Punchbowl
Day 3: Trails AM, Old Mac PM
Day 4: Pacific AM, leave

Day 1: We rented a van to fit all our gear andclubs and started the drive from Seattle at 4:45am, picking up our 4thin Portland at 7am. I drove the whole way and had no issues as I like drivingand was operating off of adrenaline. Very nice drive once you get to Eugene. Ifyou can handle road trips, I recommend this route as we got to go at our ownpace and joke around/listen to music the whole way. Rent a car if yours isn’tbig enough, we had a bunch of gear. Once we got to the resort at 1:15, it waspretty much check-in and hit the course for our 2:30 tee time at Bandon Dunes(we had booked Preserve but were moved to the big course for the same price). Sidenote, first person we saw on property was DMK who was having a meeting in thebar. Pretty cool omen for the start of the week. The weather was perfect forour intro to the course, sunny and 53 with a slight breeze. We walked with norikshaws. Hole 4, made all our jaws drop and was the favorite on property of2/4 of us. I was in the zone at that point and had forgotten what was comingwhich made the turn towards the green all the better. Finished the round as thesun was starting to set and went to McKee’s early ahead of our reservation andthey got us in upstairs, no issues. Burger was good, not great.

Day 2: Our only round with a caddie. Split atwo-bag caddie and not coincidentally, this was the best round I shot all trip.HIGHLY recommend our caddie Carter, though he said we were his last day at Bandon as hewas going to caddie on the Web. Weather was fantastic again, light breeze,clear and 55. Round highlights were hitting the VERY top of the backstop on 5and it rolling back to 6 feet and someone in our group with the longest putt possibleon 8 from close to 70 yards (front green, back pin), and coming within an inch. Pacific wasfantastic too. Blown away by holes 9-14. Caps in our group were 9, 14, 19 and26, obviously the course beat us all up. By the back nine we had kicked off agame of wolf, which we played during all rounds from then on out. Made it muchmore fun for the high handicappers. Finished the day playing around on thepunchbowl in the sunset which was completely empty, then to McKee’s and the hottub to finish.

Day 3: Trails in the AM. Yet another greatsunny day. Burrito at Trail’s End was very good and big enough to share. Expectationswere low for the course as in our heads, there was no way another course couldcompete with OM/BD/PD, and there was no more room for more “favorite holes”. Wrongagain. Trails in the morning was the most serene round of golf I have played.Golf heaven. I read a lot about playing Trails in the afternoon for the windprotection but I have to say, I’m very happy we played it in the AM. Golfinghighlight was the only eagle of the trip on 14. No idea how my fadewhich started its line over the trees held up on the top but it ended up 10feet, pin high, to the left of the front pin placement, sunk the left torighter for 2. Lunch at Trail’s end in the sun, overlooking the 18th.Favorite meal of the trip, pork nachos. Old Mac was so much fun in the afternoon with thewith wind kicking up and the sun going down. Exhausted by the end,McKee’s again, ribs were great, but way too much food which made it tough tosleep, word to the wise, don't eat too much because you can. 

Day 4: Three days was/is not nearly enough, wealready started planning next year’s trip before the first tee, planning totack on another day of 36. Pacific Dunes was a fantastic cap to the trip. Calmsunny morning. The course still kicked us around but we had a great timeplaying wolf. Our highest handicapper hit a gross birdie on 11, first birdie on a bigcourse, and what a hole to do it on. We all freaked out on the green (sorry ifyou were behind us J). Reminded us of how much fungolf can be regardless of your level. He was thrilled. Finished and started thedrive home at 1pm discussing our favorite holes/courses. Home to Seattle by9pm.

 

Things I will do again/things I’ll dodifferently:

• Start the trip with Bandon. So glad we didthis, perfect introduction to the property particularly for first timers.
• Play all courses and switch up AM/PM forthe second time playing a course. Old Mac essentially plays like a different golfcourse morning to afternoon.
• Save up and use more caddie rounds! Thecaddie experience was fantastic! Had a great time joking around with ours andhe really added to our enjoyment. Not to mention not having to carry a bagsaved us energy.
• Play net games with the group, particularlywith high handicappers. It took us until our 3rd round to start, andit made it so much more fun, even if only for a drink. If you blow up on word not allowed, you still get to play the game on the next hole.
• More golf! I couldn’t believe it, but evenafter a second day of 36, I still wanted to go out and do a short loop as thesunset if only the rest of the group wasn’t done. I’ll bake in time for thehardest core golfers in our group to do a late evening short loop next year.Will add another day too.

 

Favorite Courses:

1.    Bandon Dunes – I’m a big DMK design fan ever since playing GambleSands. Bandon Dunes didn’t disappoint. I really enjoy wider, fun golf that isn’toverly penal or trying to trick you. Bandon had my two favorite holes onproperty and gave some options when you screw up.

2.    Old Mac – love the greens and the style of golf course.Something completely different from what I’m used to in the PNW. This coursesuits my game the best as well which helps.

3.    Bandon Trails – very close with Old Mac. Trails is wonderful. Thefloor is very high, with each hole having its own character and style, therewere no blah holes for me.

4.    Pacific Dunes – Probably the most dramatic and highest ceilingcourse as well as my favorite 6-hole stretch on property (9-14). I just foundmyself (and my group) were constantly frustrated. We felt like we were battlingthe course/architect. Not our mid/high handicap group's preferred style of golf.

Favorite Holes:

Top 10: BD-16, BD-4, PD-11, PD-13, PD-4,OM-7, BT-17, OM-3, BT-5, BD-5

[Stevo85]

 

[155 Funson]

Stevo, love the write up. I was just planning on doing my trip report for the same exact days but I'll hold off to not steal any spotlight! How lucky did we get with weather, unbelievable. My group ate at McKee's every night as well and our first night last Wednesday the 13th we were also upstairs, so I'm assuming we crossed paths at one point or another. If you heard any mention of guys from Michigan, that was us. We also hit the hot tub one of the evenings as well. Traveling so far for Bandon, I assumed this was a once in a lifetime trip. That will not be the case, I'll be back again that is for sure. I'm jealous that you are just a quick 8 hour drive, that would become my annual golf trip if that was the case. Bandon is magical!

[kanard1]

Great write up, so pumped!! First timer headed out Monday after the masters!!

[HackZogan]

Stevo, thanks for the write up! That's some great information you provided for us! You're photos are great too. Definitely getting pumped for my trip out there in July!

[Dsevans8]

Got my trip coming up next week... can't wait!

[Stevo85]

155 Funson said:

Stevo, love the write up. I was just planning on doing my trip report for the same exact days but I'll hold off to not steal any spotlight! How lucky did we get with weather, unbelievable. My group ate at McKee's every night as well and our first night last Wednesday the 13th we were also upstairs, so I'm assuming we crossed paths at one point or another. If you heard any mention of guys from Michigan, that was us. We also hit the hot tub one of the evenings as well. Traveling so far for Bandon, I assumed this was a once in a lifetime trip. That will not be the case, I'll be back again that is for sure. I'm jealous that you are just a quick 8 hour drive, that would become my annual golf trip if that was the case. Bandon is magical!

Unreal weather! I think March is the play, best shot of good weather mixed with cost savings. Still floored the whole trip incl. food, travel, 3 nights and 6 rounds costed $200 less than 1 night and 1 round at Pebble.  We must have just missed you guys. We were upstairs with a big tournament and they ended up moving us downstairs. And yes, this is quickly turning into a yearly event. Looking forward to your write up!