Random Bandon Thread

[duffer987]

They are still golf courses. You'll use higher lofted wedges for the same reason you use them anywhere else: how good your ballstriking is on the day. Bunkers and short-sided pitches out of the rough will still happen.

Bring your typical bag of clubs. Either you have the shots on the day or you don't.

[graveydellic]

Question for you Bandon vets, how much can you "trust" the day of weather? Obviously I know wind can come and go, but if I have an afternoon tee time and it's sunny/clear, can I ditch the rain gear or do summer storms pop up without notice?

I last went to Bandon when I was 14, and there were only 2 courses there. I recall I was not emotionally equipped to handle the monsoon we faced! Heading there next weekend and playing Preserve Friday PM, and then PD/trails Saturday and SR/BD Sunday. Been to Sand Valley, Cabot, and host of epic private courses in the last 15 years, but have to admit I am extremely excited to return to the Mecca that is Bandon.

[LooperCon]

You're not gonna get many storms rolling through in the summertime. If you're fall/spring it's a little more of a gamble, but it barely ever rains here from june-sept, so if your forecast is sun this time of year, you definitely won't need rain gear - maybe a light top or vest, but not much more.

[Cwing]

Sadly, trip is now pushed to 2021.

[Lefty_89]

Why??

[eboettne]

In the spirit of Random Bandon Thread I was going to share a crazy coincidence that has happened to me on my only 2 trips to Bandon Dunes.

During my 1st trip in Nov-Dec of 2018 me and my buddy would go to the hot tub every night before dinner to stretch our muscles and decompress from the 36 holes of walking each day. The 2nd night we were there a group of a couple guys and their dads(I believe?) joined us at the hot tub. As it happens at Bandon, we talked about where they were from, how long they were staying there, what was their favorite courses etc. They were great guys to talk to and was just typical of everyone we usually meet in Bandon.

Fast forward to the 2nd trip me and the same buddy made this February. We kind of kept the same routine as the first trip, just happened to have more daylight so we got to take our time a little more and breath in the experience. However, every night we still made our way down to the hot tub before going to dinner. So we're down in the hot tub on the 2nd or 3rd night of the trip loosening up and guess who walks in? You got it, the exact same group of guys and their dads that we had met on the 1st trip! I knew they looked familiar but it didn't make sense why I would know anyone at the resort as we live 1/2 the way across the country. We kind of triple or quadruple taked at each other before we just said "YOU'RE THE SAME GUYS WE SAW IN THIS SAME PLACE LAST TIME!". I asked them if they come to the resort often or something that would explain this. The last Bandon trip they made was when they saw us in the hot tub 15 months prior. My mind was blown for the rest of the night trying to figure out the chances of that happening.

[duffer987]

That is awesome! :-D

It hasn't happened for many years now, but I ended up playing with the same semi-retired couple (Katy & Ken IIRC) from Eugene in back to back winters by total chance and ran into them at McKees a 3rd time.

Also played with the same fella from out of state a couple times over the years. I'd forgotten his name, but did remark - hey you shaved your moustache :-)

Maybe it happens in the summer too? But definitely in the winter I think you get a lot of the same hardy folks going at the same time and with less tee times available people will have similar scheds.

[jackbauer]

Funny. This could be the inspiration for Hot Tub Time Machine 3.

[Chanceman]

Back in the day, I picked up this girl at a bar and got chatting (as you do) and then we both realized it was the same girl at the same bar two years before. Both single still. A hoot but nothing came of it - fortunately. She didnt play golf.

[duffer987]

 

There's some random :-) They've soft-focused the wrong parts of the pic though.

It's just a screenshot BTW, lol, clicking doesn't do anything.

[buzlin]

Found another YouTuber doing Bandon videos. I don't know anything about the guy except that he's a WLD competitor. It's fun to watch him swing and he uses trackman on each shot. Check out Kyle Berkshire's channel.

[buzlin]

Duff,

That's 11 at OM? Looks like the forward tee box?

[Edaw68]

Looks like 15 tee at OM to me, pointing back at the dune with 7 green/8 tee.

[puttnforthe8]

Yup....that's the 7th green - where my ashes are being scattered!

[buzlin]

Ah, I see that now! hahaha. must mean I need to get back there. skipping this years trip is having negative consequences!

[philsRHman]

I listened to Matt Ginella’s podcasts on the making of Bandon during a drive home from Family vacation. Ever after reading Dream Golf and these boards, it was great hearing some fresh takes. But it also started the itch again! Starting to reconsider my Scotland trip for next spring, since I’m not even clear if that will be an option. What I’d LOVE to do is sneak out there in November but I can’t see pulling that off while my kid is still home from school, which seems will be the case.

[duffer987]

Ha! It's an odd angle for 15 tee though - like you're standing beside the bunkers on 14 - as opposed to walking down from 14 green, which is how you'd actually view it when playing.

Ya we've already had 2020 Easter trip cancelled - but put that deposit on Nov 2021 so that worked well - and it looks like Nov 2020 might be punted, as at least 1/2 our foursome is in Canadia.

[Banker]

Going for the first time end of the month. 6 days of 36 a day. I may need a wheelchair to get back on the plane.

[LooperCon]

You're a trooper! That's quite the schedule!

[savingpar]

I highly suggest a trip out there. It’s like non other. We went in February I beleive and got to play all four seasons.

 

definetly a bucket list. Four days and as mush golf as possible. Def advise someone massages in between of possible.

[philsRHman]

Has anyone called recently? Any sense of how full they are through the end of 2020 and early 2021? I’d guess if they’re mandated to reduce occupancy that might offset whatever cold feet cancelations they’ve had. Still don’t think I could sell my wife on me flying anywhere for a while but who knows.

[jackbauer]

It's still going to be difficult if you have several people in your group, want to play 36 every day, have specific preferences about course rotation, etc., unless the perfect cancellation occurs right before you check with them. If you'll be going solo, I would just see when they have Lodge Single/Inn King availability for your desired length of stay and be more flexible when it comes to course rotation and tee times.

[spud3]

Or get a room in town and let the course/tee time availability determine your schedule. Definitely need to be flexible.

 

But you can make tee times two weeks out if you're not staying on site, so you'll at least know what your basic itinerary will be.

[graveydellic]

Trip report from this past weekend for anyone interested...

Booked the trip only 10 days out a single, but about 6 days out my dad decided to join in. We last went to Bandon in 2005 when I was 14 and there was only 2 courses.

Flew out Friday AM to Eugene, pleasant drive over to Bandon with a stop in Coos Bay for a bottle of whiskey to enjoy while on property. Got to Bandon at about 2pm Friday, checked into Lily Pond. Side note - Lily Pond is great. Solid sitting area outside our room on ground floor, and super convenient to Trails/Preserve and walking distance to the lodge/Bandon. Played Preserve at 4PM and got paired with a drunk guy and his son, ended up being pretty fun. What an awesome little course that you could play over and over. Something everyone should make time for when at Bandon. Ate at Gallery outside in a light fog and had a great meal. The Elk striploin was top notch. I could be wrong but felt like Tufted Puffin was closed and Gallery menu was being served in both restaurants.

When I called in advance to adjust tee times after my dad joined, they had a little trouble doing so because my dad and I actually weren't going to play with eachother Saturday. Think their system was not designed to have a twosome split up. My dad wanted to play Old Mac which was the one course I skipped this trip. I played Pacific at 7:20AM Saturday with three other singles. I never settled down and basically forgot how to play golf, barely breaking 100, but enjoyed the round nonetheless. Light fog and occasional blue skies, played in under 4 hours. After playing horrible golf, I considered scrapping my afternoon round, but was so glad I didn't.

I was looking to play as a single at Trails in the afternoon and had a 12:30 tee time. Got there at 11:30 from Pac Dunes after changing shoes, shirt, etc at Lily Pond. Informed them I was looking to play alone so was willing to move up tee time to whenever, but turns out it was quiet out there and I was next on the sheet at 12:30. Ate a great wrap at Trails and then embarked to the first tee. At this point it was about 67 and sunny. It was the perfect round for me. No one on the course, I took a Riksha, had my speaker, drank a few beers, etc. It was the most enjoyable round of golf I have ever played and I wish it didn't end. The course was in awesome shape for the upcoming tournament. It was a peaceful walk in the woods on a bluebird day, and now I understand why so many are so fond of Trails. My favorite at Bandon for sure. It doesn't have the ocean views, but it was perfect in a different way and just what I needed. Played in 3 hours and 15 minutes although walking up 16 after playing in the morning was a challenge, that hole is a monster into the wind. My dad had finished up at Old Mac at about 3 and met me at Trails where we grabbed a few beers and took the trail down to the beach. Hit up Punchbowl and then McKees for dinner - another solid meal.

Sunday weather looked to be perfect and ended up being so. 8:50 at Sheep Ranch - just my dad and I. We took caddies that single bagged it. Interesting course that will get mixed reviews. It doesn't have much defense if the wind is not blowing, and we played it without a lick of wind. The greens were extremely slow and it was really hard to get the ball to the hole. The turf everywhere was really hard, could barely get tees all the way into the ground on par 3's. It's a little raggedy right now in spots, as it looks like some things are still growing in or they simply haven't decided what they want to do in certain areas as far as gorse, rough, etc. The seaside holes are incredible, as advertised. The inland holes are fairly average in my opinion - especially compared to Pac and Bandon. Definitely some holes that feel crammed in there. That said, it's a worthy addition to the Bandon portfolio and I can't imagine playing it on a windy day. Clubhouse views are awesome as you can see the entire property.

Moved up our afternoon tee time on Bandon to 1:50 and once again was just my dad and I. Can't say enough about how good the weather was. Loved the course, moreso than Pacific. They had the U.S. Am tee markers out and some of the tee boxes were just insane, 40+ yards behind the tips on some holes. Will be awesome to watch on TV, guessing the guys will tear it up if weather is decent.

Stayed at the Bandon Inn the last night which was surprisingly great with a solid view. Town closes up early, around 7 so we were lucky to find food in the form of Halibut fish & chips at Wheelhouse. The fish & chips was phenomenal. Yesterday was 11 hour travel day home to the Midwest.

All in all, great trip. Since our last trip to Bandon, my dad and I have been all over to play the resorts (Cabot, SV, Pebble, etc) and some of the great privates (Chicago GC, Sand Hills, etc) but it was awesome to get back to Bandon and experience it now. It only took about 2 hours on the property for us to look at eachother and say "why do we even go anywhere else?". The place is run like a machine, but it doesn't feel like it. The staff is super friendly, everything is conveniently spaced and located, the food is good, the golf is great...what is not to love.

Only thing we couldn't figure out was pace of play. Every front 9 played in sub 2 hours (around 1:45) and every back 9 played in about 2:15. Waiting on every shot on the back, regardless of course played or time of day. Could have just been a string of bad luck, or maybe it's a function of course design. Just seemed so odd that we'd zip around the front, and then the back would grind to a halt.

After barely breaking 100 on Pac saturday morning, I ended up going 85-83-84 at Trails, SR and Bandon which were some of my better rounds this year (usually high 80s player).

If I had to split 10 rounds (no Old Mac as I didn't play it): Trails 4, Bandon 3, SR 2, Pac 1.

Sorry for the long write up...but can't wait to get back!

 

[spud3]

Great writeup!

 

We any of the restaurants seating inside or was everything packaged to-go and seating outside?

[graveydellic]

All restaurants looked to be indoor and outside seating. We ate outside at Gallery and inside at McKees. No bar seating at McKees and we were on the 2nd level (is this normally part of McKees?) where tables were set up with a lot of distance inbetween.

They are creating a "bubble" for the U.S. Am as the resort is still open then. Players are allowed two guests, but if you use a local caddie then that counts as one of your guests. Evidently caddies who aren't part of the bubble will all be parked over at Sheep Ranch for the week and not the usual caddie shack. Both caddies said this was fairly inconvenient due where SR is located, but minor inconvenience I guess.

[philsRHman]

I was searching for TV info for the US Am and it looks like there might not be any. It could be a casualty of Fox getting out of the contract but there’s no mention on the USGA page. There is, however a listing for the Women’s Am which is why I think the men’s might be SOL.

[philsRHman]

I stand corrected, just found a story saying Golf Channel and Peacock streaming will have coverage from Bandon:

U.S. AMATEUR ON DECK FOR GOLF CHANNEL AND PEACOCK, AUG. 12-16

The following week, a field of 264 male amateurs will convene upon one of the most picturesque golf resort destinations in the United States at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Bandon Dunes and Bandon Trails) for the United States Amateur Championship (U.S. Amateur). GOLF Channel and NBCUniversal’s new streaming service Peacock are combining for five days of live tournament coverage Wednesday-Sunday, Aug. 12-16

[rzitup]

Just got back from Pebble Beach, where the caddies werent allowed to touch anything. Not your clubs, bag, rake, anything. Heading to Bandon next month, anyone know if the caddies have any restrictions similiar?

[truexbeliever]

There’s aren’t any rakes in the bunkers and no touching/pulling flags, but was down there last month and my caddie carried my bag and pulled clubs for me.