Trip to Bandon Dunes

[vpd]

Just returned last night from four days of golf at Bandon Dunes. It was the most incredible four days of golf ever imaginable. All four 18- hole courses (Pacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes ,Bandon Trails and Old Macdonald) each offered a very different challenge and experience due to their differing layouts and terrain. Pacific and Bandon are true links golf experiences with Pacific being a little more more challenging due to somewhat tighter fairways and many greens with false fronts. However with that said I thought the landing areas off the tees were more than adequate leaving some room for mild hooks and fades.

 

Bandon Trails is an outstanding Coore/Crenshaw layout away from the ocean in some very beautiful wooded areas. Trails demands solid accurate driving or else you will find a lot of trouble off the tee. It is somewhat hilly but not overly so.

 

Old Macdonald is a masterpiece. Laid out like a true Scottish links course on rolling terrain but only a few large dunes. Some of the par fours are quite long. Wide fairways but very demanding second shots required.

 

Bandon is nothing short of a golf mecca. Everything from the golf courses,loopers,food and lodging is first class. The entire staff could not have been more accomodating and helpful.

 

In my opinion, Bandon has Pebble Beach beaten by a mile in terms of offering four fantastic 18-hole courses and the extremely fun 13 hole par three designed by Coore/Crenshaw. Sure, Pebble has the history and aura but Bandon offers the best golf experience at less than half the price.

 

After just playing for 3 weeks in Ireland last May I now am not sure I will go back next year. I most likely will return to Bandon.

[2bGood]

I agree. I played 9 rounds at Bandon 2 months ago and love it. Then this week it worked out that I played Pebble Beach, Pacific Dunes and Old Mac all with 4 days of each other (man am I spoiled). I would pick Bandon over Pebble any day (though you have to play Pebble once in your life)

[TheCityGame]

My plans are set, reservations made for Labor Day Weekend, 2014. We've already got 4 people locked in. I bought the Bandon book for the other guys I'm going with. We've got two flying from the East Coast, and two road-tripping from Idaho.

I am ridiculously psyched for this trip. I also read recently that they're putting in a 100,000 sq ft. putting course.

[vpd]

[quote name='TheCityGame' timestamp='1364906312' post='6742949']
My plans are set, reservations made for Labor Day Weekend, 2014. We've already got 4 people locked in. I bought the Bandon book for the other guys I'm going with. We've got two flying from the East Coast, and two road-tripping from Idaho.

I am ridiculously psyched for this trip. I also read recently that they're putting in a 100,000 sq ft. putting course.
[/quote] You will have the time of your life!!

[Chris_NH]

My review is up in this forum as well. It looks like you and I were there at the same time (3/29-4/1 for me). We absolutely nailed the weather!

It occurred to me on this trip that all of these courses are more demanding off the tee than what I typically play. All of them require a bit of thought and strategy in deciding whether to try to fly/challenge certain bunkers in order to get better angles into the pin.

Like you, I'm already contemplating next year's trip.

[Chris_NH]

[quote name='TheCityGame' timestamp='1364906312' post='6742949']
I am ridiculously psyched for this trip. I also read recently that they're putting in a 100,000 sq ft. putting course.
[/quote]

Yup. The beginning of the layout is there already, near the clubhouse at Pacific Dunes. They said it would be completed in about a month and that the course then needs to grow in, so they were targeting (IIRC) a late-summer opening date.

It should be fun!