Second Bandon Trip Booked for Next September

[lowndes]

Just booked our second trip to Bandon Dunes after an amazing trip this past April. This time we are going in early September to try out peak season and hopefully get a tad more sunshine. Below is our itinerary:

 

Day One

 

Bandon Dunes - 9:10 a.m.

Old Mac - 3:00 p.m.

 

Day Two

 

Pac Dunes - 9:40 p.m.

Bandon Trails - 3:00 p.m.

 

Day Three

 

Old Mac - 9:20 p.m.

Bandon Dunes - 2:50 p.m.

 

Day Four

 

Pac Dunes - 7:00 a.m.

Bandon Trails - 11:50 a.m.

 

I had several questions since we have never been at this time of year.

 

First, how does the above spacing look? Ideally I would have picked 8:30 a.m. tee times with a 2:30 replay but that wasn't an option because we booked late. We flew around the courses when we played in April for the most part but wasn't sure if the pace of play slows down tremendously in peak season.

 

Second question is that all of our replay rounds are the first round which doesn't have the guarantee to finish. I didn't think this was an issue as the sunset around 7:50 while we are there. Anybody have any first hand experience with this.

 

Any other tips for this time of year would be much appreciated. We will be taking caddies for all the rounds again and can't wait. This is my buddies and my 30th birthday celebration.

[mringwelski]

All depends on pace but you will rarely have a round over 5 1/2 hours even during peak season thanks to the caddies and ranger teams on each course.

I would say be prepared for a turn and burn anyway and have some fruit and cliff bars in your bag in case you have to shuttle to your next tee time right away

Finishing the replay rounds are going to be close as the guaranteed finish times are usually pretty accurate.

On Day 3 you'll be on #16 at Bandon Dunes when the sun is setting....sucks to be you

Have you played 36 four days in a row before? Make sure you have good shoes and take care of those dawgs. They'll be howling by the trips end.

Generally in Sept, the weather is good, but the motto at Bandon is to be prepared for the worst and hope for the best.

I used to work there so if you have any other questions feel free to ask. I'm happy to help anyone that gets the privilege to experience Bandon Dunes

[lowndes]

[quote name='mringwelski' timestamp='1389117481' post='8416197']
All depends on pace but you will rarely have a round over 5 1/2 hours even during peak season thanks to the caddies and ranger teams on each course.

I would say be prepared for a turn and burn anyway and have some fruit and cliff bars in your bag in case you have to shuttle to your next tee time right away

Finishing the replay rounds are going to be close as the guaranteed finish times are usually pretty accurate.

On Day 3 you'll be on #16 at Bandon Dunes when the sun is setting....sucks to be you

Have you played 36 four days in a row before? Make sure you have good shoes and take care of those dawgs. They'll be howling by the trips end.

Generally in Sept, the weather is good, but the motto at Bandon is to be prepared for the worst and hope for the best.

I used to work there so if you have any other questions feel free to ask. I'm happy to help anyone that gets the privilege to experience Bandon Dunes
[/quote]

Thanks for the help. I'll try to call back a couple times in the next couple of months to try to work the tee times out to be more ideal but wanted to get setup nonetheless. My buddy and I did 10 rounds in 4.5 half days this past April so know what to expect physically. Here is a link to my trip report for that trip. [url="http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/824521-bandon-dunes-trip-report-4513-4913/page__p__6821171__hl__bandon#entry6821171"]http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/824521-bandon-dunes-trip-report-4513-4913/page__p__6821171__hl__bandon#entry6821171[/url]

[mringwelski]

That's a good 4 1/2 days. Don't forget that the Punchbowl putting course at Pacific will be open too!

[Chris_NH]

Awesome! Nice lineup. You and I went about a week apart last spring, I think. In fact, I just re-read your review, and it's reminded me to call again about package pricing (which, curiously, didn't work out to any savings for the 3-night package - and we're doing 3 nights again). But I'll call and check - especially since I'm only 64 days away from my trip now! :-)

[Chris_NH]

[quote name='mringwelski' timestamp='1389119424' post='8416471']
That's a good 4 1/2 days. Don't forget that the Punchbowl putting course at Pacific will be open too!
[/quote]

I'm so disappointed I'm going to miss this. They were talking about it last year when I was there.

Oh well - reason to go back again next year :-) (as if I needed a reason in the first place).

[lowndes]

[quote name='Chris_NH' timestamp='1389183113' post='8420991']
Awesome! Nice lineup. You and I went about a week apart last spring, I think. In fact, I just re-read your review, and it's reminded me to call again about package pricing (which, curiously, didn't work out to any savings for the 3-night package - and we're doing 3 nights again). But I'll call and check - especially since I'm only 64 days away from my trip now! :-)
[/quote]

Yup, we did but I believe you got the better weather! We actually booked to go at the same time as we did last year but found out that my buddy is having his first baby a month before the trip and I'm having a second baby 2 weeks before the trip. Needless to say April didn't work out for us this year. We were just talking on Sunday and wanted to do something fun for our 30th birthday so decided to go back to Bandon. Didn't have tons of tee times left but I think we were able to come up with a good workable itinerary that hoopefully I can improve upon as we get closer and there are some cancellations.

[lowndes]

[quote name='mringwelski' timestamp='1389117481' post='8416197']
All depends on pace but you will rarely have a round over 5 1/2 hours even during peak season thanks to the caddies and ranger teams on each course.

I would say be prepared for a turn and burn anyway and have some fruit and cliff bars in your bag in case you have to shuttle to your next tee time right away

Finishing the replay rounds are going to be close as the guaranteed finish times are usually pretty accurate.

On Day 3 you'll be on #16 at Bandon Dunes when the sun is setting....sucks to be you

Have you played 36 four days in a row before? Make sure you have good shoes and take care of those dawgs. They'll be howling by the trips end.

Generally in Sept, the weather is good, but the motto at Bandon is to be prepared for the worst and hope for the best.

I used to work there so if you have any other questions feel free to ask. I'm happy to help anyone that gets the privilege to experience Bandon Dunes
[/quote]

One other question. My thought is that if the guaranteed tee times are accurate at worst we should be in the middle of the fairway on 18 as light is expiring considering we are the first non guaranteed to finish tee time. Is that a safe assumption or am I missing something on how they come up with the last guaranteed to finish time.

[2putttom]

Envious...ENVIOUS I AM!

[mringwelski]

Yeah man you'll be fine Bandon Dunes will probably be pretty dark on 18 but you should finish old mac and trails just fine

[mallrat]

Didn't see the Preserve on your list.

Just an FYI, and maybe someone with more experience can chime in but last time I was there my caddy said to avoid Pac Dunes and Trails in the same day as they are the 2 hardest to walk. He recommended Bandon and the Trails as Bandon is the easiest walk and Trails is the hardest.

[kenwiggins11]

Don't skip out preserve grab some beverages, get some bets rollin, and enjoy! 13 holes and fun way to close out the day... Lydia Moore was awesome caddy... Have the meatloaf

[CHEFMIZ]

I am incredibly envious.... So much so that i just sent my buddy a text to try and plan a trip for Feb 2015

[njlam]

You need to play the Preserve at least once...no visit to Bandon is complete without it.

[Gachnar]

As others have said you need to play Preserve. if it were me, I'd try to get the first time on Day two and get it in before Pac Dunes, but a sane person would maybe sub out a round at BD or BT for Preserve. It's as much fun as any of the courses, maybe more. Shorty's probably won't be open during peak season, but that's worth doing too.

I wouldn't think you'll have a problem with sunset. Enjoy your trip, that's a lot of golf over 4 days. Make sure you have at least two pairs of shoes and 8 pairs of socks.

Weather in Sept is generally pretty nice, but don't expect warm. You may get lucky and get no rain, or it may rain off and on the whole time.

[lowndes]

Thanks, instead of a foursome we went back to just being a twosome and revised the tee times slightly

[color=#282828]Day One[/color]

[url="http://viglink.pgpartner.com/rd.php?r=1191&m=1135376074&q=n&rdgt=1389546123&it=1389718923&et=1390150923&priceret=59.46&pg=~~3&k=06de0389eae366ee4ee9d86045724545&source=feed&url=http%3A%2F%2Flink%2Emercent%2Ecom%2Fredirect%2Eashx%3Fmr%3AmerchantID%3DBackcountry%26mr%3AtrackingCode%3D1FBFA681%2DED66%2DE211%2DA87C%2D001B21A69EB8%26mr%3AtargetUrl%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ebackcountry%2Ecom%2Fdakine%2D101%2Dbackpack%2D2000cu%2Din%253fCMP%5FSKU%253dDAK3364%2526MER%253d0406%2526skid%253dDAK3364%2DBAN%2DONESIZ%2526CMP%5FID%253dSH%5FPRG001%2526mv%5Fpc%253dr120%2526003%253d7163972%2526010%253dDAK3364%2DBAN%2DONESIZ&st=feed&mt=~~~~~~~~n~~~"]Bandon[/url][color=#282828] [/color][color=#282828]Dunes - 9:10 a.m.[/color]
[color=#282828]Old Mac - 3:00 p.m.[/color]

[color=#282828]Day Two[/color]

[color=#282828]Pac Dunes - 9:10 a.m.[/color]
[url="http://viglink.pgpartner.com/rd.php?r=1191&m=1135376074&q=n&rdgt=1389546123&it=1389718923&et=1390150923&priceret=59.46&pg=~~3&k=06de0389eae366ee4ee9d86045724545&source=feed&url=http%3A%2F%2Flink%2Emercent%2Ecom%2Fredirect%2Eashx%3Fmr%3AmerchantID%3DBackcountry%26mr%3AtrackingCode%3D1FBFA681%2DED66%2DE211%2DA87C%2D001B21A69EB8%26mr%3AtargetUrl%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ebackcountry%2Ecom%2Fdakine%2D101%2Dbackpack%2D2000cu%2Din%253fCMP%5FSKU%253dDAK3364%2526MER%253d0406%2526skid%253dDAK3364%2DBAN%2DONESIZ%2526CMP%5FID%253dSH%5FPRG001%2526mv%5Fpc%253dr120%2526003%253d7163972%2526010%253dDAK3364%2DBAN%2DONESIZ&st=feed&mt=~~~~~~~~n~~~"]Bandon[/url][color=#282828] [/color][color=#282828]Trails - 3:00 p.m.[/color]

[color=#282828]Day Three[/color]

[color=#282828]Old Mac - 7:30 a.m.[/color]
[color=#282828]Bandon[/color][color=#282828] [/color][color=#282828]Dunes - 2:50 p.m.[/color]

[color=#282828]Day Four[/color]

[color=#282828]Pac Dunes - 7:00 a.m.[/color]
[url="http://viglink.pgpartner.com/rd.php?r=1191&m=1135376074&q=n&rdgt=1389546123&it=1389718923&et=1390150923&priceret=59.46&pg=~~3&k=06de0389eae366ee4ee9d86045724545&source=feed&url=http%3A%2F%2Flink%2Emercent%2Ecom%2Fredirect%2Eashx%3Fmr%3AmerchantID%3DBackcountry%26mr%3AtrackingCode%3D1FBFA681%2DED66%2DE211%2DA87C%2D001B21A69EB8%26mr%3AtargetUrl%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ebackcountry%2Ecom%2Fdakine%2D101%2Dbackpack%2D2000cu%2Din%253fCMP%5FSKU%253dDAK3364%2526MER%253d0406%2526skid%253dDAK3364%2DBAN%2DONESIZ%2526CMP%5FID%253dSH%5FPRG001%2526mv%5Fpc%253dr120%2526003%253d7163972%2526010%253dDAK3364%2DBAN%2DONESIZ&st=feed&mt=~~~~~~~~n~~~"]Bandon[/url][color=#282828] [/color][color=#282828]Trails - 11:50 a.m.[/color]

[color=#282828]We are on the waiting list for a tee time between 7:00 -7:30 a.m. on Bandon Preserve on Day 2. We also plan to squeeze it in other times if we can while we are there. Also on Day 3 between our morning and afternoon round is when we plan to play the new punchbowl putting course (although I'm sure we will be able to get it in other times as well, especially if it ends up being lighted). These changes gets us the 6 hours between rounds that we were really trying for. One of our goals this trip is to not just rush around the courses playing as much golf as possible but to take a little more time to enjoy it. Also, have a tad more time to relax and have a good lunch between rounds.[/color]

[lowndes]

[quote name='CHEFMIZ' timestamp='1389487301' post='8443653']
I am incredibly envious.... So much so that i just sent my buddy a text to try and plan a trip for Feb 2015
[/quote]

Haha, that is how it always starts. My buddy and I are both turning 30 this year and were talking last Sunday about how much fun it would be to go back to Bandon to celebrate. Had our tee times booked later that evening and flights booked as of Tuesday last week.

[Chigolfer2]

I know September is a popular month....Are you saying that tee times are already filling up? Our group won't be doing many 36 hole days so we won't have to tee off in the 7-9:30 slot too often but I'm wondering how early to book September times in the 9:30 - 11:00 time slot.

[ryu123]

I was in Bandon one month ago and was surprised to see how busy it was. Even on a rainy + windy Thursday morning Bandon Dunes was busy till about 11 am.

One morning at Old Macdonald a relatively large group of golfers took up the first 90 minutes of tee times.

So if I were handling the booking, I would book as early as possible. The deposits are generally not too high, and most people who fly into Oregon don't get scared by weather forecasts (since most are wrong anyway, even 24 hours out).

If your group wants to play certain courses, then booking early is the way to go. If you are willing to play any of the four main courses, then you can wait a bit.

And September is a great time to go, even if the rates are higher.