Course Review: Bandon Dunes

tequila4kapp

Tom Watson called to say “Hi”
Albatross 2024 Club
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Tigard, OR
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This is a review of the Bandon Dunes golf course. For information about features and facilities common to the entire resort, as well as the resort itself, please click HERE.

Bandon Dunes was designed by David Kidd McLay - a then relatively unknown golf course architect from Scotland - and opened in 1999, making it the resort’s first course. Bandon is currently rated as the 62nd best course in the world by Golf Digest and the 20[SUP]th[/SUP] best links course in the world by Golf.com.

A resort patron that has never played links golf before should play their first round at Bandon Dunes, as it is the most approachable of all the courses on property. Although the landscape is obviously different from our home course, Bandon still manages to feel somewhat familiar. This owes in part to the course having fairly well defined fairways and because it is the only course on property with a traditional routing. Although the course has plenty of challenging shots and dramatic views, there is an overarching sense that this layout is fair (every hole has a safe miss and the collection areas may leave us tricky shots, but they aren’t unnecessarily punitive). Put all of this together and I think the words which best describe a round at Bandon Dunes are “comfortable” and “fun.”

Bandon's Lodge and ProShop, as seen from the 18th fairway (Bandon practice green in the foreground; the semi-circle glass section of the Lodge is the Tufted Puffin restaurant)


Bandon's layout



Layout (Grade A+)
The essence of playing a round at Bandon is the sense that this is a superb course with an incredible routing and layout.

The par 4’s have variety, both in terms of distance and shot making that is required of us. The short par 4’s give players options off the tee without being gimmicky. The par four16[SUP]th[/SUP] hole – with ocean running the full length of the fairway, a massive crevasse dissecting the fairway, a huge dune creating upper and lower landing areas, the possibility of driving the hole with a helping wind and a daunting second shot toward the ocean - may be among the best par 4’s in world.

There is a certain balance to the routing and how it incorporates the Pacific Ocean on 7 holes. We commonly spend time inland, then at the coast, then back inland, and so forth. The holes that play into and along the Pacific are incredible – two par 3’s and a par 4 that play toward the ocean, a par 3 and a par 4 (the previously mentioned 16[SUP]th[/SUP]) with greens perched at the edge of a cliff and ocean along the full length of the hole, another par 4 with the tee sheet that must avoid ocean left, and a par 4 tee box that provides the best views of the entire course (even though it brings us back inland).

Inland par 5’s are the perfect length – never unfair when the wind is in our face and potentially reachable when it is at our back (without being too easy). This is a very nice contrast to some of the other courses which have some hole that seem to be designed with the prevailing wind in mind, which makes them brutal if you happen to get different conditions.

The only complaint I have ever heard about Bandon is that the 18[SUP]th[/SUP] is an underwhelming closing hole. Personally, I think this is unfair. We wouldn’t dismiss Disneyland because the last ride of our trip wasn’t the best one in the park. In my opinion, there isn’t a bad hole on the entire course.

Difficulty/Playability? Bandon offers five five sets of tees:
Tees
Yardage
Rating
Slope
Black
6732
74.1
143
Green
6221
71.7
139
Gold
5716
69.5
133
Royal Blue
3945
n/a
n/a
Orange
5072
66.6
126


Bandon offers the near perfect mix of being challenging yet playable for all skill levels. There are no forced carries (#16 does literally have a forced carry but it is much more of a visual trick than a true obstacle and you still have a bail out option left). The only inland water on the course is effectively out of play (only an extremely wayward tee shot would get you in trouble). Fully one half of the course’s holes bring traditional OB or the Pacific Ocean into play, yet the holes are eminently fair in that they offer pretty obvious areas to make a safe miss. There can be no question that this course is accessible by lesser skilled players. Having said that, the course also offers plenty of challenges to the highly skilled player.

The view from the 1st fairway


A view of the 11th green, special attention to the cool bunkering


Number 16, as seen from the tee


Course Conditions (Grade A+)

I have played the course numerous times. Only once have I experienced anything other than a course in perfect condition (the greens were overly sanded that time and management gave me more than fair compensation when I politely mentioned it). I have played the course in torrential downpours and not seen a smidge of standing water.

The fairways are typically pretty pristine (staff walks the course each morning seeding divot marks). Due to the volume of play tee boxes can show divot marks (this is mitigated each day by moving the boxes up or back a small amount). The rough is penal, but maintained so that it is not punitive. The sand traps have always been perfect.

All of the courses are intermittently closed for a day to all for rest and recovery; be sure to inquire when you make your reservation.

Pace of Play (Grade A)
I am fortunate to have been to Bandon multiple times. Pace of play has never been an issue. The caddies help here – they are effectively tasked with keeping groups on pace, and their assistance with distances and club selection, locating wayward balls and tidying up sand traps allow groups to play at a quicker than normal pace. Also, marshals are always permanently placed intermittently throughout the course and monitor pace of play.

I played an early Sunday morning round in 4:40. Honestly, I have been rethinking my start and stop times because I’m having a hard time believing it took that long (my threesome never waited for our turn and we didn’t hack it around that much). There may be human error involved…it just seems more logical that this was a 3:40 round. Because of my past experience and the possibility of human error I’m still rating this an “A” (it would be an A+ otherwise).

Amenities (Grade A)
As with all courses at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, there aren’t people riding around selling food and drinks on carts. Bandon is a bit unique from the other courses in that snack shacks aren’t available throughout the course. However, this is due to the fact that Bandon has a traditional routing which returns us to the clubhouse at the 9[SUP]th[/SUP] tee. This gives us immediate access to McKee’s Pub, the Tufted Puffin restaurants, the snack shack, bathrooms, the locker room and the Bandon Pro Shop. Most players walk over to the snack shack and grab a sandwich and beverages to go, then return to the 10[SUP]th[/SUP] tee.

Price (Grade A+)
It costs more to play Bandon than your local course. But it also costs way less to play this world class resort course than nearly any other course of comparable quality. Add in the possibility of playing the course as a discounted second round of the day or the free third round of the day and we must conclude that the price is a bargain.

Overall (Grade A+)
With apologies to Field of Dreams and baseball fans everywhere, the answer – at least for golfers - to the question “Is this heaven?” may well be Bandon Dunes.

Simply stated, Bandon Dunes is a superb course. It is visually appealing, offers diverse golf challenges, strikes a great balance between playability and difficulty, is fun and features several memorable world class holes. Put it on your bucket list.


To see additional Bandon reviews click here: Resort, Pacific Dunes, Old Macdonald, Bandon Trails and Bandon Preserve.
 
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Time for some gratuitous Bandon pictures...

Bandon's pro shop (this is the biggest of the 4 on property, it is only partially shown)




Back of the Lodge as seen from the 10th tee


View of the Inn as seen from the 10th tee (across the practice and 18th greens)


1st tee


Approach shot from the 4th fairway. Its a shame it is foggy, this is an amazing view


4th green


The bottle necked 5th fairway - views in both directions, plus a look at a waste / bunker that runs the full length of the green






#7


Looking back up the 9th fairway from behind the green




The 11th




Number 12, par 3


Trust me, you do not want to be in this bunker (don't ask)


14th green, I believe. This is an understated but really cool short par 4. The green is protected by the dunes, so wind plays with your shot in a weird way and the green stays more damp than others and plays a little diffferent


The 15th, par 3


View from the 15th green


The 16th (it plays 345 from the green tees. I hit two balls for fun. One landed 6 inches in the OB, pin high. The other was 50 feet left of the green, pin high. You have to love a stiff wind at your back!)




A close up of the crevasse you hit over on 16


My 1st tee shot


My 2nd tee shot is in there somewhere


Views from the 17th tee and a little tradition






Apologies for the crappy camera picture, the view across the ravine to Preserve




My drive on 17, the green is just left of the dune in the distance (across the ravine).


After pitching out I hit a bleeder just right of the green. It isn't super evident from the picture but this is about 6 inches from a huge cliff like drop off. Fun foot placement for the 4th shot...


18th green


 
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I'm loving these write ups. After reading Dream Golf and learning about how Bandon was created and thereafter kept growing, I imagine it's a fascinating place.
 
Great write-up. The course is definitely on my bucket list.
 
Thanks Frank. Such a great course to do a review on. Very nice job. I hope to someday head out that way and play Bandon.
 
Such an awesome review Frank. Thanks for taking out the time to share your thoughts!!! Bandon is definitely a course I would like to play in the future.
 
I want to go there soooo bad. Next year is my year
 
Good golf course, I've played it once in a pouring rain and still enjoyed the heck out of it. (They will give you a waterproof score card)
 
You messed up DMK 's name in your lead sentence.
 
Frank, how far off do they recommend booking up a caddie for the time you are there?
 
Frank, how far off do they recommend booking up a caddie for the time you are there?
If you are asking for a specific caddie there's no harm in doing it well in advance, like when you make your overall reservation. If you just want a generic caddie you can do it the day before or day you play. Given what we've discussed separately, I recommend booking them now.
 
Tick tock, tick tock goes the Bandon clock..........

#10Days
 
great write up looks amazing i need to make the drive up there one of these days
 
It's a fun trip, have done it twice now. Golf is great, food is meh, ship in your own wine


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NO WAY!?!? Dude, I'll be there too! We should totally hook up!

Don't think I'll have enough time. You see I'm playing 8 rounds in 6 days so time will be an issue. Maybe you'll be in the 4'some behind us??!! :D
 
have done it 4 times (and each of the last 3 years) have another trip set up for March. Great golf and truly a unique experience. Last year met and got to chat with Ken Griffey Jr as he was there with some buds for a golf trip.
 
have done it 4 times (and each of the last 3 years) have another trip set up for March. Great golf and truly a unique experience. Last year met and got to chat with Ken Griffey Jr as he was there with some buds for a golf trip.

Very cool - during our first trip we played 2 rounds behind MJ and Mario Lemieux. Ended up chatting with Mario and getting a photo. MJ not so much


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