Back to Bandon Dunes

A return to my happy place, and it's still just so, so good.

I was lucky enough to take my fourth trip to Bandon Dunes Golf Resort earlier this month, and while that number isn’t insane for some folks (I have a friend who is about to make his 23rd trip - and the resort has only been open for 26 years), it’s a lot, and I’m fortunate to know that I’ll likely be going back next year and again in the future.

This time, I was part of a group of 16. Two years ago we were a group of 12, and my prior two trips were (in comparison) meager trips of just a foursome. I was asked if this was the best trip ever, and the question kind of confused me because … they were all great and yet all different.

If you have spent any time reading this blog, you’ll know I love Bandon Dunes, and have written a lot about it. Well, here’s some more thoughts, especially for anyone who is considering making the trip to the Oregon Coast for world class golf.

The gorse was in FULL bloom.

First, it’s a trek. If you can, you should drive there - you can pack up your car with your extra clothes, a pushcart if you’re planning on using one, etc. Living north of San Francisco, even though there is a direct flight to North Bend (a place that is hours away from Bend, and also SOUTH of Bend), when you add in driving to the airport, security, and the shuttle from the airport to property, you’re still talking about five or six hours minimum - and the chance your clubs won’t make it or that the flight will be cancelled, both of which happen somewhat frequently. But you can fly into Eugene or Portland, or anywhere else and make the trek - and you should. Plus, if you do so, you can sneak in some extra golf at Bandon Crossings or Bar Run not too far from the resort itself.

This is the second straight Bandon trip I’ve taken in mid-February, and people justifiably ask … why? For one, green fees are a third of their summer rate, but also? You simply can’t judge when the bad weather will come. Unlike two years ago, we did get some rain this year but honestly it was not that bad. The worst weather I’ve ever played through at Bandon was 10-11 holes on Sheep Ranch in September of 2021. That’s the peak season!

The other question everyone asks - to a comical level, even though it’s important* - is how you rank the courses. I’ve gotten to a spot where my rankings finally didn’t change after this trip with the exception of adding in the new short course, Shorty’s, which wasn’t open last visit. But I think there’s a granularity to how I think about them that - at least for me, is worth a breakdown.

* (It’s not important at all, but go with me.)

1. Old Macdonald (Tom Doak). If you asked me what my favorite movie of all-time is, I’d tell you that it’s “Diner.” If you asked me what the best movie of all-time is, I would not give you the same answer. That’s sort of how I feel about Old Mac. It’s my favorite, but I can’t really say it’s the best - the 9th through 12th holes are just not as good as the rest of the course and because they run together, it is more noticeable. But the VIBE at Old Mac is unparalleled. It truly feels like you’ve stepped away from the Oregon coast to somewhere in the United Kingdom, maybe at another time. We had by FAR the worst weather of the week here - at times, 30-35mph winds with strong rain - and yet many folks agreed that it was their favorite course. I completely understand why it’s not everyone’s top choice, but it’s the one I think about and adore playing the most. Side note - the new Ghost Tree Grill at Old Macdonald is easily the best new restaurant on property and very much needs to be a stop on any trip to Bandon.

   

2. Pacific Dunes (Tom Doak). That’s right, the Doakito takes the top two spots. Pacific Dunes has been ranked as high as the 2nd best public course in the United States, so I’m not really going out on a limb here. While there are some out there who think the course has a few weak holes (specifically, 14 and 16), after playing them again I have to state that they are - but only because they are so different in different types of wind. And honestly? That’s what golf is about.

   

   The hole above here is #10, a par-3 that has two sets of tees, upper and lower. You play from the one that aligns with what green you play on the prior hole - that’s right, there are two greens. Why? Because Doak saw two great green complexes sitting there and decided to use both. The hole that follows 10 is … another par-3, that hugs the coast. Starting the back nine with two straight par-3’s is bold, but until someone points it out to you, all you can do is stare at the next super cool hole staring back at you. Pacific Dunes is not only the most scenic and gorgeous hole (and it’s ode to Irish golf stood out a lot more to me since my Full Irish trip happened between these last two trips). Every time I think about swapping this course with the one just below, I just can’t do it. It’s so, so good.

3. Bandon Trails (Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw). Trails is the course I appreciate more every single time I visit. It went from being my 4/4 course to me wondering how it can knock Pacific Dunes out of the second slot. If I was ranking the “best” courses at Bandon, Trails and Pacific Dunes would be battling it out for the top slot. Trails is just hard to criticize on its own merits. There’s not a bad hole out there, and it feels like you and your group are the only people on the course almost always. Sometimes it feels like kismet - this was the Wordle on the day we played:

   

   It was Kismet!

   But in all seriousness, I just love how natural it feels, how truly beautiful it is (this time around, we noticed trees and bushes that are not in play but clearly manicured and maintained to set a tone. Is this akin to the waterfalls that Jack Nicklaus puts in that I mock mercilessly? Let’s not ask those questions.) The name of the course also belies that each hole can feel set apart from others and make one wonder if they are hiking, playing golf, or both.

   

4. Bandon Dunes (David McLay Kidd). The course some people insist on calling “the OG” has some weird issues I can’t look past but goddamn it is still so, so good. The ocean holes rival any on the planet, and the 16th is maybe the signature hole on the entire property. (And, cough, I birdied that this time around.) Many folks play Bandon as their first course of a trip, and the reveal on the fourth hole is as good an introduction to what lies ahead as anything else.

   

5. Sheep Ranch (Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw). While Sheep Ranch is perhaps the most FUN course on property, it’s also the least complex and asks fewer questions off the tee. This year, it was the second course we had lined up on a rainy afternoon and me and a buddy decided to skip it and go to the Labyrinth and the hot tub. I do have some regrets, but I suspect my body does not.

6. The Preserve (Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw). This is the first “short course" I ever played, and still perhaps my favorite. There are 13 par-3 holes and quite quickly you find yourself trying a wild putt, or re-teeing up and aiming at a spot you’d never considered. They let larger groups out and it doesn’t slow things down, and it’s just great. It’s also the home of a few of the best par-3’s on the entire resort, like the 6th hole below

   

   It’s almost impossible to not have a great time on the Preserve and it’s also a great warmup if you’re playing an 18-hole course afterwards.

7. Shorty’s (Rod Whitman, Dave Axland, and Keith Cutten). The newest addition to Bandon is another short course, this one with 19 holes (though one was closed when we played as the green had been damaged). On its own it’s simply fantastic but it for sure pales in comparison to the Preserve and probably would be a bit more fun if it was, say, 15 or 16 holes. But these are mild complaints for another great addition to the Happiest Place on Earth. Plus, it brings in one of the best logos on property.

   

   Shorty’s and the Labyrinth, what a pair.

8. The Punchbowl (Tom Doak). It feels both appropriate and odd to include this here, but it’s worth highlighting one of the more fun putting courses on the planet. We skipped it last year due to how cold it was, but this year many of us played it after finishing up on Pacific Dunes and it never fails to be truly silly fun. One reason I hope to go back in warmer months is to spend more time on here, with a transfusion or two in hand while trying quite literally impossible putts.

So, there you have it. Some folks have asked me if there’s a perfect itinerary - I do have thoughts on this, but I’ll save that for another time. But the most important thing I’d say is - play everything. Find a way to squeeze it in and play everything. Get a caddie if you value that and can afford it. The best caddies there are among the best anywhere, and they can make the rounds even more fun than you might have thought possible.

It’s getting harder and harder to get a reservation at Bandon Dunes, and that’s a real bummer - but I think you can get there if you really want to. As Dream Golf opens more properties in Colorado, Texas and Florida perhaps some folks will go there instead and free up the Oregon coast for the rest of us, at least a bit. But prioritize getting there, and be prepared for one of the best golf trips of your life.