The 13th Holes at Bandon

Lucky 13! Let's do this

I’ve been breaking down the best hole across Bandon Dunes Resort - the best first hole, the best second, etc. Below is the first installment, where I wrapped up the first ten holes if you’d like to catch up.

Additionally, you can just go here to find all my posts about Bandon on this Substack.

So, it’s time to move to the 13th holes across the property. And unlike some of the more recent holes, this is NOT the strongest numbered hole across the five full courses. It’s worth stating that none of them are BAD, per se, but only one truly stands out to me as an truly memorable hole. (Well, a second one does in not such a great way, but we’ll get to that.

The Best 13th Hole

As many folks know, Pacific Dunes was the second course designed after the namesake, and Tom Doak was tasked with the job. As they started the initial routing, he and Jim Urbina walked towards the edge of their proposed routing and noticed, among and above the gorse, a massive sand bunker that sat above would could very well become a green.

Potato quality photo taken by my camera from Doak’s book, “The Making of Pacific Dunes.”

It turned out that owner Mike Keiser ALSO owned this property (must be nice), so it was immediately incorporated into the routing. That led to an odd 14th hole, but we’ll get to that next week. Instead, what emerged was one of the most jaw-dropping, terrifying and gorgeous holes on property.

The best angle of attack to the green is up the left side which is, of course, a terrifying line off the tee. Most of the time, a fierce wind is coming off the ocean which makes it fairly tough to hold that left side anyway, so when you are coming in from the right side, you’ll be staring at that massive bunker. I’ve somehow never found myself in it, in three different trips, but I don’t want any part of it. There’s a lot more room around the green, a fact you either rely on your caddie to assure you of, or you discover when you wander up there. But if you walk off that green with a par, you know you’ve done something fairly special.

Worst 13th Hole

I’ve crapped on the middle section of Old Macdonald enough, and I’m not going to do it here, because I actually really like the 13th hole and the challenge of it. Instead, this one goes to the par-5 13th at Sheep Ranch, which is a fairly easy hole heading back inland. It is wide open off the tee, though there’s plenty of problems if you go left. But it’s also fairly short and there’s not a TON of thinking involved with the approach to the green. The green is fairly cool, with some serious slopes and fun pin placements, but not that many holes on property allow you to shut your brain off, and this is one of them.

Most Underrated 13th Hole

I am a fan of the par-5 13th at Bandon Dunes, which dives downhill all the way until you get to an elevated green. It’s super fun, the ball can run awhile and that’s great. But for me, the most underrated hole is at Bandon Trails. The 13th follows the long par-3 and in some ways, the two holes sit in their own little area on property. One of my buddies insists he could just play those two holes nine times in a row and call it a round. He might not be that crazy. (About this, anyway.)

Off the tee it looks fairly innocuous.

But from the fairway, you realize the green is a very tough scene. Going long is jail. Going right is either out of bounds or you find that bunker, which I spent so much time in on my last visit I considered having my mail forwarded there. Missing left or short isn’t awful, but your next shot better be solid or you’ll find one of those other two far worse options.

I’m not sure WHY that right side bunker is such a nightmare but if you look at it, towards the very back, you may see the remnants of my soul. I’m fairly sure I left it in there. And yet, it’s SUCH a good hole. It allows for you to rip it off the tee with a lot of room for most any ball flight, and a reasonable approach should be just fine. (It’s worth noting my approach last round ran up the right side and just faded slowly until it landed just above the trap and rolled down into it. Yes, it haunts me, why do you ask?)

It’s holes like this that make Bandon Trails so special because that wall of trees around the green are unlike something you’ll see anywhere else on property, and the seclusion and the feeling like you have the entire course to yourself is never more apt than it is here. It’s a really fun hole that too many people overlook because there isn’t an ocean view.

Rounding up what we’ve gotten so far, here’s the count:

Best Holes: Sheep Ranch (2), Bandon Trails (2), Old Macdonald (3), Pacific Dunes (3), Bandon Dunes (3)

Worst Holes: Bandon Dunes (4), Bandon Trails (1), Old Macdonald (4), Sheep Ranch (4)

Most Underrated Holes: Sheep Ranch (3), Bandon Trails (4), Bandon Dunes (1), Pacific Dunes (4), Old Macdonald (1)

What’s your favorite and least favorite 13th hole at Bandon?