The 3rd Holes at Bandon
The analysis continues...with some bangers
As noted, I’m doing a review of each hole at Bandon, by going through each numbered hole across the five 18-hole courses. If you want to start at the beginning, do so here:
As we get to the third hole on every course, it’s time to buckle up, folks. Cause there’s not a bad one in the bunch. In fact, the 3rd hole is one of several that spurned this entire exercise from when I built the Dream 18, realizing that certain numbered holes are excellent. And the 3rd is one of those.
THE BEST 3rd HOLE
If you know much about me and my fascination with Bandon Dunes Resort, AND you know the layouts of the courses, this one is pretty obvious. It’s the “Sahara” hole at Old Macdonald, home of the infamous Ghost Tree.
It’s not just that the small hill beneath the tree presents a challenge to get over on the tee that is purely mental. The tree itself provides a guideline to where the green is - and as the fairway runs downhill, on the right day with the right player, the green is drivable. You know that I love me a good short par-4. But the hole is also special because when you climb this hill and stand near the Ghost Tree, you can see … almost everything.
The Ghost Tree looms large - and honestly, the hole would be tremendous without it (if and when it finally falls, I think they should just put a large rock or something atop the hill). But what I love about that tree is you can see it from so many different spots, and even from Pacific Dunes and Sheep Ranch. In fact, on the resort map, the Ghost Tree is very much a part of the legend. Also, by the time you read this, I may well have a tattoo of the Ghost Tree, settling up a bet made on our last trip to Bandon.
“WORST” 3rd Hole
As noted, there are five really great holes across the courses, so this is nitpicking. But the one hole that has me wanting just a bit more is the third at Bandon Trails. Before I get a ton of pushback, I think it’s a well designed hole, but I really hate that you tee off across an actual road and sometimes have to wait for a car to pass before hitting your shot. This used to be the road into the resort (or at least to Trails) and is still very much in use. One of the joys of Trails is how vibey and quiet it is, and it’s absolutely jarring to have an F-150 roll up while you’re getting ready to hit a tough tee shot.
Most Underrated 3rd Hole
Folks rave about the short par-3 at Sheep Ranch, so it’s hardly underrated (and hard to love it too much when it shares a green with the 16th, which we’ll for sure discuss later. The other two courses both have par-5s that I love, but I’ll lean slightly to Bandon Dunes. After the tough two opening holes, a shorter par-5 is so, so welcome. Even for a shorter hitter like myself, going for it in two is not a crazy idea and certainly it’s quite reachable in regulation. There are some smartly placed fairway bunkers that you have to pay attention to, and the contours of the green is really critical to consider as you decide where to land your approach. When the wind is up you CANNOT try to hug the right side of the hole or you can find the gorse far too easily. It’s both a challenging hole and a true opportunity for a good score. I dig it.
The par-5 3rd hole at Pacific Dunes is also great but just a bit tougher with an absolute death bunker off to the left as you approach the green (with gorse to the right).
What did I get wrong in the above? What’s your favorite 3rd hole on property?
So, if we are counting, here’s where we are so far:
Best Holes: Sheep Ranch (1), Bandon Trails (1), Old Macdonald (1)
Worst Holes: Bandon Dunes (2), Bandon Trails (1)
Most Underrated Holes: Sheep Ranch (1), Bandon Trails (1), Bandon Dunes (1)