The 5th Holes at Bandon
One word comes to mind: Sheesh.
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:
I’ve been looking at each numbered hole at the Bandon Dunes resort, and there have been some tough ones. But while we’re only at #5, I’m already a bit torn about what to choose.
Oddly or interestingly (or, perhaps, neither but roll with it) four of the five 5th holes on Bandon Dunes Resort are par-3’s. Only Bandon Dunes itself is not, and it’s a par-4. Bandon Trails, Old Macdonald, Pacific Dunes and Sheep Ranch all slot a par-3 in as the fifth hole.
And man, are they all so solid. But we’re here to make the tough choices so let’s get into it.
The Best Hole 5:
This is really a tough one for me, because one of those par-3’s I referenced above might just be my favorite par-3 on the entire property. So why isn’t it the choice here? Because the par-4 5th at Bandon Dunes might be one of my favorite holes, regardless of par, on property.
First, there’s the view off the tee:
You see those mounds in the middle of the fairway? They really don’t matter too much (I poofed my drive and landed in the sand in front of one) but they are so visually distracting. The best line is down the left but of course you bring the gorse - which is all OB because it’s a protected area - into play. If you bail out right, you’ll likely be safe but hitting a completely blind, somewhat long second shot into the green. And oh, that green …
If you look on the left side of this photo (which is the right side off the tee), you can see how you might not even be able to see the flag here. There’s also way more room than it seems between where the chute to the green starts and the actual green begins. Oh, and there’s a bunker as well on the left here we can’t see. It’s such a good challenge, visually gorgeous and yet with a solid tee shot and a great approach, you have a real chance at a good score.
The “Worst” 5th Hole
As noted, these are all really good but for me this isn’t such a hard question. Sheep Ranch has so many great holes, and a few par-3’s that are right up against the coast. The 5th does have a good ocean view but is a bit set back. I like how the green is more elevated than other par-3’s like the 3rd and 16th, but when I try to visualize the routing at Sheep Ranch in my head (what, you don’t do this?) I sometimes bump on the 4th and 5th holes. They’re quality holes, but somewhat filler holes for me. (Spoiler alert - that’s because the 3rd is so good, as previously mentioned and the 6th we will be talking about more next week.)
Most Underrated 5th Hole
As noted, one of the par-3’s is one of my favorite on property. We know from the above it’s not Sheep Ranch, and with props to Pacific Dunes (a hole that sees a decent amount of aces, per the marshals) and Old Macdonald (the “Short” hole that is ridiculously fun to play), it’s the 5th hole at Bandon Trails that has my heart.
This is usually just a pitching wedge or a 9-iron, and I love short par-3’s. The green is massive, but somehow folks find the front and right bunkers with regularity. The green is also split into sections (if you look above, you can see the darker line across the green which shows the huge downhill slope) so if you decide to club up, your putt coming down towards a front pin will be terrifyingly fast.
It’s also so gorgeous. The wooden fence, the natural gorse and trees, and the way the hole is just set back - it’s a relatively simple hole that I think about a lot. It’s a true gem.
So, if we are counting, here’s where we are so far:
Best Holes: Sheep Ranch (1), Bandon Trails (1), Old Macdonald (1), Pacific Dunes (1), Bandon Dunes (1) - that’s incredible it worked out this way, and it wasn’t intentional.
Worst Holes: Bandon Dunes (2), Bandon Trails (1), Old Macdonald (1), Sheep Ranch (1)
Most Underrated Holes: Sheep Ranch (1), Bandon Trails (3), Bandon Dunes (1)
What’s your favorite 5th hole on Bandon Dunes?