Terry Richard trichard@oregonian.com 503-221-8222; @trichardpdx How do we feel about this? Aside from its world-renowned golf courses, a Bandon Dunes golf package has so much to offer visitors. Very warm and humid. Again, pictures and words will never do it justice. Its the perfect spot to settle some post-round bets. Its crazy but the weather just does not ruin your adventure. I just returned from my 14th trip to Bandon so clearly I'm a certified Bandonista. Enjoyed every minute of it. Adam, such a great article and had me absolutely stoked for my trip planned in early 2021. Pacific is amazing. Does a night cap in the Bunker Bar really yield the secrets to finding your way around Bandon's sandy surfaces? Both are in the early stages as Keiser, plus his sons Michael and Chris, navigate state and sometimes federal permitting processes. There are a number of options that are pretty well described on the Bandon website. Obviously, we only stayed at the Inn but I did ask a few staff members where was the best place to stay. Everyone will tell you that the drive to Portland is a 6 hour nightmare which is totally wrong. I have played my fair share of awesome golf courses but until you tee off with the raging Pacific Ocean to your side you will not understand the magnificence of Bandon Dunes. GOLF.com and GOLF Magazine are published by EB GOLF MEDIA LLC, a division of 8AM GOLF, 11 Things You Might Not Know About Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, How this military veteran (and womens football player!) My expectations heading into the trip was to play some links-style golf without having tocross the pond. Bandon delivered the kind of golf I was hoping to experience and much, much, more. decanter and four 10 oz. Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge 11 Somehow I smile deeply remembering the exact moment when it started to hail (brought on I am sure by one of us saying something like this rain is not very wet to which we responded yeah because it is frozen!. Any tips on a successful trip? This is a well managed place, and a great buddy trip location. Turns out, everyone was special that night as Bethany had quickly learned all of our names. 10. A benefit of visiting this area, five miles seaward from U.S. 101, is that it's rarely crowded. In hindsight, that was a mistake, Keiser said. Craig Better is one of the founding editors of Golf Vacation Insider. Until then enjoy the book Dream Golf and feel the Bandon love. function() { Following in our ancestor's footsteps, the Irish-named town of Bandon, Oregon will be among the first to record this year's annular solar eclipse when it reaches the United States on October 24. Plus, itll offer you a chance to meet Grant Rogers, Bandons Director of Instruction and one of golf's old-school gurus. Thats my point, Bandon was designed for hardcore golfers who want to save a few bucks so they just let it slide when you wheel in 8 handles of brown liquor into your room. The problem is that there are also lots of doubles out there between the wind, rain, greens and just bad shots. It's the only place in America where you've ever worn your rainsuit. Article by Geneva Miller. For sure!! Ommmm. Rogue River Multi-Day Rafting Trip 121 Recommended Adventure Tours from $1,195.00 per adult Rogue River Intro-to-River Running 2-day Adventure from $530.99 per adult The area Whiskey Run Lane, Bandon, OR 97420 Best nearby Restaurants 4 within 3 miles Pacific Grill 69 2.3 mi$$ - $$$ American Seafood Vegetarian Friendly McKee's Pub 73 Keiser also plans to institute a youth caddie program at New River Dunes. (function( timeout ) { Experienced mountain bikers may want to plan a nighttime excursion. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Additional support came from businesses and organizations such as Business Oregon, Southern Oregon Workforce Investment Board, Travel Oregon and Wild Rivers Coast Alliance. He has since put his focus on designing fun, amateur-friendly layouts. Do you think it's worth paying $275 to play Trails? Let's play 36. Keiser and his family arent stopping in Oregon, either. Pro TIP: ask for room 101 which is much bigger than most and has a fireplace. })(120000); Keisers interest shifted to other projects, such as Sand Valley in Wisconsin and the under-construction Cabot Saint Lucia in the Caribbean, which is slated to open in 2022. #1/2 Bandon Dunes/Pacific Dunes. Rolling a pull cart across a green does not cause the Earth to explode. See a photo show of 20 reasons to love Coos County on the southern Oregon coast. Now taking reservations through October 31, 2024. He then handed me a book on Bandon with a short hand written note inside. The original golf course, Bandon Dunes, opened in 1999 and was designed by David McLay Kidd. Old school links golf. Likewise, the Punchbowl putting course was designed by none other than Tom Doak, who also designed the celebrated Pacific Dunes. We enjoy Crossing more than Dunes. There is more land, although there is no more land that I own. Bandon Dunes is the top golf resort in the country, based on volume of great courses that have climbed the Golfweeks Best rankings of resort layouts. Cyclists get to experience a working forest and ride beneath trees at various ages and stages of growth. The resorts current short courses include the 13-hole, par-3 Bandon Preserve, and Shortys, a nine-hole par-3 course built into the practice range. The greeting card magnate succeeded in creating "golf as it was meant to be." YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. I'm sure a lot of it had to do with the fabulous weather we had at the beginning of June. The properties in which Keiser is involved stretching from Bandon Dunes on the Pacific Coast to Cabot Cape Breton and its two courses in Nova Scotia tend to feature layouts from a tight roster of highly acclaimed architects such as Doak and the team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. As for being held captive, I'm assuming that you all rent a car either in North Bend or Portland so you should have the freedom to leave the property and explore the area. To the relief of many, United will start offering nonstop flights from Denver to North Bend starting July 1, 2015. 2 on our ranking of America's 100 Greatest Public Courses, Bandon is No. Courses across the globe are feeling the love from our GolfPass golfers. If you've been there, you'll totally relate to these. Then again, if you do it once in your life, this may as well be one of your best experiences. Turn left onto Whiskey Run Lane, follow .3 miles. The difference is the huge evergreen trees and monstrous feel. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort opened in 1999, and by 2019 it had five eighteen-hole courses, one of them on the site of the Whiskey Run gold strike. With the Masters less than two months away, Augusta National's renovated Par 3 Course appears ready to shine. Lots of uphill short holes but played very long. We did get our links weather we played in rain, wind, hail, and not be left out a little bit of sunshine. When you play in a solid rain for 4 hours youd better be prepared. If one were to write a review strictly about the golf, I honestly cannot see how he could draw a stark difference between playing Old MacDonald vs North Berwick, or Bandon Dunes vs Royal Aberdeen. Our solution was ShipSticks. Pacific Dunes (designed by Tom Doak), Bandon Trails, and Old Macdonald followed from 2001 to 2010, with a fifth course (Bandon Preserve) added in 2012, offering a 13-hole experience designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. Inspired by the kindred spirit of our golf experience, each restaurant presents a unique setting that is sure to leave you satisfied and ready for your next journey around the links. Great article. They rank Nos. greens and fairways is less important than the vibe you get. The rooms at the Inn are fairly simple but nice. The town of Bandon has a couple of bars and restaurants, but if you're looking to build a trip around cultural activities, this might not be your spot. The Tufted Puffin Lounge features incredible panoramic views of the original Bandon Dunes golf course in a casual bar There is no right or wrong list of the courses. Tom Doak and Jim Urbina have done an admirable job bringing to life a reflection of CB MacDonald's golf influence. }, Otherwise wait until 2017 when the bloom was off the rose and everyone has had a chance to visit. Even better, no one cares. In addition to golf an lifestyle product reviews, we write long form prose on a variety of topics and feature many golf instructional posts and videos. Parking and trail access are free. Michael, Chris and I did decide that given the demand of the five original courses (at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort) plus the two short courses, we would endeavor to do two new courses, one 18 and one par-3. The next day a few of us got our own caddies because the weather was going to be rough. We use tools, such as cookies, to enable essential functionality on our site as well as collecting data on how you interact with our site, products and services. Youll recognize it from the tap, which looks like a golf grip with a ball on top. Both are destinations that the true golf addict should make the effort to enjoy. The trail system represents community-wide engagement. Band-Aids aren't for wimpsthey're for warriors. Please reload CAPTCHA. When all of the ideas had been spitballed and voted on and fretted over, the result would be a plan for a world class golf course with amazing views and a resort that offered everything we want and none of the stuff we dont. First off I think that the actual design of each course, i.e. Weve just begun the process of getting approvals on both of those, so theyre not really live. Built as memorial to Howard McKee, one of Bandons founders, the travertine marble maze is patterned on the famous labyrinth at the Chartres Cathedral in France, and its meant to be a place for meditation. Confident riders can safely navigate the trails after dark with a little illumination, said Kessler. For us on the west coast (SF),we take one 14 hour flight. The original 13 greens with an unset, play-as-you-like routing built by Tom Doak lay just across Whiskey Run Lane to the north of Old Macdonald, one of four existing 18-hole layouts at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in southwestern Oregon. From the East Coast, flying to Bandon via the small nearby North Bend Airport usually involves at least two stops on the way. Best For: Windsurfing, Kiting. A few weeks ago, I had the chance to be part of a pretty special trip to Bandon Dunes. As I mentioned we would have never been able to figure out where to hit the ball or where the next tee box was without the help of a caddie. Flying to North Bend is easiest, but it can be pricey. I just don't like Links golf and harsh weather, that's all. There are differing opinions on which is the "best" course on the property but there is no disputing that Bandon Dunes is central to the Bandon experience. His courses play into the changing attitude and environmental concerns that have made "brown the new green". Add caddies that care, a short course for when you arrive late, a huge putting green, outside seating area, tons of sitting areas, restaurants that serve good food at reasonable prices and a staff that understands you have saved for this trip for a long time (and spent countless hours convincing your wife you just have to go). That is why TravelSafe created a product specifically for the modern golfer GolfSafe Travel Protection. I suggest testing your gear with a hose and for a long time. it will be among the most beatiful sites or golf courses you have ever seen. 2023 Premier Golf. Please choose from the options below: Select lodging to be included in your request. DO NOT pass on playing it. Thankfully, the protective plastic bag he had placed the book in was never needed as we enjoyed a day of glorious sun. We are splitting hairs on this one. Since we rented cars, getting 4 guys and 4 sets of clubs in an SUV was going to be a challenge. I thanked him for lugging me around the prior day in the rain. There is so much to explore along the Southern Oregon Coast, and Bandon is one of the highlights. Youre going to travel through different ages of forest, said Erin Kessler. You don't go to Bandon Dunes and fail to order Grandma's Meatloaf at McKee's Pub. Clearly they are made for dudes who will be tromping around in wet clothes and simply need a place to crash. 18. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. For example, the carpets are a tight weave that is meant to withstand golf shoes and bags without getting torn up. The clubhouse features an indoor and outdoor quick-serve experience of many Irish favorites. At Bandon Dunes, golf is the main event, the total focus for the resort, and it's that unique type of golf that compels golfers to make the pilgrimage to this relatively isolated region on the Oregon coast. rocks glasses, all made of 24% full-lead crystal. For Scotland we go 9-10 hours to London, and then change planes to Edinburgh or Glasgow, etc. Eugene, Oregon, is around a 2.5-hour drive from the resort, Eugene Airport (EUG) also offers daily nonstop flights from cities including Burbank, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Jose, and Seattle. We do like to go into Bandon or Coos Bay for dinner and drinks a night or two. After our final round we just threw our wet clothes and clubs in the box and left them at the front desk. The bathroom is large and has super hot water for reviving your core temperature. The Sheep Ranch was a semi-secret at Bandon Dunes for years. Please see our availability calendar for our latest lodging availability. Links golf requires a range of specialized shots, and Grant Rogers can teach you all of them, from the bump-and-run to the putt-from-anywhere. Dont take your score so seriously. It costs only slightly more than airline baggage handling fees (for $60, ShipSticks will send your babies from New York to Bandon via 6-day ground), and your well-rested clubs will be waiting for you when you arrive. We played 4 rounds but only did 36 one day. If you can almost afford it then get your own caddie (and get your cheap buddies to chip in since he will end up helping them too). If they want to see some spectacular coastal scenery they only need drive a half hour north to Shore Acres State Park or south to Coquille Point in Bandon. = I guess you need to embrace it a little but as a first timer you are so mesmerized by the scenery you forget about how hard it is raining. Unless you go between May and September you are going to have to fly into Portland or Eugene, Oregon. I tell people all the time: "You need to go to truly understand it.". Review the lodging availability calendar on the previous step for a general overview of possible date ranges and search again. timeout Kurt removed the first grate to reveal another grate which when removed uncovered an ancient bottle of Scotch and a rustic leather guestbook which we proceeded to sign. You might not have heard of these brands, but they're leaving their mark. Looking forward to Cabot next September. The property wasn't walled off or exactly private . Youll probably never have better fish tacos than those served at Bandon Trails' Trails End. Two great courses and another under construction. I have been to Pebble and Pinehurst and I put Bandon right up there with them. Thought Pacific had 17 nice golf holes, Bandon maybe just 8. 2.3 mi Beaches. Would probably sway my choice. Great place and experience to do it at least once in your life. Bandon Dunes It began in 1999 with the opening of Bandon Dunes. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Three Guys Golf is a golf blog that seeks to provide a unique perspective for fellow golfers. Michael and Chris Keiser also are working to restore Glenway Golf Club in Madison, Wisconsin, and there are initial plans to build more courses, possibly even in the Florida Panhandle at an undisclosed site not far from Destin. I sort of got stuck in that box., Mike Keiser, owner of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Golfweek files). At a minimum ask for a room with a view to #18 green. Some guests even tee it up with their caddies on their off-days over at the nearby (but unaffiliated) Bandon Crossings Golf Course. I am told it is a great course for match play but the reality is there is limited time and the other 3 courses are just much better. Just far enough from town for a sense of escape, Whiskey Run trails wind through Coos County Forest, home to a wide array of trees and plant species. Try the east coast of Canada for links golf, close and good value for your dollar. The project was frequently called the Bandon Muni in its previous form, because Keiser planned to offer local players deeply discounted green fees of less than $50. All those courses have been jampacked since COVID restrictions began to ease midway through 2020. I hope you guys have a chance to get back sometime! An aura of mystery surrounds Bandons other course, a rough-hewn layout just beyond the northern edge of the resort. The Punchbowl is an immersive 18-hole golf course that takes around an hour to play. Pacific Dunes has a tapestry of memorable holes with #4 and #13 being perhaps the best coastal golf holes I've played (#13 gets the top nod from me). If you play two rounds in a day, the third round will be free. 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