| THE INSIDERS GUIDE TO BANDON | |
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Be Prepared to Walk With only the rare exception (a medical exemption), all courses at Bandon Dunes are walking courses and you should be in fairly good shape before you arrive. If you plan to play 36 holes on at least one day, it will take a toll if you’re not prepared. Walk some rounds at home or get on a treadmill to prepare before you get to Oregon. And bring at least two pair of comfortable and broken-in golf shoes with you. |
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Book During The Shoulder Seasons The weather on the Oregon coast can be unpredictable to say the least, even in the summer months when tee times are the most expensive and difficult to secure. Booking during March, April, May, October, November and December means not only greater availability, but it’s less expensive, sometimes by more than half. Bandon veterans know there are days in December when the warm Southerly winds bring temperatures where you can play in shirtsleeves. |
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Bring The Proper Gear As mentioned, the weather at Bandon is predictable and unpredictable at the same time in that you know it’s going to rain but you just don’t know exactly when or how much. Bring quality rain gear and plenty of changes of shirts and socks. |
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Fly Into Eugene And Drive to Bandon Coming from the East Coast you can fly into Portland (4-hour drive) or North Bend (30-minute drive), but the best option is Eugene, about a 2 hour 30 minute drive to Bandon. It is a gorgeous drive that may have you stopping to snap pictures of some of America’s most beautiful scenery. |
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Stop at the Sugar Shack in Reedsport and SharkBite’s Seafood Cafe in Coos Bay It may take you more than 2 plus hours from Eugene because you will have to make a couple of stops. The Sugar Shack in Reedsport is an old-school bakery that has great service, hot coffee and some of the best donuts you have ever tasted. And just outside Bandon in the town of Coos Bay is the SharkBite’s Seafood Cafe, a relaxed little place that offers hand-crafted cocktails and humongous quesadillas. |
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Stay For at Least 3 or 4 Nights And Play Every Course at Least Once This is especially true if you are from the East Coast. It is a long trip, maybe once in a lifetime, and there are multiple courses to play. There are some hardy souls that plan 2-3 day trips with 36 holes or more per day. That’s ambitious at best and potentially self-destructive. Plan for at least three days of 18 holes and at least one day of 36. |
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Lodging Options Beds and lob wedges have a lot in common at Bandon Dunes -- you use them only when absolutely necessary. All five lodging options at Bandon Dunes are spartan in the décor and amenities, but they are a perfect fit with the general aesthetics of the resort and the needs of the avid-golfing guests. You get a comfortable bed, spacious bathroom, good water pressure, a sizable flat screen TV and free WiFi. |
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Tee Time Management If availability allows, play Sheep Ranch, Pacific Dunes and Old Macdonald in the morning, Bandon Dunes and Bandon Trails in the afternoon. There's no protection from the afternoon winds at Old Mac, and it can be bag-toppling brutal in July and August. On the contrary, the tree-lined fairways of Bandon Trails will provide more relief than any other course on property. |
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Play The Punchbowl The Punchbowl is an 18-hole putting course that has become an end of day ritual for Bandon regulars. It’s a great place to have a drink (brought to you on the course from the clubhouse), smoke a cigar and make a friendly wager or two. |
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Caddies & Other Options Given the walking only policy, the subtle breaks in the greens and some of the blind shots around and over the countless dunes, a caddie is often critical to a great score and a good time. Caddies fees as of the summer of 2020 are $100 USD per bag, per round plus tip. There's an ATM in the main Bandon clubhouse, across from the snack shack, but you can also get "caddie cash" at any pro shop counter. They'll put a charge on your room and give you cash to give to your caddie. You do have the option of walking and either carrying your bag or renting on of the resorts inexpensive pull carts. |
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Have The Lamb Stew at McKee’s Pub Howard McKee, along with Mike Keiser, was the visionary developer who brought Bandon to reality. A gifted architect and an exceptional human being, McKee passed away in 2007 at the age of 68. He is remembered by all who knew him and his spirit lives at McKees Pub. Located near the clubhouse for Bandon Dunes, McKees feels like stepping into a pub in Edinburgh, and tastes like it too. Everything on the menu is good but try the Lamb Stew, a big bowl of slow cooked goodness |
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Play One Round by Yourself Bandon is all about spending time with old friends and making new ones. That said, I find the solitary round at either the beginning or end of the day to be like going to church. If you have time, book a late afternoon round at Old Macdonald. Walking alone with only your clubs and your thoughts will give you time to truly appreciate how wonderful this game truly is…and how lucky you are to be able to experience it. |
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Book a Massage On couples golf trips, guys tend to think of a massage as something that the significant other goes for while they are out on the course. But after several days of navigating the ups and downs at Bandon, your muscles will be screaming for relief. Book a massage at the on- property spa and you’ll not only thank us, but you’ll be ready to go the next day. |
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Resort Shuttle Service Shuttle services throughout the resort are some of the best in golf. Call from anywhere on property and you'll have a ride within three to five minutes. Drivers are helpful, happy and informative. Once on property, you do not need a car and it generally sits until you have to depart for your flight home. |
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Budget for the Pro Shops Five courses, five logos... you get the idea. You might want to set a budget number before you go and stick to it. |
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Have a Cigar in The Bunker Ba As the name suggests, The Bunker Bar is located on the lower floor of the Bandon Dunes clubhouse. There isn’t a lot of signage for it and on the stairs down it seems like you are going to end up in a storage room. But what you find is a cozy retreat that features poker tables, pool tables and a bar with a first-class collection of spirits. And since you can smoke indoors there, be sure to bring your own or sample their great inventory. |
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Take Your Phone or Camera on the Course The courses at Bandon are one big photo op, and you don’t have to be a pro to take snapshots that are magazine worthy. The caddies will help with any photos you want, so be sure to take home plenty of memories of the courses and your friends. |
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Hit The Boat for Fish and Chips On the drive home, stop at The Boat Restaurant in Coos Bay. This little gem is packed with locals munching on the some of the best fish and chips in the area. While you wait for your grub you can take a quick stroll through the train museum next door. |
GOLF COURSES
GOLF COURSES
PACIFIC DUNES
Designed by Tom Doak and opened in 2001, Pacific Dunes is remarkably different in character and shot making requirements than the other resort other courses.
Pacific Dunes doesn't feel like it was built as much as it was discovered. Rippling fairways remain just as they were found and natural bunkers line the landscape as they have for centuries. The course emerges from shore pines to spectacular 60-foot sand dunes.
When the wind blows, precise approach shots are a necessity. Pacific Dunes is short enough to give you hope, but rugged enough to test every facet of your game.
BANDON DUNES
It began in 1999 with the opening of Bandon Dunes. Designed by Scotsman David McLay Kidd, the course is perched on a bluff high above the Pacific Ocean. Bandon Dunes unfolds along pristine native dunes where expansive ocean views are revealed on nearly every hole.
The course is completely natural and routed through an environment of indigenous vegetation. Beyond breathtaking scenery lies the game of golf in its truest form. This is a thinker's course. Winds are ever-present, and the varying elements create a new experience each time you play.
SHEEP RANCH
MORE THAN 15 YEARS IN THE MAKING, THE SHEEP RANCH IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE IT WILL BE OPENING TO THE GOLFING PUBLIC IN JUNE 2020.
The design team of Coore & Crenshaw were hired to work on the Par-71, 7,000-yard 18-hole layout. Co-founded by Phil Friedmann and Mike Keiser, the Sheep Ranch was for many years a mysterious golf landscape just north of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. Located on Five Mile Point, and originally designed by Tom Doak in 2001 while he worked on Pacific Dunes, the property is being renovated for full public use in conjunction with the adjacent Bandon Dunes property.
With one mile of ocean frontage, nine green sites right along the edge of the continent, and stunning Pacific Ocean views on every hole, Sheep Ranch will continue the legacy of “Golf As It Was Meant to Be” on the Pacific Coast.
OLD MACDONALD
18 holes, 72 par, 6944 yards
The fourth course at Bandon Dunes pays homage to golf course architect Charles Blair Macdonald by asking one simple question: What would Macdonald have created had the Oregon Coast been his canvas?
Inspired by Macdonald's iconic work, course architects Tom Doak and Jim Urbina crafted a course that seeks the answer upon vast greens, among myriad angles of play, and from the depths of fierce bunkers. By celebrating these classic concepts of design, we honor the traditions of this game we love.
BANDON TRAILS
18 holes, 71 par, 6759 yards
When Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw began working in the sand to uncover our third course, they faced the challenge of following Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes.
Opened in 2005, Bandon Trails begins atop a massive sand dune, then quickly opens into a sprawling meadow. The routing then works higher into the coastal forest, before finally returning to finish in the dunes. The course is enjoyable to walk and is a constant reminder of how the game was originally created among inland rolling dunes with dramatic ocean vistas.
BANDON PRESERVE (PAR 3)
A unique experience in every way, Bandon Preserve is a 13-hole par-3 course that delivers a level of enjoyment matched only by the spectacular views.
Opened in 2012 and designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, Bandon Preserve begins high atop a sand dune and rolls down toward the beach. The Pacific Ocean provides the backdrop to every hole.
All net profits from greens fees go to the Wild Rivers Coast Alliance of Oregon.
THE PUNCHBOWL 18 HOLE PUTTING COURSE
The newest addition to Bandon Dunes, The Punchbowl is a 100,000-square-foot putting course designed by Tom Doak and Jim Urbina.
No tee times are needed, just show up and put your golf ball in the queue. It is open by 2pm and closes at dusk. Night use is prohibited. There is no cost to play, The Punchbowl is a complimentary amenity for resort guests and takes about an hour to play.
There are 18 holes, lengths differ from day to day. Some are short, some are long. The green is about 100,000 square feet, or 2.3 acres.
