Charles McLaughlinCourtesy of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
GOLF ATRAVEL Player’s Guide
Golf’s New Mecca
Considered the No 1 golf resort in the United States, with four courses ranked in the top 100, is Bandon Dunes really as good as the American golf media makes it out to be? Charles McLaughlin went to find out for himself.
I
t all started with some whispers about a stunning new course being built on the outskirts of the tiny Oregon town of Bandon. Where? By the time Bandon Dunes opened, rumours were again swirling about a second, even better course called Pacific Dunes. By the time word got out about a third, Bandon Trails, and then a fourth course, Old Macdonald, most serious golfers from our part of the world had at least heard of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, but relatively few had ever been there. There are now over 90 holes built in this remote spot, and we felt it was time to go and see what all the fuss was about.
The spectacular 16th on the David McLay Kidd-designed Bandon Dunes course, one of the world’s great short par-fours 74
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That was easier said than done. Part of the allure of Bandon is the difficulty of getting there. Suffice to say San Francisco is the best hopping off point, and it was from there that a friend and I flew. After an unfortunate delay and an even more unfortunate lost bag (both of which I learned is pretty much par for the course – see sidebar), we arrived at the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport at North Bend and took the 25-minute shuttle bus journey to the resort. By now I was steeped in Bandon lore: how a greeting card salesman, Mike Keiser, without a commercial thought in his head, had stumbled upon some wild linksland and had hired a completely unknown Scot, David McLay Kidd,
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Courtesy of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
Pacific Dunes
The 6th at Bandon Dunes (top), a splendid par-three; the 11th at Pacific Dunes offers superlative views of the ocean (opposite top); the first hols at the Coore and Crenshawdesigned Bandon Trails (opposite bottom) 76
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to design and build a traditional links course. It sounds fanciful because it is. Keiser had built a billion-dollar company called Recycled Paper Greetings, the second biggest greetings card company in the world. He was hardly a salesman. In addition, he had already embarked on purist golf course construction some time before, with the acclaimed Dunes Club course near Chicago in 1985. He was also a founder at another noted “wilderness” project, the highly rated Sand Hills Golf Club in Nebraska, built by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw in 1990. Furthermore, Kidd, the little-known architect, was the son of legendary greenkeeper Jimmy McLay Kidd of Gleneagles and they originally came as a team before ill health forced Jimmy to take a step back. That said, it was a bold move to take the Kidds in the first place and David has since gone on to build his own flourishing course design business. As for “stumbling” over some land, Oregon was explicitly chosen as having high potential and the search along the coastline went on for some time. In the end it was largely due to the organisational and negotiating skills, and sheer tenacity, of Kaiser’s colleague, the late Howard McKee that the originally protected land was acquired in 1989 and converted to golf use, with the first course opening almost a decade later. Even the “uncommercial” tag is nonsense. Kaiser and his team set out to build the purest golf destination in the world and did so with a
view to making it profit-making from the start. In its first year, Bandon needed 12,000 rounds to break even. They sold 23,000. Simply put, Bandon is a brilliantly run and highly successful operation, a shining example to all in terms of how to do it right.
Bandon Dunes The first, and in my opinion, still the best course at Bandon, this was a revelation when it first opened in 1999, and it’s easy to see why. In some respects it represents the first true links course on American soil. Every hole has a distinct reason for being there and is truly memorable, although there are still particular standouts. The sublime sixth, a mid-length par-3, being an example on the front nine. By the time you reach the closing stretch, you can’t believe it can get any better. But it does. Playing holes 15, 16 and 17, as the sun is setting, is simply one of the finest experiences in golf. The 16th, a short par-4 with the prevailing wind at your back, is an absolute gem. A ridge runs diagonally through the hole, giving you the option of laying up short of it from the tee or taking on the lengthy carry which, if successful, leaves little more than a flick to the clifftopperched green. Classic. Par: 72. Yardage: 6,732. Designed by David McLay Kidd. HKGOLFER.COM
This is a magnificent and breathtaking track and is without question the toughest course at Bandon. Forgetting the coastal winds for a moment, Pacific’s blown-out bunkers tend to encroach more, and the fall-offs are steeper than at Bandon Dunes, its older sibling. As such, there are less options for bump and run approaches and it is less links-like as a result. Tom Doak has built a reputation as a minimalist architect and he’ll never find better terrain in which to work with. It’s a quirky layout, which gives truth to Doak’s stated aim of “discovering” the holes rather than forcing them upon the landscape. This results in a rather unusual routing – there are five par-3s, including back-to-back one-shotters at 10 and 11, and only two par-4s on the back nine – but this doesn’t detract from what is a fabulously natural course. The 18th tee provides one of the truly great vistas in golf, with much of the development visible and the Pacific Ocean beyond. Perhaps what separates Bandon and Pacific is that when the wind gets up, Bandon becomes a memorably great challenge whereas Pacific can become simply unplayable.
the place, but then gets lost in the trees, literally. All the courses at Bandon are walking only, so it’s jarringly incongruous to find a truck waiting to shuttle us from hole 13 to the notoriously unplayable 14th. This 325-yard hole appears to be a classic risk-reward par-4, but in practice it’s infuriating, with no real way to get to the green. The hole drops from the tee, before rising again to the green, and the fairway slopes sharply from left to right. As such, anything short will kick down and away to the right. Nothing on the fly will hold the green, and in the one possible spot on the left that might allow a ball to run on, there is a bunker. Off the tee, pretty much everything from a four-iron to a driver will end up in the same divot infested patch and from there it’s nigh on impossible to hold the green with the approach. From experience, it’s best to putt from beyond the hole as chips have almost no way of stopping before running into the bunkers on the right. This is the least played course here, and it’s clear why. There is no doubting the architectural credentials of Crenshaw and Coore, but even they couldn’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, and have probably done their best with what they were given. Playing amidst pine forest, with Bandon’s Pacific Ocean-hugging alternatives just minutes away, is simply not an attractive option. Par: 71. Yardage: 6,765. Designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw.
Par: 72. Yardage: 6,633. Designed by Tom Doak.
Bandon Trails Anywhere else in the world, this would be feted as perhaps the best course in the region. Here it ranks a distant fourth behind its siblings. Opened in 2005, it kicks off brilliantly with two holes weaving through some of the biggest dunes in HKGOLFER.COM
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“The Sheep Ranch” An open secret among aficionados, this is a bunch of Tom Doak greens laid out just north of the main Bandon resort and not officially recognised as part of the complex. Built on a peninsula, there are 12 greens, each designated with a letter. It’s then up to you to decide what you want to do. There is no formal course routing, no distances (although there are a few 150yd markers), no limit on the number of holes you play – and no facilities, other than a portaloo! Fifty bucks gets you on, and only one group is allowed at a time. Set on approximately one mile of beach front, and with an infinite number of possibilities, this is a unique experience for the golf connoisseur. Kaiser has stated that he’d like to develop this more, but other priorities are in the way. It’s also hard to see how to do anything to this without killing it’s uniqueness. Watch this space. Par and Yardage: Variable. Designed by Tom Doak and Nature.
Old Macdonald Opened in 2010 and ostensibly a homage to Charles Blair Macdonald, an early advocate of bringing the best from the legendary Scottish courses to the New World, this is an unbelievable tour de force. Keiser rates Macdonald as his favourite architect, with National Golf Links of America his favourite course. While officially the work of Jim Urbina, “Old Mac” was essentially designed by committee, although it hasn’t proved to be the disaster that that implies. Instead, of all the courses here, this is the closest to providing a truly authentic Scottish experience. Coming over the top of the hill on the third, by the blasted tree, one is treated to a view that could be 400 years old. You can see almost the entire course and everyone on it, with stick figures moving slowly among the dunes and the sea in the distance. If ever a course dispelled the notion of “fairways and greens”, it’s this one. The fairways are huge, the greens are enormous, but hit either in the wrong place and you can forget about par. If ever a course brought back what golf was originally all about, it’s this one. Anyone can play, almost no one loses a ball, and the good player will always prevail. I’d say that Old Mac was the focus of more 19th hole discussions than any other, but take my word for it – this is what you will remember when the views have faded. It is also the most popular course at Bandon. Surprise, surprise, it turns out fun is popular. Par 71. Yardage: 6,978. Designed by Jim Urbina. Courtesy of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
Bandon Preserve The work of Coore and Crenshaw, this par-3 course is perhaps the most enjoyable stretch at Bandon and an absolute treasure. Comprising just 13 holes – because “that’s what was there” – with proceeds of each round going to preserve the nearby wetlands, the swirling winds and multiple tee boxes mean you can stay here a week and never play the same course twice. Every hole has Pacific Ocean views, and some overlook the Trails and Dunes courses. Par: 39. Yardage: 1,468. Designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. 78
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In its first year, Bandon needed 12,000 rounds to break even. They sold 23,000. Simply put, Bandon is a brilliantly run and highly successful operation, a shining example to all in terms of how to do it right.
In Conclusion There are so many “must visit” golf destinations around the world and everyone has their “bucket list” of courses they want to play. Let me suggest you add Bandon Dunes to that list, very near the top. Is this the most luxurious golf resort? Absolutely not, but I haven’t enjoyed golf so much in my life. The ability to play so many magnificent courses in such proximity to one another is unique. The Oregon air itself is intoxicating, and at times I found myself standing over a shot, seeing the turf and bunkers, taking in the sun reflecting over the endless Pacific and simply laughing out loud at being in such a ridiculously rich golfing environment. It really doesn’t get any better than this. Visit Bandon just once and rediscover why you loved golf in the first place. The 14th at Old Macdonald, a course the author says is the closest to providing a truly authentic Scottish links-like experience
TRIP PLANNER GREEN FEES (May–October 2013) Dunes/Pacific/Trails/Old Mac: US$235 (first round) / US$120 (second round); third and subsequent rounds on the same day are free. Preserve: US$100
WHERE TO STAY There are a number of choices available ranging from private individual rooms to 4-bedroom cottages: The Lodge/The Inn/The Lily Pond. The preferred choice. All facilities available within a short stroll of the accommodation. Single rooms from US$245, up to US$1,800 for a four bedroom suite. The Grove/Chrome Lake.Try to avoid. Staying in these units leaves one at the mercy of the resort shuttle buses, which are unfortunately unreliable. There is a shuttle call phone in the room, but all too often it didn’t trigger a timely response and hanging around outside the unit was a common occurrence. Double rooms from US$400, up to US$1800 for a four bedroom cottage. We stayed in the Chrome Lake Lofts, which have a shared living room and two bedrooms . The theme at Bandon is “back to basics”, and this is reflected in the somewhat spartan lodgings. Nothing terribly wrong, just poor value for money.
DINING Let’s face it, no one comes here for fine dining, and the food offerings range from what might be described as “Half-way Hut Plus” to decent Pacific Northwest fare.
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The Gallery Restaurant in the Lodge is the most salubrious venue, with a good wine list, particularly in terms of local pinot noirs. Ask Phil Sabol, resident sommelier (and Tony Orlando lookalike) for advice: his knowledge of Oregon wines is outstanding. In terms of dishes, the Braised Short Ribs and the Wild Chinook Salmon were superb. Next door is the Tufted Puffin Lounge which sounds like a very rude anagram, but is in fact the classic 19th hole overlooking the course. Standard bar fare and a good spot to grab a soup and sandwich between rounds. Below ground in the Lodge is the Bunker Bar, serving a fine range of single malts and boasting an extraction system allowing cigars to be smoked. Pool, card table, sports TV and a go o d atmosphere. Jus t what the doctor ordered! Named after Keiser’s sadly departed old partner, McKee’s Pub has a dining room upstairs with great visual course views, and a lounge bar downstairs with great verbal course views. With a wide range of local brews, this is the spot to discuss one’s game, give one’s opinion and collect one’s winnings. The food is good too, with the legendary “Grandma’s Meatloaf” living up to its reputation. Away from the Lodge and surrounds, the Pacific Grill sits atop the pro shop at Pacific Dunes, has s tunning 36 0 - de gre e views and offers a separate menu strong on local seafood. The halibut was outstanding.
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Finally, Trails End sits alongside the 18th of Bandon Trails (and the first of Bandon Preserve) and has its own unique style of comfort food. The wagyu meat balls and lamb burgers were great. Overall, the food was well priced with enough variety in terms of dishes and venues to avoid going stir crazy whilst staying here.
CADDIES Caddies are essential first time around. A good caddie will save countless strokes and Bandon’s are the best I’ve ever experienced – ours was called “Famous Amos” – and I spoke to a few who had worked on the PGA Tour. Caddies, however, are expensive, at a recommended US$80 per bag, plus tip – all paid in cash. Watch out for my least favourite practice, “double bagging”. A “looper” takes both bags and then expects to be paid a full rate for each. It’s a way for the resort to reward its best people. The downside is that you are forced to wait while he shuttles between both players on the course. With such a need for large amounts of cash it’s good to know there is an ATM on the property, but it’s unreliable and often out of order. Instead, get “caddie cash” from the pro shop. There are no additional fees and the amount is simply charged to your room bill.
GETTING THERE SkyWest (aka United Express) run two unreliable flights a day from San Francisco (SFO) to Southwest Oregon Regional Airport (OTH) and the flight time is two hours on an Embraer 120 Brasilia. These are miserably small planes, and it’s best to try to get a seat by the emergency exit with more legroom. Cancellations and delays are routine, and the flight can cost over US$500. The biggest issue is with the “packers”, the people who load the luggage in SFO. They appear to leave luggage behind on every flight, both clubs and suitcases. We decided to travel in our first day’s golf gear, taking our shoes in our carry on luggage. This was a good move, as my friend’s suitcase took two days to arrive. On the same flight another passenger lost his golf bag and another discovered a broken driver on arrival. Our flights were delayed by an hour going and by eight hours returning, which is apparently not unusual.
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