The first time I played the course, I honestly had a similar reaction. When it comes to the best course at Bandon Dunes however it ranks #4. Photos: See additional photos of Bandon Dunes. Fla. Amateur Championship. - 57744 Round Lake Drive, Bandon, Oregon 97411 – UNITED STATES. Can be a brute when the wind is up..- hole 9, is a long par 5 with a collection of pot bunkers in danger off the tee. I have read a few interviews with McLay Kidd and it seems like he realized he may have gone overboard on a few of later designs. 7 Stars Not 5. The second time we played it the temperature was in the high 30s and the rain didn’t stop. In fact, the courses and resort are so amazing I've considered several times just taking a couple years off to head there and beg for a caddy job. His father was the head greenkeeper at Gleneagles, and David had grown up with Scottish golf in his blood. In general the fairways are generous but every hole is well defined by dunes and bunkers. Immediately upon its official opening this month, The Sheep Ranch went into the thick of the argument about which is the best course at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. The Sheep Ranch Golf Course is a brilliant addition to Bandon Dunes. However the grass is short allowing recovery shots via putt, hybrid, chip or flop shot depending on the players preference. Was this review helpful? Even if the dune does block your view, there’s a generous landing area to the left of the green. Bandon Dunes Resort is the best golf resort in the world, in my opinion. The land was co-owned by Phil Friedmann and Bandon Dunes founder Mike Keiser, but the general sentiment was that there wasn’t enough land to build a full 18 hole course. Bandon Dunes, Golf Course reviews, contact information, hole details, maps, and weather. An incredible find that thrilled the herpetologist in me. Pacific Dunes is considered by many to rival Pebble Beach as the finest public-access course in the country. The oldest course in the Bandon area is the Coos Golf Club which was designed by H. Chandler Egen/William G. Robinson, ASGCA and opened in 1924. The resort is truly the "Field of Dreams" for golfers. Bandon Dunes might have been the first course built at this ever expending resort but still remains the course that you MUST play when visiting. You get away from the water towards the Club House. A trip here from Europe does require a bit of planning, but it is well worth the effort. 0 people found this review helpful To me, every hole on the course is special, which is why Golf Magazine has Pacific Dunes ranked no. All rights reserved. Some, including Kemper Sports president Josh Lesnik (KemperSports is Bandon's golf management company), tab Bandon Dunes as their favorite course at the resort. gary c wrote a review Jun. See other reviews from regripped. The evolution of the course and its Scottish architect has been substantially documented over the years. An award-winning writer and past president of Texas Golf Writers Association, he has more than 25 years in the golf industry. And even though you can't see the ocean from most of the course, its presence is always felt, though the trees block much of the wind you feel on the other courses. Bandon Dunes is a walking only course so you won’t find any cart paths or carts other than the ones marshals use. Our Top 10, is reserved for only the best of the best and that’s where Pacific Dunes belongs. This is good to be told because chatting with the starter and caddies before the round gives you a better movie of what you are going to experience in this sunny and windy morning. Book Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon on Tripadvisor: See 590 traveler reviews, 286 candid photos, and great deals for Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, ranked #2 of 12 hotels in Bandon and rated 4.5 of 5 at Tripadvisor. A trip to Bandon Dunes should be on every golfer’s bucket list, and with a course like Pacific Dunes, it’s easy to see why. As in Scotland, if you miss the green putting is still an option as most areas are closely mowed. The next special is 12th which can play a long iron into the wind or a short one downwind. Takeaway: Keiser’s favorite course at Bandon Dunes is Old Mac, mostly because it’s a tribute to his favorite architect. Many Golfers surely enjoy their rounds in natural environments. Follow Mike on Twitter at, Ranking the courses at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort: Pacific Dunes on top, but after that, not so clear cut, WE AND OUR PARTNERS USE COOKIES ON THIS SITE TO IMPROVE OUR SERVICE, PERFORM ANALYTICS, How many perfect courses are there? Was this review helpful? Bandon would truly be something similar to that and easily doable. I found it the most playable of the courses, you will be hard pressed to lose a golf ball. Furthermore, the inaugural course at Bandon Dunes is possibly routed across the finest linksland outside Europe. Designed by Scotsman David McLay Kidd, the course is perched on a bluff high above the Pacific Ocean. So back in 2001 when Pacific Dunes was built, Keiser tasked Tom Doak to build 13 greens on the property under the mandate that each green be able to be approached from any angle. Bandon Dunes is the title course of the world-famous Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. BY USING THE SITE, YOU CONSENT TO THESE COOKIES. Book your green fee, view upcoming events, golf course reviews, weather forecast, nearby hotels and more. Best of all, the holes are interesting and way more challenging than most par 3s. Hole Locations Local Rules Compare Services. It opened for play in 1999 and was designed by David McLay Kidd. I decided that fortune favours the foolish, so took on the 16th green from the tee. As far as which Bandon course is best, that is best left to each player. It’s quite an amazing place. Takeaway: Keiser’s favorite course at Bandon Dunes is Old Mac, mostly because it’s a tribute to his favorite architect. This is a brilliant golf course. There are a number of other fantastic holes although I really enjoyed the blind second approach to the 10th. Par 5 3rd gives you the first great shot from an elevated tee facing the ocean, reachable in 2. You see, Pacific Dunes was never meant to be a tournament caliber course like Bandon Dunes, it was simply supposed to be the best collection of holes Tom Doak could find on this perfect piece of property. The view you get when climbing to the green is the best on the course and could be the best at all of Bandon Dunes. All four major courses are tremendous layouts, outstanding in their own way, and to come to Bandon and not play them all would be a mistake of epic proportions. The 4th hole is one of our favourites, a 410-yard par four, which takes you out to a gorgeous green, sited on the edge of the Pacific. View key info about Course Database including Course description, Tee yardages, par and handicaps, scorecard, contact info, Course Tours, directions and more. Mr McKlay Kidd was the first one to put his hands of this property before Doak, Core&Crenshaw and soon Gil Hanse with Bandon Links to be started soon. But even there, the rankings after Pacific Dunes are so close that you can see that everyone has a slightly different opinion. Better than Bandon Dunes? This was the first course my wife and I played on our recent trip to Bandon. Pacific Dunes is considered by many to rival Pebble Beach as the finest public-access course in … A similar reaction, I honestly had a similar reaction in general the fairways are generous but every hole well..., golf course reviews, weather forecast, nearby hotels and more best course at Bandon is! 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