Seattle to Bandon and back

[jkaisrlik]

Hey all,

Some friends and I are headed to Bandon next week. I decided to head out a 3 days early and am flying into Seattle Monday morning. I'm looking for advice on courses to play and their current conditions. Since I've got a rental car and nothing else planned I'd like to try to catch a couple nice ones. I just need to be at Bandon Wed evening. I'd prefer Elevation change since we don't have much of that in FL. Definitely trying to avoid recently aerated greens.

 

Monday - Landing around 11 Sea. I've heard Chambers is in rough condition. I'd be able to catch it on Twilight at ~90 but open to other good ones that I can get to in time from the airport. How is the home course? Essentially, I'm deciding between the two?

 

Tues- Decisions to be made. Suncadia? Thats a little far West but could potentially head south to Bend and then West. Gold Mountain 36 or other options. Or I could head straight to Bend to play Pronghorn and Brasada.

 

Wed- Kind of based on Tuesday. I kind of want to avoid Portland for now. Going to play Saturday AM. Thinking about hitting SandPines as the Second before Bandon.

 

Sat AM- Portland area. Really just split on Langdon or Pumpkin Ridge. This will be 3 of us. One of them is a Member of a Country Club I doubt there is a possibility of Reciprocity.

 

If anyone wants to play shoot me a PM. Thank You for the Advice.

[kaschreiber]

I'd suggest the following. I live in Seattle now and just made the trek down to Bandon in late Jan/early Feb (trip report somewhere on here). Happy to answer any other questions if you'd like-

 

Monday: Depending on if you make it out here often or not I'd say skip Chambers. If it's your only chance to ever play and you can play for $90, I think it's worth it just to say you've done it. I've heard rumors it's closing this summer to redo the greens yet AGAIN, but don't know that for sure. If you'll have a chance to get on it when it's more playable, I'd suggest the Home Course.

 

Tues: Suncadia would have just opened as they get a ton of snow in the winter in that area. It will have the elevation change you're looking for and a good flavor of PNW golf in the woods, but it's a straight shot east from Seattle as you said. I'd suggest Gold Mountain, in which case you wouldn't have to heard north Monday night, unless you already have lodging in town.

 

Wed: Haven't played Sand Pines, but I've heard nothing but good things. You could also hit Tri Mountain on the way south in Ridgefield, which is about 20 minutes north of the OR/WA border.

 

Sat: Don't think you could go wrong with either. There is a Portland area course conditions thread that might help you answer that question.

 

Do you already have your Bandon itinerary set?

[jkaisrlik]

I don't know that I'll be back any time soon other than to come to Bandon maybe in the next 5-8 years

 

Yes I've Got Wed night through Friday set at Bandon but everything else is up in the air. Would Tuesday in Bend be worth it? Pronghorn and Brasada over a much shorter drive and playing Gold Mountain

 

I'm booking then finding places to stay

[Kernel]

I'll speak to the Portland component . . .

 

Both Langdon and Pumpkin are great courses, though I prefer Pumpkin. That said, this time of year (and especially with the recent and expected rains), Langdon is the obvious choice. It drains as well as any course around here and PR is among the worst draining.

[grew]

Gold Mountain Olympic course is awesome and cheap. Its just over an hour from SeaTac.

[jkaisrlik]

Gold Mountain Olympic course is awesome and cheap. Its just over an hour from SeaTac.

 

I could do that! How does it compare to Salish Cliffs ?

[kaschreiber]

They're both Top 10 in the state (in any publication and from anyone that has played both). We played GM last month and it was in great shape- heading to Salish Sunday, so could provide more input then. You can get 36 at GM for the price of 18 at Salish. If GM were closer to Seattle, it's probably a $100 round in peak months, but being out in Bremerton its an incredible value.

[spud3]

Portland is getting a good dose of rain/showers (shocking, right?) this week, so I would confidently say any course in the area will be less soggy than Pumpkin.

[ryu123]

for perspective, here's where I've played in the three cities mentioned:

 

Seattle: the Home Course, Chambers Bay, McCormick Woods, Trophy Lake, Gold Mountain (Olympic), Newcastle (China Creek), Port Ludlow, Sahalee (south/north), Aldarra, White Horse, McCormick Woods. It's been a cool, wet spring, so most of the Pacific Northwest courses will be soft.

 

Portland: Heron Lakes (Great Blue), Pumpkin Ridge (Witch Hollow), the Reserve (south), Willamette Valley, Columbia-Edgewater

 

Bend: Aspen Lakes, Juniper, both Pronghorn courses, Tetherow, Black Butte (Glaze Meadow), Crosswater

 

If you've already been to Bandon, I'd play Chambers Bay then head straight to Bandon & play as much as possible before your buddies show up. The Bandon turf is firm & fast, and links golf is rare in the US.

 

If you haven't been to Bandon yet, Chambers Bay then direct to Bandon.

 

Simply put, there's really nothing in Seattle, Portland, or Bend that I've played that compares to Bandon. The Trails course has elevation changes (& so does Old Macdonald to a lesser degree). Pacific Dunes & Bandon Dunes are beautiful & so much fun.

[IcemanYVR]

Gold Mountain Olympic course is awesome and cheap. Its just over an hour from SeaTac.

 

I second this suggestion. It was worth the drive down from Vancouver. Actually, both the Olympic and Cascade courses are good.

[bellken]

Suncadia is 1+ hours east of Seattle, and, we are suppose to get snow in the passes this weekend. Gold Mountain is on the other side of Puget Sound from Seattle. Bend is over 5 hours from Seattle, but, it is at least on the dry side of the mountains. The weather looks to improving starting next Wednesday, but, a lot of the courses around the PNW are quite soggy. I would skip Suncadia and, possibly Bend, OR (this very early spring/late winter in those areas - hopefully, someone with 1st hand knowledge will chime in). This has been a very wet spring, and, playing 1 wet soggy round might be enough before heading to Bandon, but, since you are in the Seattle area, I would recommend the Gold Mountain courses, and, Chambers Bay, and, staying in Tacoma, unless you have a real reason to go to Seattle.

 

NOTE: If you have 2 nights in the Seattle/Tacoma area, you might check out Chambers Bay's Championship Experience, 2 nights hotel, and, 3 rounds of golf - Chambers Bay, Gold Mountain Olympic and the Home Course.

[mallrat]

I’m gonna throw a monkey wrench in your plans.

 

I say play Chambers on Sat to do it. It is really interesting to see and feel the differences between Bandon and Chambers even though they are completely different courses.

 

Now Tues is where I will add a change, if you want a really cool NW course make the drive to Tokatee. Also Tokatee is a straight shot through Eugene to Florence and Sandpines. They should have some cheap lodging there. I love that course. If not make the drive all the way to Sandpines or stop and play OGA. OGA isn’t the greatest course ever but it is cheap and if you need anything you can stop at the Outlet Mall basically across the street.

 

Weds would depend on Tues, if you do Tokatee play Sandpines. If you play play OGA play Sandpines. If you play Sandpines in Tues play Bandon Crossings. Crossings is a very fun course that gets very little love because of the big brothers down the street. It’s also nice to ride in a cart for a bit before walking your butt off for a couple days. Plus you will most likely meet some caddies

 

Sat play Langdon, Pumpkin is a great track but it will be a swamp right now, same with Heron Lakes.

[Edaw68]

This is an interesting idea. Even if it doesn't help the OP, I may try something like this for my Bandon trip next year...

[bellken]

All I can add, is to check the weather forecasts for you potential locales. A lot of courses, here are getting ready for the upcoming golf season, so, the greens have been aerated, and, are in various stages of healing. My local course has been so wet, they haven't mowed the tee boxes. btw, I think Mallrat's idea sounds like very good.

 

good luck with the weather

[spud3]

I think the weather will not be cooperative for anything on the east side of the Cascades.

 

This has been a long, lingering winter in Oregon. OP is coming from Florida. Can't imagine that playing in temps barely making the mid-40's with lots of rain showers on soggy courses (IOW, typical PNW winter golf) is going to be much fun.

 

I still like the suggestion of playing Chambers and maybe hitting Langdon, but really spending as much time as possible at Bandon. That's what you're coming for. Maximize it.

[dave willie]

I live in the Seattle area, and I avoid Chambers due to it's greens being so poor. When they finally complete the transition to poa annua, it will be worth playing. The Gold Mountain courses are about as firm in the rainy season as it gets around here, and they are both nice courses.

 

I second the idea that Pumpkin Ridge is a bad choice given the recent rains. Langdon Farms plays a lot drier, Another course in the same area as Langdon is Stone Creek - nice layout and terrain, and probably similar firmness to Langdon.

[wkuo3]

Your main concern should be (1) the weather, since we have a very wet Winter and now dragged into the April Shower season. (2) the terrible traffic congestion we have along all the major roadway, now into the beginning of road construction season.

 

Because of the moisture we have been having and continue to have, some golf courses had moved their aerification schedule, so call ahead is a must for planning. Since you won't get out of the airport until maybe around Noon time, de-plane and luggage claim and rental car..... your window of playing is narrow.

I'd suggest to golf around where you'll be staying for the night. If you stay around Seattle or Bellevue area, check out Oki's Newcastle, The CoalCreek course offers nice view to the lake and the Cities, definitely with elevation change. The other one the ChinaCreeek will have more moisture. You can even stay somewhere close in Bellevue or Issaquah. The Hilton Garden Inn in Issaquah is less than 10 miles to the Newcastle Courses ( drive local not freeway ). They also have other hotels around Issaquah, but if you want to shop in the evening or enjoy night activity, get to Downtown Bellevue, a bit more expensive to stay but walk to Bellevue Square shopping mall and loads of fine dinning.

If you're going to the Chambers Bay, Stay somewhere close to the golf course, plan to drive about an hour from the airport to the golf course.

 

In stead of a detour heading East to Suncadia ( 90+ minutes one way ), Best to play your way South. Pick golf courses that advertise "drier condition in the Winter" because most the golf courses around here will have soft turf from the rain and tall rough ( maintenance could not be performed owing to the excessive moisture ).

 

It's a long drive from Seattle to Bandon, with the weather , allow plenty of extra time so you won;t have to rush on the roadway.

[BUCKEYERBALL88]

Gold Mountain Olympic course is awesome and cheap. Its just over an hour from SeaTac.

 

I could do that! How does it compare to Salish Cliffs ?

 

Salish is better than gm Olympic but both are very good

[kaschreiber]

Gold Mountain Olympic course is awesome and cheap. Its just over an hour from SeaTac.

 

I could do that! How does it compare to Salish Cliffs ?

 

Salish is better than gm Olympic but both are very good

 

Just got off Salish on Sunday. Agree that it's a better course and would love to get to play it when its dry and playing summer conditions. That said if it's wet AND if you're factoring in value, for my money GM Olympic is the best course in the state.