Bandon - 4 Top 100?

[2bGood]

BTW, that's kind of my point, that I think most guys would rather walk in the rain or take the bus over to one of the other restaurants rather than sit upstairs at the pub. So a little more seating at Trails End and PD's restaurant and obviously the now added dinner service, and some added ambiance upstairs at the Pub and they're almost there. I've never actually been upstairs at McKee's but I can visualize it fine from your comments, horrible. Maybe another bar up there would fix it. A sim or an indoor putting green with some stupid slopes and a few Bulls Eyes would be fun.

 

Yes they could do some upgrades to dinning. We never eat off property (we like to drink so staying on site all the time means not having to worry about driving)

[eboettne]

This might have been covered in this thread and I missed it. I was speaking with the starter at Trails on my trip the week after Thanksgiving and he mentioned that while C&C were in town and scouting out Sheep Ranch they also were looking at the best routing for cart paths to be hidden on Bandon Trails. This would be the most logical course to make a cart course so older golfers could play however I feel like it would diminish the out in the middle of the wilderness feel that I love about the start of that back 9.

 

What are your guys' opinion on making Trails a carts course once Sheep Ranch is open for play?

[ebrasmus21]

This might have been covered in this thread and I missed it. I was speaking with the starter at Trails on my trip the week after Thanksgiving and he mentioned that while C&C were in town and scouting out Sheep Ranch they also were looking at the best routing for cart paths to be hidden on Bandon Trails. This would be the most logical course to make a cart course so older golfers could play however I feel like it would diminish the out in the middle of the wilderness feel that I love about the start of that back 9.

 

What are your guys' opinion on making Trails a carts course once Sheep Ranch is open for play?

 

I can see it both ways. I do agree with you regarding the natural wilderness feel but it is a beast of a course walking...

[duffer987]

This might have been covered in this thread and I missed it. I was speaking with the starter at Trails on my trip the week after Thanksgiving and he mentioned that while C&C were in town and scouting out Sheep Ranch they also were looking at the best routing for cart paths to be hidden on Bandon Trails. This would be the most logical course to make a cart course so older golfers could play however I feel like it would diminish the out in the middle of the wilderness feel that I love about the start of that back 9.

 

What are your guys' opinion on making Trails a carts course once Sheep Ranch is open for play?

I think my initial, most measured response would be: fcuk that. Fcuk that right off. Stuff it in a sack, douse it in gasoline, and drop a match on it.

But really that's me being neutral and levelheaded about it. I could have a stronger reaction later :)

[buzlin]

My present take is absolutely no no no cart paths. I don't know much everyone realizes how much of the magic of Bandon is the due to the lack of cart paths.

Yeah, the courses technically will be the same, but they'll lose some of their soul and indescribable beauty. Plenty of world class courses where you can take a cart. We've been and plan to continue to travel to Bandon as long as we're physically able. Then we'll switch it up to Pebble or who knows where.

 

I suppose if they wanted to have hidden cart paths, caddies driving, and only on February 29th, I'd be okay with that.

 

That said, I'd still go and have a great time cart paths or not.

[2bGood]

This might have been covered in this thread and I missed it. I was speaking with the starter at Trails on my trip the week after Thanksgiving and he mentioned that while C&C were in town and scouting out Sheep Ranch they also were looking at the best routing for cart paths to be hidden on Bandon Trails. This would be the most logical course to make a cart course so older golfers could play however I feel like it would diminish the out in the middle of the wilderness feel that I love about the start of that back 9.

 

What are your guys' opinion on making Trails a carts course once Sheep Ranch is open for play?

 

Horrible decision if that goes ahead. I think it is wonderful the courses and Bandon are only for walking. Plenty of other places you can ride cart and it is not like Bandon has trouble filling the Tee Sheet.

[rtraudt]

This might have been covered in this thread and I missed it. I was speaking with the starter at Trails on my trip the week after Thanksgiving and he mentioned that while C&C were in town and scouting out Sheep Ranch they also were looking at the best routing for cart paths to be hidden on Bandon Trails. This would be the most logical course to make a cart course so older golfers could play however I feel like it would diminish the out in the middle of the wilderness feel that I love about the start of that back 9.

 

What are your guys' opinion on making Trails a carts course once Sheep Ranch is open for play?

 

Horrible decision if that goes ahead. I think it is wonderful the courses and Bandon are only for walking. Plenty of other places you can ride cart and it is not like Bandon has trouble filling the Tee Sheet.

 

The ability to fill the tee sheet makes it seem to me like it should be a no-brainer to say "NO CART PATHS!" I understand (even if I disagree from a love of the course and how it currently exists without carts) why a place like The Loop up at Forest Dunes would be looking to add carts to a previously walking only course. I bet they would see a significant increase in traffic if they allowed carts, especially considering the fact that the original course allows carts (and would not be a great walk, frankly). But at a place like Bandon, which from what I can tell isn't struggling for business, I can't fathom why they would want to go against such a popular tenet of the place at Trails. I'm making my first trip out to Bandon in less than two weeks (holy @#!% is it really that close?!?!?) and one of the things that drove me to want to go there despite it being a loner trip is my love of walking golf. Golf in a cart does not provide even close to the level of enjoyment as walking does.

[mallrat]

First off I enjoy and prefer the “no carts, no cart paths” and prefer it to stay that way.

 

That said let me offer a different perspective. What is the resort, 15 or 18 yrs in and I believe each course averages almost 100k rounds per year. That is a cubic BUTT load of traffic. Fescue is a naturally thin grass that from my understanding doesn’t love that much traffic. After so many years there may be a LOT of areas getting wear or worn down that the Supers and agronomist don’t want to be worn down. Not to mention all the traffic in native areas. They could be looking at it for a long term health kind of thing.

 

When I play there my group generally spreads out 4 wide right after our tee shots but around here or Portland we go 2 wide or single file down the walking path or the cart path. So you are now taking a 6-8 ft wide walking area and turning it into roughly 20 ft. Now if you figure every other group goes 4 wide (not to mention caddies) you are looking at 45-50k people walking over a patch of grass. That is a LOT of traffic for any grass.

 

 

[spud3]

Interesting point, there....

 

Anyways,....NO.....

[spud3]

Bandon "Best" Composite 18 (Bolds are locks)

304 1: Old Mac - Par 4

162 2: Old Mac - Par 3

476 3: Pacific - Par 5

449 4: Pacific - Par 4

400 5: Bandon - Par 4

153 6: Bandon - Par 3

406 7: Trails - Par 4

299 8: Trails - Par 4

522 9: Trails - Par 5

339 10: Bandon - Par 4

429 11: Trails - Par 4

153 12: Bandon - Par 3

390 13: Pacific - Par 4

332 14: Bandon - Par 4

367 15: Trails - Par 4

345 16: Bandon - Par 4

375 17: Bandon - Par 4

426 18: Old Mac - Par 4

 

6327 YDS (Green tees) Par 71

 

If only I put this much thought into my work! And this is based off winter play, so if I'd played my 50+ rounds in the summer it might be different.

Collectively I could take #4 & #7 and have 8 of my holes right there. The collective 7s are sooooo good.

Conversely, #3 and #14 I could take 7 of those 8 and have trouble finding a spot for them on my local $25 muni... OK that's a bit of an exaggeration.

 

Edit: And yes I like Par 4s.

 

Agree on a lot of these, but I'm sticking up for BD #4. It's my favorite hole on the entire property.

[buzlin]

Adding carts would be like adding a spa, pool, tennis courts, etc......I think the culture would change. The demographic would change with cart golfers........or maybe it wouldn't.

[Edaw68]

I gotta go with no carts. If they start it on Trails, it will then eventually get adopted at Old Mac, and eventually resort wide. If they want to make Trails an easier walk they could probably add a couple natural looking bridges to reduce some of the up and down, or adjust the walking paths slightly. Between #5 tee and green a footbridge could work to ease it up. The path between #13 and #14 could go to the right rather than straight up, and lengthen the shuttle ride a bit. A little smoother path between #15 and 16 could be cut in fairly easily. (not sure what to do on 16 itself, that hole is just a slog.) Trails gets a bad rep for walking, but honestly other than a couple spots it's not that bad. Pacific can be just as tough when the wind is up due to all the little twistbacks and lumpy terrain.

 

I've been out on all the courses with some pretty old people and they walked just fine. If they can do it, I gotta figure most can, they just don't want to.

 

I will consider Mallrat's point about traffic on grass. That's a better consideration than people who just want to ride.

[mallrat]

I should say that I don’t think cart paths equate to carts also. Especially at Trails, they would have to make so many changes to the facilities just to add a cart barn. A cart barn to handle that much traffic would have to be HUGE.

[Edaw68]

I should say that I don't think cart paths equate to carts also. Especially at Trails, they would have to make so many changes to the facilities just to add a cart barn. A cart barn to handle that much traffic would have to be HUGE.

 

That's an excellent logistical point. Other than Old Mac, there's really no convenient place for a cart barn near any of the clubhouses. Pacific maybe down in the maintenance sheds near the driveway and shuttle them a few hundred yards to stage at the clubhouse. Trails would probably require using the lower parking lot, and shuttling them. Bandon is already kinda crowded with buildings, it would probably need to be cut into the big sand dune by the lot. All another thing to consider that carts aren't worth the hassle and keep the current policy in place.

[Schley]

I'm assuming BD has at least 1 golf cart available due to the Americans with Disabilties Act, which requires to have at least 1.

[duffer987]

Adding carts would be like adding a spa, pool, tennis courts, etc......I think the culture would change. The demographic would change with cart golfers........or maybe it wouldn't.

I'm not one of these GCAers who derides "cart ballers" (who incidently wax on about walking, to then only happily take a cart when one is offered) and cart courses, but I am just a touch snobby enough about it to wholly agree here.

TBH it's one of the reasons I prefer Nov-Mar Bandon over what I perceive (close-mindedly maybe) the summer demographic is more like.

Not everything needs to be Pinehurst or Pebble or Kiawah. Over and above the incredibly quality on offer at Bandon, their walking USP is surely something they wouldn't mess with.

[duffer987]

Bandon "Best" Composite 18 (Bolds are locks)

304 1: Old Mac - Par 4

162 2: Old Mac - Par 3

476 3: Pacific - Par 5

449 4: Pacific - Par 4

400 5: Bandon - Par 4

153 6: Bandon - Par 3

406 7: Trails - Par 4

299 8: Trails - Par 4

522 9: Trails - Par 5

339 10: Bandon - Par 4

429 11: Trails - Par 4

153 12: Bandon - Par 3

390 13: Pacific - Par 4

332 14: Bandon - Par 4

367 15: Trails - Par 4

345 16: Bandon - Par 4

375 17: Bandon - Par 4

426 18: Old Mac - Par 4

 

6327 YDS (Green tees) Par 71

 

If only I put this much thought into my work! And this is based off winter play, so if I'd played my 50+ rounds in the summer it might be different.

Collectively I could take #4 & #7 and have 8 of my holes right there. The collective 7s are sooooo good.

Conversely, #3 and #14 I could take 7 of those 8 and have trouble finding a spot for them on my local $25 muni... OK that's a bit of an exaggeration.

 

Edit: And yes I like Par 4s.

 

Agree on a lot of these, but I'm sticking up for BD #4. It's my favorite hole on the entire property.

Oh for sure, it is an awesome hole, and would fit into an overall top 18, heck it could be one of my top 5. Turning the corner is the best ah-ha moment on property.

But I was getting near 1/2 my holes coming from Bandon, so this was one chance to shift it elsewhere.

[duffer987]

This might have been covered in this thread and I missed it. I was speaking with the starter at Trails on my trip the week after Thanksgiving and he mentioned that while C&C were in town and scouting out Sheep Ranch they also were looking at the best routing for cart paths to be hidden on Bandon Trails. This would be the most logical course to make a cart course so older golfers could play however I feel like it would diminish the out in the middle of the wilderness feel that I love about the start of that back 9.

 

What are your guys' opinion on making Trails a carts course once Sheep Ranch is open for play?

 

Horrible decision if that goes ahead. I think it is wonderful the courses and Bandon are only for walking. Plenty of other places you can ride cart and it is not like Bandon has trouble filling the Tee Sheet.

 

The ability to fill the tee sheet makes it seem to me like it should be a no-brainer to say "NO CART PATHS!" I understand (even if I disagree from a love of the course and how it currently exists without carts) why a place like The Loop up at Forest Dunes would be looking to add carts to a previously walking only course. I bet they would see a significant increase in traffic if they allowed carts, especially considering the fact that the original course allows carts (and would not be a great walk, frankly). But at a place like Bandon, which from what I can tell isn't struggling for business, I can't fathom why they would want to go against such a popular tenet of the place at Trails. I'm making my first trip out to Bandon in less than two weeks (holy @#!% is it really that close?!?!?) and one of the things that drove me to want to go there despite it being a loner trip is my love of walking golf. Golf in a cart does not provide even close to the level of enjoyment as walking does.

Enjoy your trip! You taking the H2NO with ya? Be good if it finally got the run out to Bandon it was intended for ;)

[rtraudt]

This might have been covered in this thread and I missed it. I was speaking with the starter at Trails on my trip the week after Thanksgiving and he mentioned that while C&C were in town and scouting out Sheep Ranch they also were looking at the best routing for cart paths to be hidden on Bandon Trails. This would be the most logical course to make a cart course so older golfers could play however I feel like it would diminish the out in the middle of the wilderness feel that I love about the start of that back 9.

 

What are your guys' opinion on making Trails a carts course once Sheep Ranch is open for play?

 

Horrible decision if that goes ahead. I think it is wonderful the courses and Bandon are only for walking. Plenty of other places you can ride cart and it is not like Bandon has trouble filling the Tee Sheet.

 

The ability to fill the tee sheet makes it seem to me like it should be a no-brainer to say "NO CART PATHS!" I understand (even if I disagree from a love of the course and how it currently exists without carts) why a place like The Loop up at Forest Dunes would be looking to add carts to a previously walking only course. I bet they would see a significant increase in traffic if they allowed carts, especially considering the fact that the original course allows carts (and would not be a great walk, frankly). But at a place like Bandon, which from what I can tell isn't struggling for business, I can't fathom why they would want to go against such a popular tenet of the place at Trails. I'm making my first trip out to Bandon in less than two weeks (holy @#!% is it really that close?!?!?) and one of the things that drove me to want to go there despite it being a loner trip is my love of walking golf. Golf in a cart does not provide even close to the level of enjoyment as walking does.

Enjoy your trip! You taking the H2NO with ya? Be good if it finally got the run out to Bandon it was intended for ;)

 

Was that your bag on the Bay?! Haha yes, that’s exactly what the bag was purchased for! Figured my ping moonlight wouldn’t hold up to the rain...

[2bGood]

Adding carts would be like adding a spa, pool, tennis courts, etc......I think the culture would change. The demographic would change with cart golfers........or maybe it wouldn't.

 

They have a spa already

 

I'm assuming BD has at least 1 golf cart available due to the Americans with Disabilties Act, which requires to have at least 1.

 

Yes they have a few, you need the medical details submitted to get one and a caddie must drive it for you.

[buzlin]

I'm talking a "spa", like scented oils, hot stones, facials, fancy robes and slippers, etc......simply, they need to keep with their motto of golf as it was meant to be.

[rtraudt]

I'm talking a "spa", like scented oils, hot stones, facials, fancy robes and slippers, etc......simply, they need to keep with their motto of golf as it was meant to be.

 

And it would certainly be hard to defend using that motto if they had carts zig-zagging across Trails...

[Matt J]

I probably ride in a cart as little as anyone who plays as many rounds as I do, but I actually made an argument in favor of this last time I had anyone's ear over there.

 

All that I actually suggested was that the medical exemption be a little less stringent. A lot of their older clientele would like to take a cart for one round, Trails is a long walk, and they might bring in some guys that feel they could walk one round and ride one round. Not to mention some of the locals and novice players who many have never walked a round in their life. I wouldn't like to see full blown cart paths, and I would only have a limited number available every day, maybe only allow them after 12:00 noon or something. But, I was more thinking buy a few more carts, start marketing it only by word of mouth once guys are at the resort, then see where the need is for a more impermeable surface arises. Perhaps just some decomposed granite as a base would work where the carts start to make mud. I don't know?

 

The more I write it the more I think it's a horrible idea. To be completely honest when asked, I actually thought it would be a better idea to allow it in a limited capacity on the Sheep's Ranch property. Mostly because the turf was so strong and healthy out there and there weren't any bunkers. I felt like they could have expanded some of the greens into double greens, run some main line irrigation, and dug a few bunkers and found an 18 hole routing. It would be kind of trite to only allow carts on the parkland course, guys wouldn't even get the real feel of the resort. The thing I got most excited about when I first saw the Sheep's Ranch was to drive some sheep around it. I thought it would be cool to put a temporary fence around the whole place and build a little barn where the starter's shack would eventually go. Then to use a little quad or push them around on foot to forage and see where they dug in and slept during bad weather. I figured you could shape those into fairway bunkers and call it a day. Clearly you'd have to fence and maintain the greens. Once again, it's easy to come up with a bunch of crazy $hit when it's not your coin. Keiser wants that place to be there forever and sustaining itself which is a noble goal.

[payerasjl]

keep bandon bandon.

[duffer987]

TBH I expect my back to give out before age or anything cardio-wise kicks in, but if a time comes while I still golf that I cannot walk 18 at a good pace, I'll accept it and move on.

I'd never want to be responsible for this :-s

 

 

[buzlin]

It's all Matt J's fault!!!! Hahahaha.

 

I will inquire about this Trails cart path "rumor" when I visit in April. If I hear anything that suggests they're moving forward with anything more than expanded shuttling (eg 13-14 Trails), or upgrades to their ADA services, I'll have to give them a piece of my mind. Then use to comments box/email to make it official.

 

I hope we're all just getting into a tizzy over nothing, typical internet over reaction. I just can't see them even considering full cart options on any course, "hidden" or not.

[mallrat]

I might not be opposed to partial paths. Meaning a path that goes say 25-30 yards past the tees just indicating the path they would like people to walk in.

 

Edit...my caddie last time did say they have been having issues with people creating their own paths through the native areas. Maybe that’s what they are trying to eliminate.

[duffer987]

I might not be opposed to partial paths. Meaning a path that goes say 25-30 yards past the tees just indicating the path they would like people to walk in.

 

Edit...my caddie last time did say they have been having issues with people creating their own paths through the native areas. Maybe that's what they are trying to eliminate.

Sure that is something a bunch of places have to deal with.

At Ballybunion for instance they've added artificial turf paths to get you from greens to tees to fairways on holes where the dunes are really big and they want to keep people from taking a free-form hike. Seen it at some other big links courses too.

[Matt J]

It's all Matt J's fault!!!! Hahahaha.

 

I will inquire about this Trails cart path "rumor" when I visit in April. If I hear anything that suggests they're moving forward with anything more than expanded shuttling (eg 13-14 Trails), or upgrades to their ADA services, I'll have to give them a piece of my mind. Then use to comments box/email to make it official.

 

I hope we're all just getting into a tizzy over nothing, typical internet over reaction. I just can't see them even considering full cart options on any course, "hidden" or not.

 

I will take the blame, sheepishly (pardon the pun).

 

I have had a couple of experiences that changed my feelings about it. I played with the nicest guy, hugest golf fan and addict, on a wicked weather day on Pacific Dunes. 5 seasons of weather, no joke. I thought he was going to walk in at anytime and I wouldn't have blamed him. The same storm brought 2 inches of snow overnight which happens about every 4 or 5 years. He was the happiest single I've ever had join me basically because he survived. He could have easily had permission to use a cart, but he wouldn't have done it. If there was one of the courses it was less a stigma I'm sure he would have played it and been a ton more comfortable.

 

It's like denying guys a place to kneel in Mecca.

 

Maybe you don't give them the keys to the palace, but leave the foyer door open if they want to peak through and know they've seen the inner sanctum.

[Rohlio]

I don't understand an argument that revolves around bringing in more clientele via the use of carts. The courses are already basically sold out during the entire decent part of the year at a very high price point. What need is there to make it appeal to a wider audience at the expense of the very thing that makes it so special?