Bandon Dunes 5th Course (Sheep Ranch)

[dearth12]

Talk was heavy in 2016-2017 that the land where the Sheep Ranch currently sits would be used to create the 5th course at Bandon Dunes. It was even a done deal that Gil Hanse would be the architect. Mike Keiser was quoted as saying "it should happen within the next 2 years."

 

 

I have searched just about everywhere I know and I have not been able to find any updated information. Does anyone have any insight on where Bandon stands regarding adding this 5th course?

 

 

 

I was there in the Spring of 2017 and it was the best golf experience of my life. My group is throwing around the idea of heading back in 2020. I am certain a 5th course will not be there in 2020, but am curious as to when the 5th course would be started and completed?

 

 

 

 

Thanks

[kaschreiber]

Not sure if anything official has been announced yet, but spend enough time on these forums (even just search "Sheep Ranch") and some of the people that have been recently state that they're already there pushing dirt. You can see the heavy machinery from Old Mac and sounds like right now they're putting in irrigation. From what I have heard, it's Coore and Crenshaw that got the course and their hope is to have it open prior to the 2020 US Am for promo purposes. My bet is you'll start reading about in all the big trade pubs soon.

[spud3]

Bandon is notorious for not letting out info until they are good and ready. Unfortunately, that means the rest of us have to go on what we hear from caddies, staff, etc., which have turned out to be not particularly reliable in the past.

 

The best info we all have right now is what we've seen with our own eyes over the past couple months. Much Tonka vehicle activity and smoke coming from the Sheep Ranch. It seems like the transformation is happening. Latest rumor has Coore & Crenshaw as the designer. Latest rumor on opening is around the time they have the 2020 US Am there.

[dearth12]

Thanks for the information guys. Not really surprised to hear of Coore and Crenshaw getting the course.

 

 

If the timeline holds up, it does not look like it would be an option to play in April of 2020. Just gives me another reason to make it back out there shortly after!!!

[mallrat]

Not sure if anything official has been announced yet, but spend enough time on these forums (even just search "Sheep Ranch") and some of the people that have been recently state that they're already there pushing dirt. You can see the heavy machinery from Old Mac and sounds like right now they're putting in irrigation. From what I have heard, it's Coore and Crenshaw that got the course and their hope is to have it open prior to the 2020 US Am for promo purposes. My bet is you'll start reading about in all the big trade pubs soon.

 

I don’t believe they have the routing finalized yet much less pushing dirt for the sake of design. Pumps, mainlines, laterals, etc while the course routing really helps, it’s not needed for the mainline.

[Matt J]

Thanks for the information guys. Not really surprised to hear of Coore and Crenshaw getting the course.

 

 

If the timeline holds up, it does not look like it would be an option to play in April of 2020. Just gives me another reason to make it back out there shortly after!!!

 

I'd guess that's the idea!

 

Nice piece of dirt. My guess is that Bill Coore very much realizes the opportunity. Should be a show stopper!

[dpark]

only fact I know is we tried to set up a round on the Sheep Ranch at the end of March 2019 and was told that the course is not open and would contact me if/when the course reopens.

 

Glad we played it in 2018, as we may never get to play it in its current form ever again.

[eboettne]

Word is they're trying to open Sheep Ranch in time for the 2020 US Amateur to promote it. I'd post pictures I took at the end of November if I could figure out how.

[eboettne]

[eboettne]

[eboettne]

[Matt J]

The rare and elusive triple post!

 

I was at the resort yesterday and had some time to burn, thought about turning off at the four way and driving north to see what I could see. Decided that since I was in the low clearance vehicle I'd skip it. Looks pretty much like I would have imagined.

[buzlin]

Speaking of the 5th course, i wonder how they'll handle reservations before it's opened. They're taking reservations through all of 2020 already. When I reserved April 2020 I didn't bother to ask since it's not rumored to open until late 2020.

[dearth12]

Speaking of the 5th course, i wonder how they'll handle reservations before it's opened. They're taking reservations through all of 2020 already. When I reserved April 2020 I didn't bother to ask since it's not rumored to open until late 2020.

 

 

I am looking to get back in April of 2020 as well. When you booked did it seem like the availability was already running low? I’m trying to get my buddies to realize how early you have to book, but they just don’t get it.

[Matt J]

I'd imagine they'll handle the reservations like any of the other courses, first come first serve. I'd guess there will be a "soft opening" of sorts with management and honored guests getting the first looks and then probably light traffic until the wear patterns are observed and problems mitigated. Within a few months it will be business as usual.

[spud3]

They better have plans for another lodging alternative and another restaurant...

[buzlin]

Speaking of the 5th course, i wonder how they'll handle reservations before it's opened. They're taking reservations through all of 2020 already. When I reserved April 2020 I didn't bother to ask since it's not rumored to open until late 2020.

 

 

I am looking to get back in April of 2020 as well. When you booked did it seem like the availability was already running low? I’m trying to get my buddies to realize how early you have to book, but they just don’t get it.

Weekdays weren't an issue, got exactly the times I wanted for 8. But weekends were not good, tried to get Trails for Sunday afternoon and they were booked till 3:40

[dearth12]

Speaking of the 5th course, i wonder how they'll handle reservations before it's opened. They're taking reservations through all of 2020 already. When I reserved April 2020 I didn't bother to ask since it's not rumored to open until late 2020.

 

 

I am looking to get back in April of 2020 as well. When you booked did it seem like the availability was already running low? I’m trying to get my buddies to realize how early you have to book, but they just don’t get it.

Weekdays weren't an issue, got exactly the times I wanted for 8. But weekends were not good, tried to get Trails for Sunday afternoon and they were booked till 3:40

 

 

We are looking at staying Monday-Thursday and playing Tuesday-Friday, so hopefully we will

be fine. Still need to get my guys moving.

[Dsevans8]

Speaking of the 5th course, i wonder how they'll handle reservations before it's opened. They're taking reservations through all of 2020 already. When I reserved April 2020 I didn't bother to ask since it's not rumored to open until late 2020.

 

 

I am looking to get back in April of 2020 as well. When you booked did it seem like the availability was already running low? I’m trying to get my buddies to realize how early you have to book, but they just don’t get it.

Weekdays weren't an issue, got exactly the times I wanted for 8. But weekends were not good, tried to get Trails for Sunday afternoon and they were booked till 3:40

 

 

We are looking at staying Monday-Thursday and playing Tuesday-Friday, so hopefully we will

be fine. Still need to get my guys moving.

You better book now. You can always get a full refund down the road. The longer you wait the more limited you will be, and getting something on the weekend will be pretty difficult.

[155 Funson]

Bump. Feature on the new Sheep Ranch. Opening in the summer of 2020. Safe to say that my first trip to Bandon only a month ago will not be my last!

 

[https://golfadvisor.com/articles/sheep-ranch-bandon-dunes-newest-course](https://www.golfadvisor.com/articles/sheep-ranch-bandon-dunes-newest-course "https://golfadvisor.com/articles/sheep-ranch-bandon-dunes-newest-course")

[Wardonation]

they had an issue sourcing water but is resolved now. I am here currently tee off at 1010 and it is bluebird...

[philsRHman]

I just got giddy and possibly had a tingle up the spine looking at that routing. The article was great. The visual is exhilarating. In case you missed it, you need to click on the slideshow player to get from the current scorecard to the routing. I loved the extra touch of the hand-written note on there as well.

edited to add the link: https://sheepranch.golf/

[spud3]

I just got an email with this link in it:

https://sheepranch.golf/?utm_source=eblast&NCK=sheepranch&ContactID=41452613004

 

This is very disruptive to my workday.........

[Kernel]

> @spud3 said:

> I just got an email with this link in it:

> https://sheepranch.golf/?utm_source=eblast&NCK=sheepranch&ContactID=41452613004

>

> This is very disruptive to my workday.........

 

Holy cow! This is going to be spectacular

[duffer987]

Oh that makes me giddy. That routing looks just fantastic. Think this is my favorite Keiser quote in the article:

 

“I feel very good about Bill and Ben and that routing,” says Keiser. “Doak, Urbina, Hanse and others could get about 14 holes on that land. Bill said he thought he could get all 18. And now they all want to know how he figured this out.”

[Matt J]

If I combine some of the information from Dream Golf and also caddie gossip and some insider information, all of what is presented in that article seems pretty on point. Mr. Keiser, as stated in Dream Golf, passed on the Knapp family ranch which will become Pacific Gails due to not wanting to take on a partner, which he is evidently pretty opposed to in general. But, as his son has become more involved with the golf operations and having known and worked with Phil Friedman for many years, it seems he has softened to the idea of doing this project together with Phil. I actually always guessed that Phil had sold his portion of that acquisition back to Mr. Keiser, but I think this is even greater, that he got involved with the project. I think Ginella does a good job presenting that as part of the reason Bill Coore got the job. Gil Hanse was slated for the Bandon Muni project, but when it ran into the final road block I think a lot of people supposed he would get the Sheep's Ranch job. Clearly, that wasn't true, but I can see how the rumor was started as he did present a routing.

 

My own personal taste would be that they moved less dirt, put very punitive links pot bunkers very sparsely positioned inside the fairways and left these "waste" area seeded with "wispy fescue" on the margins of the course. I do think it's very smart for Mike and Phil to realize that crazy greens are not suitable for these windy parcels of land. A big "Biarritz" feature on a green would be cool, and create a counter to the way Doak did it on 8 at Old Mac. My personal taste once again would be more like the West Links at North Berwick's No. 16 "Gate."

 

That's one thing I took away from the classic links courses is that they leave much of the big elevation changes for immediately off the green, in the complex with deep hills filled with bunkers that totally get in your head. There's a certain fairness in having a decent chance to 2 putt once you get to the surface. And as Keiser is certainly aware of at this point in his great golf adventures, very difficult pin positions are the absolute worst thing for pace and that's clearly should be a concern at a place like BD.

 

Anyways, like many of you I'll be looking forward to playing it. It will be a welcome addition and make for an very interesting 2020 - 2021 season especially if Pacific Gails breaks ground, too. I'm starting to think that is more likely as there is a distinct advantage in opening around the same time as many will visit and play both.

[spud3]

> @"155 Funson" said:

> Bump. Feature on the new Sheep Ranch. Opening in the summer of 2020. Safe to say that my first trip to Bandon only a month ago will not be my last!

>

> [https://golfadvisor.com/articles/sheep-ranch-bandon-dunes-newest-course](https://www.golfadvisor.com/articles/sheep-ranch-bandon-dunes-newest-course "https://golfadvisor.com/articles/sheep-ranch-bandon-dunes-newest-course")

 

 

"No bunkers......"

 

:o

[lhahn]

y'all beat me to it. 12 mins ago Bandon's IG just posted the same link with the video

[philsRHman]

I thought it was telling that Ginella told the story through Phil, that seems orchestrated to let him "own" this.

I wonder how it works on the business side to have a partnership on one of the courses (will revenue be determined by play?) but I guess there was no rush to monetize that parcel. I'm no real estate expert but I can't even imagine how quickly the value of that land skyrocketed once the success was assured.

I didn't get the video to play when I linked right to the site. But WOW when I clicked that link from @spud3 !!!!

[spud3]

https://www.golf.com/travel/2019/04/17/new-bandon-dunes-golf-course-architect/

 

The cat is definitely out of the bag.