Bandon Dunes 5th Course (Sheep Ranch)

[spud3]

It's a great problem to have. We seem to be settled in to playing BD and PD twice, and OM and Trails once each. Our itinerary for March 2020 looks like this:

 

Day 1 - Old Mac/PD

Day 2 - Trails/Preserve

Day 3 - PD/BD

Day 4 - BD

 

If we are able to slip in a preview round on SR then we'll probably swap out whatever we need to to make that happen. If it's a full 18, first choice would be swap out the Day 3 round on BD. If it's less than 18, then swap out the Preserve on Day 2.

 

Once SR is officially open and we need to work it into the rota, I think I'd like to shoot for something like this for 2021:

 

Day 1 -Trails/PD

Day 2 - SR/Preserve

Day 3 - PD/SR

Day 4 - BD

 

Going forward, it would be variations on that theme, rotating first courses (OM/Trails) and courses to play twice (all the others), but always ending on BD. Preserve would not necessarily be an every year thing, but maybe every two or three.

 

Bottom line for me is that I'd rather give up a replay than miss out on one of the courses, assuming SR is as great as we all think it will be. Maybe it turns out to be a once-per-trip course (I think of OM like that, currently).

 

Or we might just add another day.........

[scottc25]

> @spud3 said:

> Someone pLEAse post a review after your SR preview round!

 

Ask and you shall receive....

 

Guessing this course is going to be very high on the rankings. I don't know if it will overtake Pacific Dunes or not, but the oceanfront acreage and the number of greens sitting right above the ocean will be unmatched.

 

First thought is this course will be VERY windy, even more than Old Mac is. I had about 20 mph on Old Mac today and Sheep Ranch was a solid 30 mph. The routing I played:

 

#1 (actual #15) 315y par 4. This one will play into the summer wind with the fairway and the green all along the ocean. The green looks like an infinity pool spilling into the ocean.

 

#2 (actual #16) 170y par 3. This will play into the summer wind as well and it will be able to be played over 200y. Same green effect as #15 with the green perched right above the ocean. This will share a green with #2, another par 3.

 

#3 (actual #4) 460y par 4. This will play downwind. Nothing too special about this hole, which will be a dogleg right where you can't see the green standing on the tee.

 

#4 (actual #5) 190y par 3. This will play back towards the ocean with a right to left wind. The green is wide in front and narrows to the back. The back pin will be right above the ocean.

 

#5 (actual #6) 440y par 4. Have a feeling this will be one of the best holes on property. It will play downwind and you can cut off as much ocean as you want as you are staring right at it from the tee with the green shoved up against the cliff.

 

#6 (actual #7) 155y par 3. Will play downwind with the ocean behind the green. I played it dead into the wind from 138 and my well struck 8 iron ballooned and landed 30 yards short of the pin

 

#7 (actual #8) 425y par 4. Downhill and into the wind. There is some gorse right of the fairway that will probably cause you to aim left where your approach will be to a green above you.

 

#8 (actual #9) 405y par 4. Plays along the south end of the property with gorse lining the left edge. Plenty of room right. Hole will play uphill.

 

#9 (actual #10) 380y par 4. Fairly straight, downhill par 4 where you will not be able to see your ball land. Gorse right of the fairway. I got to play it downwind and was even with the front of the green but just left.

 

General thoughts:

 

The course has some growing to be done but I'm sure it will easily make the June 1st deadline.

 

You would never know that this was a Coore-Crenshaw course. With zero bunkers on the course it just looks off to me. My guess is after a year of play that they will eventually add bunkering.

 

This course is going to be an easy walk, the best on property by far.

[LooperCon]

Haven’t had a loop out there yet, so i don’t hve any pictures from the property itself, but I figured I’d share some pictures I’ve snapped as they made progress on it over the summer....

 

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ont

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[spud3]

Thanks guys for the quick review and pics!

 

How about infrastructure? Do they have anything like a clubhouse scratched out or even a paved road? Did the shuttle run you out or did you have to get there on your own? That chunk of land is definitely the most exposed on the property. Even Old Mac has a few big dunes and ridges to hide behind. There is very little in the way of landforms to break up any wind, so I absolutely believe that it will be the windiest.

 

Did you just ask at the front desk for a preview round or was it offered?

[LooperCon]

> @spud3 said:

> Thanks guys for the quick review and pics!

>

> How about infrastructure? Do they have anything like a clubhouse scratched out or even a paved road? Did the shuttle run you out or did you have to get there on your own? That chunk of land is definitely the most exposed on the property. Even Old Mac has a few big dunes and ridges to hide behind. There is very little in the way of landforms to break up any wind, so I absolutely believe that it will be the windiest.

>

> Did you just ask at the front desk for a preview round or was it offered?

 

They’re actively advertising preview play in the pro shops with signage, so all you have to do is ask if there’s space. Right now they shuttle you there from Bandon Dunes - pretty sure they just take the public road that takes you to it for now. I’m sure they’ll have a road put in place by opening day though. I *think* they’ll have a temporary “clubhouse” the first year, but there will be a turn stand from the get-go.

[scottc25]

Yeah they will be extending the road past Old Mac that will go to the course. Once you get into the sheep ranch it's very bumpy dirt road. They drive you by where the dug the sand used to contour the course. Also they have a holding pond for irrigation. Apparently it was difficult finding a well.

 

The turn shack could get bombarded with golf balls. It sits behind and below the 9th green by about 15 feet or so. Anything going over the green could end up in the window there. Should be interesting.

[LooperCon]

> @scottc25 said:

> > @spud3 said:

> > Someone pLEAse post a review after your SR preview round!

>

> Ask and you shall receive....

>

> Guessing this course is going to be very high on the rankings. I don't know if it will overtake Pacific Dunes or not, but the oceanfront acreage and the number of greens sitting right above the ocean will be unmatched.

>

> First thought is this course will be VERY windy, even more than Old Mac is. I had about 20 mph on Old Mac today and Sheep Ranch was a solid 30 mph. The routing I played:

>

> #1 (actual #15) 315y par 4. This one will play into the summer wind with the fairway and the green all along the ocean. The green looks like an infinity pool spilling into the ocean.

>

> #2 (actual #16) 170y par 3. This will play into the summer wind as well and it will be able to be played over 200y. Same green effect as #15 with the green perched right above the ocean. This will share a green with #2, another par 3.

>

> #3 (actual #4) 460y par 4. This will play downwind. Nothing too special about this hole, which will be a dogleg right where you can't see the green standing on the tee.

>

> #4 (actual #5) 190y par 3. This will play back towards the ocean with a right to left wind. The green is wide in front and narrows to the back. The back pin will be right above the ocean.

>

> #5 (actual #6) 440y par 4. Have a feeling this will be one of the best holes on property. It will play downwind and you can cut off as much ocean as you want as you are staring right at it from the tee with the green shoved up against the cliff.

>

> #6 (actual #7) 155y par 3. Will play downwind with the ocean behind the green. I played it dead into the wind from 138 and my well struck 8 iron ballooned and landed 30 yards short of the pin

>

> #7 (actual #8) 425y par 4. Downhill and into the wind. There is some gorse right of the fairway that will probably cause you to aim left where your approach will be to a green above you.

>

> #8 (actual #9) 405y par 4. Plays along the south end of the property with gorse lining the left edge. Plenty of room right. Hole will play uphill.

>

> #9 (actual #10) 380y par 4. Fairly straight, downhill par 4 where you will not be able to see your ball land. Gorse right of the fairway. I got to play it downwind and was even with the front of the green but just left.

>

> General thoughts:

>

> The course has some growing to be done but I'm sure it will easily make the June 1st deadline.

>

> You would never know that this was a Coore-Crenshaw course. With zero bunkers on the course it just looks off to me. My guess is after a year of play that they will eventually add bunkering.

>

> This course is going to be an easy walk, the best on property by far.

 

I think the thought with the bunkers is that they wouldn’t be able to keep sand in them due to the wind. Pretty sure they’ll be evaluating spots for potential bunkering over the first year or two and then adding them from there.

[scottc25]

This will be #6, 460y par 4. Good luck getting there with wind from the south. The green is off in the distance.

 

 

[madchens]

Got a chance to do a preview round on M

onday. Having played it before, I'm amazed at how much Earth they moved and how much the overall piece of property has changed.

 

My impressions overall is that the tee shots and approaches are spectacular. Coore and Crenshaw made some very very interesting approaches. Obviously, the views and greens on the ocean are stunning but it was the approaches that got me excited.

 

The wind on the course, as others have mentioned, will be absolutely insane. We played at 3PM and the winds were ripping. Interesting that they chose to do quite a few holes into crosswinds. A few tee shots are downwind but quite a few of the ones ready for play were into crosswinds.

 

I am going to upload a metric ton of pictures and hopefully it works.

[madchens]

I also have a lot more pictures if anyone is interested. I tried to get tee shots and approaches.

 

Interesting that they built bunkers but it is my understanding that they will be grass waste bunkers. They will still be penal but you won't be hitting out of sand.

 

So the "no bunkers" is sort of correct in that they won't have sand but there is definitely trouble around the greens and where you land your tee shots.

[spud3]

Awesome pics - thanks!

 

Those approaches are spectacular!

[madchens]

!

[](https://s3.amazonaws.com/golfwrxforums/uploads/editor/le/ifxzds3de46g.jpg "")

 

[madchens]

@spud3 - here are even more. Just general pics and stuff to show the contours and a bit more of the greens.

[marks21]

@madchens , great pictures! Thanks for sharing.

[spud3]

> @madchens said:

> @spud3 - here are even more. Just general pics and stuff to show the contours and a bit more of the greens.

 

Thanks again - I have not been shy about expressing my mixed feelings about the development of a full course on that piece of land. I absolutely loved the experience of playing SR in it's raw form and have been sad about losing that.

 

Looking at these, though, I must say that I'm feeling pretty excited about playing SR in it's finished form.

 

Quite a few 'infinity greens' out there, which is always ok in my book.

[TrueBlue4Lyfe]

Beautiful sight and views but the lack of sand really seems to detract from the holes, at least visually. Hard to tell holes apart. At least from pictures. I wonder how much distinctive character each will have.

 

I have never been to Bandon but the pictures of all the other courses make me desperate to get there. These pictures don't generate the same excitement.

[Edaw68]

> @TrueBlue4Lyfe said:

> Beautiful sight and views but the lack of sand really seems to detract from the holes, at least visually. Hard to tell holes apart. At least from pictures. I wonder how much distinctive character each will have.

>

> I have never been to Bandon but the pictures of all the other courses make me desperate to get there. These pictures don't generate the same excitement.

 

I agree that the lack of bunkers does make some of the pics less visually interesting, but Coore and Crenshaw are excellent at using subtle slopes and knobs and such, so I'm optimistic. At lot of the slopes might not show up properly in pics.

[madchens]

> @Edaw68 said:

> > @TrueBlue4Lyfe said:

> > Beautiful sight and views but the lack of sand really seems to detract from the holes, at least visually. Hard to tell holes apart. At least from pictures. I wonder how much distinctive character each will have.

> >

> > I have never been to Bandon but the pictures of all the other courses make me desperate to get there. These pictures don't generate the same excitement.

>

> I agree that the lack of bunkers does make some of the pics less visually interesting, but Coore and Crenshaw are excellent at using subtle slopes and knobs and such, so I'm optimistic. At lot of the slopes might not show up properly in pics.

 

This is exactly right. There are grass waste bunkers in the fairways and the gorse hasn't been totally grown out to frame the fairways.

 

They use a ton of slope and undulation to make the holes distinct. Lots of rolling hills and different kinds of approaches. There are some holes we didn't get to play that looked like they had really great approaches as well but had just been seeded.

 

Old Mac is similar in that the holes can blend together but when you are playing they are totally distinct. I think this course may be similar.

[Swingem]

> @madchens said:

> > @Edaw68 said:

> > > @TrueBlue4Lyfe said:

> > > Beautiful sight and views but the lack of sand really seems to detract from the holes, at least visually. Hard to tell holes apart. At least from pictures. I wonder how much distinctive character each will have.

> > >

> > > I have never been to Bandon but the pictures of all the other courses make me desperate to get there. These pictures don't generate the same excitement.

> >

> > I agree that the lack of bunkers does make some of the pics less visually interesting, but Coore and Crenshaw are excellent at using subtle slopes and knobs and such, so I'm optimistic. At lot of the slopes might not show up properly in pics.

>

> This is exactly right. There are grass waste bunkers in the fairways and the gorse hasn't been totally grown out to frame the fairways.

>

> They use a ton of slope and undulation to make the holes distinct. Lots of rolling hills and different kinds of approaches. There are some holes we didn't get to play that looked like they had really great approaches as well but had just been seeded.

>

> Old Mac is similar in that the holes can blend together but when you are playing they are totally distinct. I think this course may be similar.

 

There never were very many bunkers on that piece of property. Nice to see they kept the essential character. I go with a group that has been to Bandon every Feb since 2000 when it opened. A small group of us were fortunate to have heard about, figured out who to talk to to get on, and play the original SR probably a half dozen times. Truly a one-of-a-kind golf experience that, to my knowledge, existed nowhere else in the world. Gonna miss it. I'm super stoked to see it evolve though, we knew it would happen. We'll be there again this Feb and talks are being had...we'll see what happens. One question for those that have been out there, How does the green that sits out on the peninsula play? From the right or left as you look out to the ocean?

[scottc25]

If it's the double green you are talking about it's going to be 2 par 3s. Ocean is to the left for one of the approaches and the ocean is behind the green for the other one.

[Chanceman]

Coming from Australia we will be staying for a week in May playing BD, PD, BT and OM twice and the Sheep Ranch three times plus the Preserve a few times.

We were able to get on the proto-SR last time so looking forward to seeing the finished product.

Might even get down to the Crossings for a break, drop in for a feed at Tony's Crabshack and have a beer or 3 at the Arcadia Tavern.

 

[LooperCon]

Got out on Sheep Ranch for the first time yesterday and all I can say is WOW. It’s going to be the best course on property for sure - the views are ridiculous. The preview 9 is mostly along the cliffs, so we got a good look at the majority of the ocean holes, and they’re spectacular. The greens are wild & undulating; very old Mac-sequel, and the lack of (sand)bunkers is a cool change of pace....I’ll be interested to see how they treat em (grow em out thick vs light & fluffy?). With all that said, I don’t think my favorite hole out there will even be on the ocean....there’s a par 5 headed back inland toward the forest (#11 maybe?) that looks fvcking AWESOME. They’re just starting to seed it, but it was definitely the hole that caught my eye the most.

 

This tee shot is probably the coolest I’ve ever played-

 

[VNutz]

So bummed it's closed for public play right now while others are allowed to as I'll be there next week. Doesn't make much sense to me. But hopefully I can get out there and simply walk the course for a bit. Want to see this, everything looks amazing.

[mallrat]

They said they closed it starting Nov 1 because the grass essentially stops growing during the winter months.

 

 

[cabinetboy]

So excited to play it!