Got the green light at home - Bandon first timer, going solo

[kaschreiber]

I've had back spasms in years past as well, sounds like you're on the right track, two things I'll add. Keep in mind I'm not a PT by any means, but this is what I've learned from seeing PT's/personal experience.

 

1. Tiger Balm, Icy/hot (roll on and patches), Bio Freeze- all are great for loosening up spasms over time. Just gotta convince your wife to apply it on your back.

2. Back spasms can be brought on by a number of things, but mine were due to a lack of flexibility in my legs/hips. Your back is designed to stay static and impact absorbed by your hips/legs. My hips were so inflexible that my back started doing all the work and I wound up with spasms that had me bed ridden for a few days. Keep working on your hips/legs (you can youtube plenty of good exercises) and don't focus solely on your back, even though that's the problem area.

[schneidm10]

Like everyone else above said, read as much as you want. My biggest fear was that I’d read too much when I went as well. Even though I felt like I knew a lot it still exceeded my huge expectations by a mile. Everything, from the courses to the merchandise to the practice area to the rooms will be even better than your read about.

[Matt J]

A friend of mine that lives down here a couple of hours away, just went for a round of golf. Posted a photo of himself and Crenshaw who's been around designing the new course. Pretty cool!

[Sushiyoshi]

Crenshaw was there last Friday.

 

Let me wet your appetite with some pictures from last week. Wish I took more pictures but always forget to take them.

[theredzone7]

Man thats awesome! you're going to love it!

[mallrat]

If we haven’t already said it, socks are as much a key as shoes. Next time it rains or snows put your rain gear on and go for an hour walk. Find out where you have gaps in your clothes.

 

From my experience the temp doesn’t vary a ton from the 15 day forecast.m, it’s more in the precipitation

[theredzone7]

I stay at Three Rivers Casino in Florence a good bit on the way down. There are a few other good hotels to just put your head down. Some good food in Florence and a little over an hour maybe an hour and a half to the resort. About 3-3 1/2 hrs from Portland. For me about the perfect distance to keep the back from getting tight on the drive.

 

Do you remember how much to rent a car?

[philsRHman]

OMG I have been avoiding the course cameras. Decided to sneak a peek today. HOLY CRAP!!!

[mallrat]

I stay at Three Rivers Casino in Florence a good bit on the way down. There are a few other good hotels to just put your head down. Some good food in Florence and a little over an hour maybe an hour and a half to the resort. About 3-3 1/2 hrs from Portland. For me about the perfect distance to keep the back from getting tight on the drive.

 

Do you remember how much to rent a car?

 

I live in Portland (lived) so I never had to rent

[spud3]

OMG I have been avoiding the course cameras. Decided to sneak a peek today. HOLY CRAP!!!

Heh...

 

Also, if you really want to waste some time, go to the page for each of the courses and scroll to the bottom, near the score card. Each course a few par 3's you can play via World Golf Tour. It is addictive.

[bluetees1999]

I am planning my first trip to Bandon next fall. So my contribution to the thread is a recommendation for a shoe dryer.

There is a company called PEET and they make boot/shoe dryers. There is a home version and a travel version. I have both and they are awesome.

http://www.peetdryer.com/store/p41/Power_Cell_Dryer.html

[Edaw68]

I am planning my first trip to Bandon next fall. So my contribution to the thread is a recommendation for a shoe dryer.

There is a company called PEET and they make boot/shoe dryers. There is a home version and a travel version. I have both and they are awesome.

http://www.peetdryer...Cell_Dryer.html

 

FYI they have shoe dryers in all the rooms at Bandon. They have customer service down to a finely oiled machine out there.

[bluetees1999]

I am planning my first trip to Bandon next fall. So my contribution to the thread is a recommendation for a shoe dryer.

There is a company called PEET and they make boot/shoe dryers. There is a home version and a travel version. I have both and they are awesome.

http://www.peetdryer...Cell_Dryer.html

 

FYI they have shoe dryers in all the rooms at Bandon. They have customer service down to a finely oiled machine out there.

Wow, should have figured that.

Thanks very much.

[stimpmeterp]

OMG I have been avoiding the course cameras. Decided to sneak a peek today. HOLY CRAP!!!

 

Just found those cameras for the first time and I will probably be checking in on those from time to time from my office here on the East Coast.

[philsRHman]

11 sleeps until I leave.

 

ProQuip rain gear ordered. Back feeling much much better. Might go hit a few balls or try to get in 9 Sunday.

 

Cant friggin’ wait.

[philsRHman]

Was so wet here Sunday I couldn’t find an open course to break in my new Ecco biom spiked shoes. Decided screw it, I’d just run errands in them bs be careful not to slip. But 10k steps on them, including grocery shopping, Walmart hunt for the Srixon ball deal, walked the dog in the mud and puddles of the neighborhood.

 

Also hit a small bucket of balls. Took 7-8 swings to feel 41 not 101, but back responded well afterward and today.

 

Can’t friggin wait.

[Dirt farmer]

Two weeks from tomorrow and the big news is that I just spent the weekend with back spasms so bad I didn't think I'd make it to my office job today. Absolutely no way I could swing a club today. I've been trying everything: Stretching (hamstrings, hips, groin, quads); foam roller; massage; ice; heat; advil; aleve, biofreeze. At this point I've gotten past the alternating throbbing/stabbing pain in the tailbone. But still can't lean forward, lift my midsection from a laying down position, or twist even a little bit.

 

I hit balls Friday night and was a normal amount of sore Saturday. But spent 7 hours at a movie marathon Saturday in what I thought was a comfortable recliner. But driving home that night it really tightened up and Sunday-Monday was agony. I'm sure it will relent in the next couple days.

 

But here's a question I hope I don't need to answer -- What do they do if someone really hurts themselves on the first day of a trip? I know that the afternoon rounds can be cancelled, but what do they do for a morning round? Do you eat the cost? Even if not an injury, if you're just dead tired, or if the weather is crap?

 

Just saw this thread, thought I would chip in...Been there before with the back issues! One thing I do up here in the Pac NW on cold mornings is to wear a ThermaCare heat pack when I play. It wraps around your waist and heats up with magnets, and lasts for about 8-10 hrs and you throw it away afterwards. A three pack is about 6 bucks from most pharmacies or grocery stores. It's an absolute lifesaver if your back is a bit sore. I also use it on long plane flights, although you have to put it on after going thru the x ray! Have fun at Bandon! It's a great experience!

[philsRHman]

I'm 48 hours from being in the air. My excitement has turned to my normal anxiety of packing and traveling and the letdown that all the planning is now done. I'm dreading the drive from Portland. Thinking about 36 holes 4 straight days and realizing I'm a moron for even contemplating it. As much as I'm excited, I'm also worried I've built it up to a point it can't possibly live up to (I know, I know, you guys keep saying that's impossible).

 

Anyway, think I have everything. Spent yesterday getting a long massage on the hips, lower back, hamstrings and feel great. Picked up some snacks to pack, like almond butter packs, pepperoni. Found athletic tape, those mobile heating pads. Wanted some Nuskin for blisters but no luck.

 

Spent the past two days digging into Old Mac and McDonald's staple holes so I can really understand and appreciate them. That's my first round and seems like the kind of course that you can appreciate a lot more if you recognize what they were going for. Not sure what the yardage books are like, so I will print a file with the hole descriptions from Doak and on the site for the other three, just in case, and cut/paste them into a makeshift notepad/yardage book. I'm such a nerd, I love that stuff, and while I hope my caddie will be able to talk through the different positioning off each tee, at least I know I'll have these snippets.

[duffer987]

Personally I don't enjoy Old Mac any greater for having played North Berwick, Westward Ho!, Yale, or any of the others. Holes have to stand on their own merit and the vast majority of those on Old Mac do.

And after looking at that blog post - I'd not seen it in years - I actually have different holes in mind on some of them. For instance, #6 (Long) doesn't remind me of #14 at TOC. The huge bunker is pretty much a carbon copy of #4 at RND and that's the reference I take from it. But I played Old Mac a bunch of times before I got to RND and I don't think any differently of it subsequently, in regards to yeah or nay.

 

#11 at Old Mac is the obvious one to everyone, regardless of where you have or haven't played, as we've all seen it on TV loads and loads of times. And even then I don't think anyone in our foursome who haven't played TOC are missing out.

 

Bandon fever is funny and you are totally exhibiting one of the many symptoms - fortunately the temporary cure is only 2 days away :)

[philsRHman]

I'm also trying a mental trick of walking outside in temps in the 30s without a coat and convince myself, this isn't bad, we can definitely play golf in this weather. Look, we don't even have a jacket or thermal underwear on, this is going to be GREAT golf weather!

[spud3]

For myself, I did the same thing with reading up all of the OM design intentions, yada, yada, and then once I got to the first tee, all that stuff just evaporated.

 

OM was my first round at the resort, and I went out all by myself.

 

It was mystical.

[mallrat]

OM is a great first round, the 1st 2 holes really ease you into links golf. But just wait til you go after your tee shot on 3. That is OM’s “welcome to Bandon” moment and you will definitely feel something.

 

Just embrace the drive. I like to stop a couple times and just stretch. Grab a coffee or snack and stretch your legs and back. The extra 1/2 hour you save on drive time isn’t worth showing up with a tight back.

[spud3]

OM is a great first round, the 1st 2 holes really ease you into links golf. But just wait til you go after your tee shot on 3. That is OM's "welcome to Bandon" moment and you will definitely feel something.

 

Just embrace the drive. I like to stop a couple times and just stretch. Grab a coffee or snack and stretch your legs and back. The extra 1/2 hour you save on drive time isn't worth showing up with a tight back.

 

Big +1

 

The first time I drove down I went at it like it was a Death Race. Now I take my time, stop at Fiddlers and maybe hit a small bucket, stop in Reedsport and buy some sourdough bread at the bakery, stop and hit a few at the resort range or Shorty's if there's daylight...

 

Easy for us to say, though, as we've had a chance for that razor's edge of excitement for the first trip to gently wash away. No way you could get me to ease down on the first few trips.

 

The advice stands, tho...

[philsRHman]

That’s a great list of spots to stop if needed. I’ll make a little list so I have a few options along the way especially for coffee/food. I also need to stop at a liquor store so I can kill multiple birds with one stone halfway through.

I’m playing out the timeline ...

 

I land at noon. By the time I get my clubs and rental I’d think best case I’m driving by 1.

 

That means best case is 530 arrival. Sunset is 615. No point racing to get 45-60 minutes on property especially since I’m staying in town the first night. That said, is the punchbowl Or shortys open past sunset? If so, suddenly that sounds all the more appealing. And who am I kidding. Half an hour of chipping and putting until the sun goes down sounds exactly like the way to get the trip started lol.

 

Another thought was to try for a massage that evening.

 

Anyone want to play navigator and suggest my best plan of action?

[philsRHman]

Btw, I packed tonight and found room for four pairs of shoes. The two Ecco pairs I’ve been breaking in for a few weeks are still newish. But my backup pairs aren’t waterproof (Trues and older beaten up Ecco). Figure if nothing else I can rotate all week but pretty confident the new pairs will be soft enough. Still, I feel like a lunatic cramming golf shoes into my golf bag, suitcase and backpack. Plus I’ll wear a pair of hybrids on travel day.

[OregonHack]

Btw, I packed tonight and found room for four pairs of shoes. The two Ecco pairs I've been breaking in for a few weeks are still newish. But my backup pairs aren't waterproof (Trues and older beaten up Ecco). Figure if nothing else I can rotate all week but pretty confident the new pairs will be soft enough. Still, I feel like a lunatic cramming golf shoes into my golf bag, suitcase and backpack. Plus I'll wear a pair of hybrids on travel day.

 

My biggest piece of advice is get south of Portland as early as possible. Traffic is just a nightmare in that city and you'll be coming from the airport which is on the north side. Eugene would be a good stop for food/stretch. Plenty of options right off of I5 that won't cost you much time. There isn't a lot between Eugene and Reedsport/Coos Bay. Get back on the 5 and you're only a little over 2 hours.

[philsRHman]

I am such a goddamn mess. Woke up at 5 am, couldn't move my left big toe. Are you f-ing kidding me? Am I really having a gout attack 24 hours before I leave? I'm on my second round of 4 advil and it's not terrible but not good. I've got some heavier duty gout medicine I might try tonight but anyone who has taken it knows it's not something you want to be on before a six-hour flight and 5 hour drive. Praying it passes and that it's just a tight calf or something I can resolve with a trigger point.

 

God this should be a wake up call to get myself in shape. Back spasms, gout, who knows what else. If the big one is waiting in the wings, I hope it at least holds off until the last day so I can die in peace, preferably on the 162nd hole of my trip.

[Serenity Now]

What a great read. I leave in 2 weeks and I'm a 7 year old waiting for his Schwinn Stingray at Christmas!!

[philsRHman]

Just landed in Portland. Foot feels good. It’s snowing. Let’s get it on!

[tboh]

Hope the foot is good

I'm soooo damn jealous!