Bandon - Trip Report October 2020

[Lefty_89]

Fellow WRX'ers - I had the opportunity to visit Bandon Dunes last week and wanted to share my personal trip report below...

 

As some of you were probably already aware (and graciously helped me out along the way as I was a Bandon first-timer), my wife and I made the trek to Bandon last week and I can't help but provide some commentary and pictures from our journey. Hopefully this will inspire those considering of making the trip and/or provide motivation for those to book another!

 

Getting there: after flying into Portland on Tuesday and making the long trip down the Oregon coast on Wednesday (stopping at the International Rose Garden, Devil's Punchbowl, Thor's Well, and an incredible lunch at Luna's Sea Fish House in Yachats) we spent a night in Coquille just outside of Bandon. Wednesday morning, we got up early, swung by Bandon Coffee in-town, and then made the short journey to Bandon Dunes, arriving on property around 9am.

 

Weather:  we originally had this trip booked for two weeks prior, but postponed last minute (literally the day before) because of the wildfires. Some rain visited the PNW and helped reduce smoke levels and we had absolutely perfect weather on our entire trip. Low 70s/high 60s during the day and cooling off to mid 50s in the evenings. Not one drop of rain and only a thin layer of fog in the mornings.

 

Day 1: The 1.5-2 mile drive through the property and ending up at the Lodge was absolutely epic; I couldn't believe I was actually there and about to embark on the golf "quest" of lifetime. Shoe (for those that know about Bandon or have read Dream Golf) was there to greet us and introduce himself. I couldn't help but ask for a picture with him (at the end of the trip). The crazy part was that every day I saw him, he remembered my name and knew where I was playing each day. Just added to the special feeling and atmosphere that Bandon provides. We arrived a few hours before our room was available but decided to check-in and head over to the Practice Center. I won't go into too much details about it, but the range is world class and highly recommended, even just for a few shots to get loose when you arrive and/or prior to your first tee time of the day. After about 20 minutes there, we hopped on the shuttle and headed over to Preserve.

 

 

 

Preserve AM: The starter greeted us at Preserve and I immediately knew I was where I was meant to be. We were supposed to be paired up with another twosome, but after checking-in at the Trails pro shop, they told me that my wife and I could go off as a single. Absolutely loved it! I left everything beyond 7-iron with the starter, then I stuffed my tee shot on one to about 5 feet (missed the putt) but already knew it was the start of something special (even though my putting woes would continue the rest of the trip haha). I couldn't believe how great of condition the course was in. I would have been kicking myself had I not played Preserve at all on the trip; my advice: take the 1.5-2 hours and play it at least once during your stay. I brought a right handed putter from home and my wife putted around on the greens and on the 13th tee - we had a blast and it was the perfect "appetizer" for the main courses to come. I shot +3 from the tips with 4 three putts, ouch.

 

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by Lefty_89

[Lefty_89]

Day 1 (continued)...

 

Bandon Dunes PM: After wrapping up at the Preserve, the wife and I grabbed lunch at Trails End - she had the turkey club and I opted for the Korean chicken wrap, both excellent choices. We then jumped back on the shuttle and headed back to Bandon Dunes where I had a 12:50pm tee time. Literally from the time we finished lunch, to the time we got to Bandon, the sun came out and would remain out for the entire round. This weather would continue for the remainder of our stay (AM clouds, PM sun) and I never opted for pants once on the trip; sure glad that I packed a few pairs of shorts! The starter told me that I was going to be paired with the Caddie Director and a couple of his buddies, but one of them was running late so the starter said I could go off as a single "and feel free to drop another ball and hit as many extra shots as you'd like" - awesome news!! I was so excited to go off as a single with my wife walking along. I told the starter I was a 3 handicap and he said "heck just play the blacks" so tips it was. I smoked a tee ball on one, stuck an 8-iron into the wind to about 25 feet, then three putted, but alas we were off. Bandon was in phenomenal condition - I was so happy to break in the trip (first full 18) here instead of any of the others. There's nothing quite like hitting a solid drive on 4 and making the trek from the tee, to the fairway, then seeing the Pacific appearing to swallow the green whole. The wind picked up around hole 8, forcing me to hit a punch 3 wood on 15 and then a soft 3-wood on 16 to get pin high. I didn't have to wait on a shot all round nor was anyone pushing from behind. I shot an 83 with 5 three puts, ouch again! We finished up and had dinner reservations at Pacific Grill - I opted for the seafish bake and my wife had the osso buco. 

 

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by Lefty_89

[Lefty_89]

Day Two

 

Old Macdonald AM: My wife had an appointment at the Massage Center scheduled for 9am so I went off solo (you will notice the quality of picture taking decrease) for Old Mac in the morning on the second day. The legs were holding up pretty well and I opted to carry my bag again (spoiler: I carried my own bag the entire trip). I had a 7:50am tee time and was able to sneak in a breakfast burrito from Pacific Grill prior to my wife dropping me off in our rental car near the pro shop. I kept hearing on podcasts and reading on forums about Old Mac's "grand entrance" and it couldn't have been more impressive. Carrying my bag up to the starter shack I was immediately drawn to the large USA flagpole and the Ghost Tree off in the distance. What made things better was the thin layer of fog that stuck around for the front 9, adding to the atmosphere and intrigue of Old Mac. I was paired up with a couple (husband golfer / wife walker) who I would end up playing the afternoon round with, and a father/son that was there celebrating the son's graduation from college. We all played the greens and hit the fairway on 1 - we were off. Old Mac was the track I was "looking forward to the least", but I certainly enjoyed it much more than I was expecting. It's quirkier and demanding, but fun. Who knew putting 30 yards off the green would actually provide a good result? I fell in love with the Ghost Tree and love how you can see it towering over the course on the majority of the holes. Believe it or not, I was pin high on 3 just in the fringe. The greens are huge with dramatic slopes and elevation changes, which caused me to struggle again on the greens and end up shooting a gritty 82.

Edited October 6, 2020 by Lefty_89

[oneunderbogey]

Great report and pictures so far.  Following along, glad you had a great trip.  Can't wait for mine. 

[Lefty_89]

Day Two (continued)

 

Pacific Dunes (PM):  After grabbing a quick lunch (fish tacos and BLT) from the Gallery, my wife and I headed over to Pacific Dunes for our 1:50pm tee time. As mentioned before, I was paired up with the couple from the morning round (my wife was able to make a friend) and a couple other guys that were also playing Pac for the first time. Once again, the sunshine came out but it brought along strong winds with it along the coast. The starter greeted us, we teed up from the green tees, and let it fly. I hit a 4-iron dead into the wind in the middle of the fairway on 1 then followed it up with a 9-iron to about 6 feet and, you guessed it, missed the putt. Pacific was quite a hike especially with the majority of the holes playing directly into the wind, but I loved the layout and variety of holes. Hole 4 is an absolute gem and reminds me of 16 on Bandon; it was playing downwind and I only had a 60 degree into the green. The highlight of my round was on 12, playing into a crosswind where I hit driver to the right side of the fairway and then pured a low 3-wood that chased up to about 25 feet from the hole. I just barely missed the eagle try and had a tap in bird from a couple of inches. The stretch from then on really ate me up as fatigue and wind-battering settled in, leading to my worst round of the trip, an 89. I loved Pac but not nearly as much as Bandon, probably just because of my scoring and putting myself in bad spots on the green. We followed up the round with dinner from Mckee's; fish/chips and meatloaf with the outstanding brownie sundae for dessert...and a couple of transfusions to wash everything down.

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by Lefty_89

[Lefty_89]

Day Three

 

Sheep Ranch (AM): Consistent with the rest of the trip, but even moreso the morning of day three, I woke up well before my alarm went off out of excitement to play Sheep Ranch. It was the course I was looking forward to the most and boy oh boy did it not disappoint. My wife decided to sleep in extra late and relax, since I had Sheep booked as the last round of the trip on day four, so I grabbed a breakfast taco from the Gallery and Shoe called me a shuttle. A couple other guys were on the shuttle and we chatted about our energy and excitement. Like a famous roller coaster or blockbuster movie, a group of grown men acting like kids asking "have you seen it??" "what's your favorite??" "can't wait!" on the drive and approach up to the clubhouse. Walking up to the first tee and overlooking the property, I knew today was going to be the best day of the trip. The starter greeted us; myself, another husband (golfer) wife (walker) combo the same age as me, and a father/son (son was 12 years old and had a heck of a swing). The others elected from the golds and I stuck with the greens, very tempted to play blacks. I hit a great drive into the light fog and into the abyss of fairway guarded by "goalpost" type trees. Wait and see where I ended up over the hill. The walk from one fairway down to the green is spectacular and immediately my new favorite starting hole in golf. I hit a 5-iron to the front part of the green, chipped up, and drained the putt for bird. What surprised me the most about Sheep is how generous the fairways are; I knew they were large, but you are able to get away with misses much easier here than at the others. I only missed one fairway all round. I hit 14/18 greens with a couple really bad putts and shot a 75. The highlight of my round being on 18, the favorably short par 5 where I crushed a driver and only had sand wedge in. I stuck it to 15 feet and drained the putt for eagle. Great place for it considering I missed a 5 footer for bird on 17. I'll get into my favorite holes from each course later in this thread, but Sheep stole my heart.

 

 

 

[Lefty_89]

Day Three (continued)

 

Bandon Trails (PM): The wife met up with me at Trails End for lunch and I wouldn't shut up about how much I loved Sheep. I ordered the chicken adobo bowl (probably my favorite meal of the trip) for lunch and my wife had the sliders (equally as good). The couple that played Sheep with me in the morning (it happened to be the guy's birthday) was able to grab the same tee time as me, 2pm, for the afternoon round at Trails. It was the "last guaranteed to finish" spot of the day and we went off as a twosome, which I loved. The starter, like all of them, gave us a quick overview of the course and spots to take good pictures. Since we were the last ones, he said we could take as much time as we'd like and to really enjoy the round. I was looking forward to Trails the most behind Sheep and it exceeded the hype. A 5-iron off the tee on 1 followed up by a PW to about 10 feet and, correct again, missed the putt to settle for a tap in par. I was really happy to have played Sheep in the morning and then Trails in the afternoon. The contrast in styles and courses was incredible; I felt like someone picked me up from the coast and took me several states away into a forest. It truly didn't feel like both courses were in the same time zone, much less the same property. The sun came out but the wind held back. I loved seeing deer and other wildlife casually strolling through the forest. My wife found one in a greenside bunker that loved to have its picture taken; it actually stopped eating grass to lift it's head and watch our putts - pretty cool. You feel at peace with yourself and could careless about your scoring when you're playing Trails, in my opinion. I was just thankful to live in the moment and enjoy a round walking with my wife and another couple that was just as excited to be at Bandon as we were. The highlight of the round was my playing partner hitting a great looking shot on the par three 5th, then us walking up to the green to see his ball sitting an inch from the hole. Nearly his first hole in one on his birthday - incredible. I put myself in some trouble off the tee a couple of times and wound up shooting an 83. Trails is an absolute masterpiece.

 

 

[Lefty_89]

Day Four and very sadly the last day...

 

Sheep Ranch (AM): My legs, primarily my feet, were hurting pretty bad when I woke up the last morning, but an ice bath the night before (just my feet, I'm not that crazy) helped quite a bit and I had been popping some ibuprofen when needed. Knowing that check out was at 11am, we went ahead and packed up then loaded the car and grabbed a quick grab-n-go buffet breakfast from the Gallery. It turns out the night prior, someone on site had tested positive for the virus so the resort was modifying dining options and doing takeouts at the Lodge. Worked for us since we were in a hurry anyways. I was really excited to play Sheep one last time, especially since my better half would be walking along. It was the "coldest" start of the day on the trip and the wind was already at a steady speed from the first tee shot. I was paired with a guy that I played with during my Pac round and a father/son combo. I lost my tee shot right and took a breakfast ball which I hit much better down the center. Keep in mind there's a secret driving range next to first tee, unfortunately I didn't take advantage of it either day. I hit a 5-iron to about 30 yards short of the green, chipped up to 7 feet and made the bird. Another great start for me all things considered. This continued into hole 2 where I hit 4-iron + gap wedge to about 6 feet and draino; -2 through 2. The clouds were out the majority of the front 9 until hole 8 where they disappeared on the walk to the green. I was so excited to play the back 9 in the sun, something that I was only able to do on holes 17 and 18 the previous day. Much to the delight of my wife also as it became much warmer. The wind did however blow incredibly hard and I made a couple mistakes to shoot 1 over on the front. The back 9 rewarded me with some good drives, like the one on 13 where I bombed a drive of the left mounds (into the wind) and hit a 5-iron to the front of the green for a chip up and in birdie. Hole 16 had the epic front pin location, with a 3-club wind, so I hit a chippy 8 iron to the front of the green and made par. I crushed another driver on 18 and only had lob wedge in, but hit it very fat and ended up short of the green. A disappointing par to end things, but another 75 and a great closing round to the trip. It was bittersweet walking off the 18th green; my heart wanting to play more golf but my legs thankful I wasn't. A couple stops back by Old Mac and Pac's pro shops so I could grab some items to take home and we got back on the road to make the journey home.

 

 

[Lefty_89]

Miscellaneous Items

 

My course rankings:

• Sheep
• Trails
• Bandon
• Preserve
• Pac
• Old Mac

If I was given 10 rounds - how would I split them up?

• Sheep - 3
• Trails - 3
• Bandon - 2
• Pac - 1
• Old Mac - 1

Favorite restaurant: Trails End just because of the variety and because I had two great lunches there; dinner menu looks like it mirrors lunch but with bigger portions.

 

Where we stayed: Northwest Room at The Lodge that overlooks the 1st tee; great size for a single or couple and relatively close to everything (picture from balcony below)

 

Hidden gem: the "Pro-E" energy balls; delicious, cheap, clever, whatever you want to call them I wish I had brought a dozen back home.

 

Favorite logo/pro shop: I am a sucker for the Sheep Ranch logo but here's what I ended up purchasing...

• Sheep - camo 3-wood headcover and hat for my wife
• Preserve - putter headcover
• Bandon - Seamus bag tag, dog collar, s/s tumbler
• Trails - butterfly large ballmarker and pin for golf bag
• Old Mac - ghost tree trucker hat
• Pac - pin for golf bag

Biggest disappointment: I was really excited about the meatloaf from McKee's, but it was not very good...probably because I ordered it takeout and maybe that caused it.

 

Advice to first-timers: make sure to pack enough socks (I changed once a round due to sweat) and play as much golf as you possibly can in the time you're there!

 

Surprising find: I had heard how "nice" everyone working at Bandon Dunes was, but they truly have some of the friendliest staff I've ever been around. It's not the "fake nice" like you see at other places. Even the caddies in the groups I was with mentioned how much they loved their job and waking up each day to go to work. Each employee treats you like you're special and go out of their way to make sure your time is enjoyable. I only had one run in to an angry bartender that was probably just having a bad day, nothing out of the ordinary. 

 

COVID restrictions: honestly, aside from wearing a mask in the restaurants, pro shops, shuttles, etc. I couldn't even tell that there were social distancing restrictions in place. The resort does an outstanding job to make sure that your experience isn't hindered by the virus. I would highly suggest to not let COVID deter you from making a trip to Bandon; my trip was not impacted in any way and they did a great job to make sure everyone was safe and healthy (i.e. staff guidelines).

 

I'll continue to add to the thread as I think of more things...

 

Thanks for reading and hope you have enjoyed!

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by Lefty_89

[Sean2]

Thanks for the vicarious trip to Bandon Dunes. 🙂

[Jimi Thing]

Thanks so much for the write up. What a great read! 

[toddmanley]

Great write-up!

[spud3]

Excellent trip report!  Glad it was all you were hoping for!

[Lefty_89]

3 minutes ago, spud3 said:

Excellent trip report!  Glad it was all you were hoping for!

Can't remember if it was you or someone else, but the wife and I stopped at Maysara Winery on the drive down and grabbed two bottles of wine for the room. What a great suggestion that turned out to be!

[toddnt]

Cant wait to see if SR can knock BT off the throne as my fav... Nice Stuff, those energy balls have my attention, were they in every pro shop?

[Lefty_89]

1 minute ago, toddnt said:

Cant wait to see if SR can knock BT off the throne as my fav... Nice Stuff, those energy balls have my attention, were they in every pro shop?

Sheep just barely edged out Trails for me with Bandon close behind them - can't go wrong with any of the courses!

 

As for the energy balls, they're $5 for a sleeve of 4 and available at almost every turn stand on property. Delicious!

[Slippin_Jimmy]

Great write-up and really glad you had such a terrific experience there.  I can't wait to go back and play Sheep Ranch for the first time, it looks incredible.  Like you said, the peace/serenity you feel at Trails is like few other places.  Bandon somehow exceeds the hype.

 

You are definitely an inspiration to those of us with non-golfing spouses!

[Lefty_89]

8 minutes ago, Slippin_Jimmy said:

Great write-up and really glad you had such a terrific experience there.  I can't wait to go back and play Sheep Ranch for the first time, it looks incredible.  Like you said, the peace/serenity you feel at Trails is like few other places.  Bandon somehow exceeds the hype.

 

You are definitely an inspiration to those of us with non-golfing spouses!

Haha appreciate the kind words! I was talking to another guy in the shuttle and he said he had played Trails in the morning but wasn't gung-ho about it; I wanted to rip off my mask and yell "are you crazy?!" because Trails is so serene and awesome. Loved playing it right before dark also.

 

My wife actually really enjoyed her trip and it sounds like she'd be more than happy to go again sometime in the future! I am already trying to figure out when I can realistically get back there...maybe I'll give Solstice a shot 😉

[toddnt]

14 minutes ago, Slippin_Jimmy said:

Great write-up and really glad you had such a terrific experience there.  I can't wait to go back and play Sheep Ranch for the first time, it looks incredible.  Like you said, the peace/serenity you feel at Trails is like few other places.  Bandon somehow exceeds the hype.

 

You are definitely an inspiration to those of us with non-golfing spouses!

And the value, especially compared to Pebble!

[beckjg135]

Awesome write up!!, Im T-minus 25 days till i touchdown in Portland for a solo trip.....appreciate all the tips for first timers (as it will be a first time for me as well)

[Lefty_89]

5 minutes ago, beckjg135 said:

Awesome write up!!, Im T-minus 25 days till i touchdown in Portland for a solo trip.....appreciate all the tips for first timers (as it will be a first time for me as well)

Don't hesitate to shoot me a message with anything I can help out with! Trust me when I say I'm really excited for you and it'll be the trip of a lifetime. Enjoy it!!

[10&8]

It’ll be interesting to see how the Sheep Ranch rankings hold up over time. I’ve seen lots of people lately putting it their top spot at the resort. My course rankings went:

1. Bandon Dunes

2. Trails

3. Pacific

4. Sheep Ranch

5. Old Mac

 

Don’t get me wrong, I loved SR, and think it’s the best walk in golf; the views are out of this world. But from a golf course standpoint, there was something left to be desired. I guess that’s why the resort is so popular. Everyone’s rankings are completely different, but there is never a wrong ranking. Glad to hear you had a great trip!

[Lefty_89]

4 minutes ago, 10&8 said:

It’ll be interesting to see how the Sheep Ranch rankings hold up over time. I’ve seen lots of people lately putting it their top spot at the resort. My course rankings went:

1. Bandon Dunes

2. Trails

3. Pacific

4. Sheep Ranch

5. Old Mac

 

Don’t get me wrong, I loved SR, and think it’s the best walk in golf; the views are out of this world. But from a golf course standpoint, there was something left to be desired. I guess that’s why the resort is so popular. Everyone’s rankings are completely different, but there is never a wrong ranking. Glad to hear you had a great trip!

Honestly the more I think back and even looking at pictures, I feel the "top-tier" is Sheep, Trails, and Bandon then a step down is Pacific and Old Mac. Again, just my opinion, but those three for me are just above the two others. I could make a strong case as to why Bandon is my favorite course and then argue why Trails is, too. Maybe if I was playing better on Pac it would be higher up my list, who knows. Just out of pure replay value though, if someone called me today and said if I could get two rounds in...I'd have a tough time deciding between Sheep, Trails, and Bandon.

 

The only way to know for certain is to get back as soon as I can for more rounds!

Edited October 6, 2020 by Lefty_89

[10&8]

6 minutes ago, Lefty_89 said:

Honestly the more I think back and even looking at pictures, I feel the "top-tier" is Sheep, Trails, and Bandon then a step down is Pacific and Old Mac. Again, just my opinion, but those three for me are just above the two others. I could make a strong case as to why Bandon is my favorite course and then argue why Trails is, too. Maybe if I was playing better on Pac it would be higher up my list, who knows. Just out of pure replay value though, if someone called me today and said if I could get two rounds in...I'd have a tough time deciding between Sheep, Trails, and Bandon.

 

The only way to know for certain is to get back as soon as I can for more rounds!

I hear you there! My first trip was around Thanksgiving last year and did my second trip over Labor Day. And I should also note that my rankings were completely different after trip #1. Although I still had Bandon in the top spot with Pacific a close second.  I just love everything about Bandon Dunes. It’s challenging but fair. After playing Trails again, I fell in love with the serenity and calmness of the property, it’s hard to put into words. And the funniest part is I actually shot my best round of the trip this year at Pacific (74 in a 20-25 mph wind), but it still moves down in my ranking!

[Lefty_89]

44 minutes ago, 10&8 said:

I hear you there! My first trip was around Thanksgiving last year and did my second trip over Labor Day. And I should also note that my rankings were completely different after trip #1. Although I still had Bandon in the top spot with Pacific a close second.  I just love everything about Bandon Dunes. It’s challenging but fair. After playing Trails again, I fell in love with the serenity and calmness of the property, it’s hard to put into words. And the funniest part is I actually shot my best round of the trip this year at Pacific (74 in a 20-25 mph wind), but it still moves down in my ranking!

The beauty of Bandon - course rankings changing after each trip!

 

It's really tough for me to put Pac and Old Mac at the bottom of the list because I'd still pick them over any other courses I've played previously. My ball flight is high and I didn't practice knock down shots much before leaving (even though I knew I should have) so the winds at Pac ate me alive. I also couldn't putt to save my life so Old Mac and the massive greens tore me up! I really feel like I could have broken par if I made a few more putts at Sheep and cracked 80 if I ended up in better spots off the tee at Trails. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. 

 

It's also funny to realize that my worst rounds came in the afternoons, aside from Bandon the first day. So much for being in "good shape" 😂

 

Solid round at Pacific though for you - I'm jealous!

Edited October 6, 2020 by Lefty_89

[buzlin]

"The beauty of Bandon - course rankings changing after each trip!"

 

Yep! My rankings have shifted many times.  Perhaps not outright rankings, but they definitely move up and down the scale.  Unfortunately, OM, has never moved off the distant bottom as much as I try to figure it out!

[Lefty_89]

27 minutes ago, buzlin said:

"The beauty of Bandon - course rankings changing after each trip!"

 

Yep! My rankings have shifted many times.  Perhaps not outright rankings, but they definitely move up and down the scale.  Unfortunately, OM, has never moved off the distant bottom as much as I try to figure it out!

After a couple of times using putter from 25 yards off the front of the green then the ball rolling clear off the back, OM landed respectably in the #5 spot 😂

 

But like the reverse saying goes, don't hate the game...hate the player!

Edited October 6, 2020 by Lefty_89

[graveydellic]

Lefty - great trip report! Looks like a great time.  

 

Curious on your wife's perspective and how that dynamic was.  I am heading there with my wife in January and she's not a golfer so just planning on walking along when possible.  Of course, January will be quite different weather wise.  Interested in if your wife felt comfortable walking with the various groups, if the groups you got paired with didn't mind her being there, etc.  I think my wife is a little nervous to be walking along with a random group, although I have assured her it is normal there.  Considering it's January I am only playing once a day (BT, BD, SR) but am secretly hoping it will be just her and I on Trails (what an awesome walk!).  

 

 

[Lefty_89]

Just now, graveydellic said:

Lefty - great trip report! Looks like a great time.  

 

Curious on your wife's perspective and how that dynamic was.  I am heading there with my wife in January and she's not a golfer so just planning on walking along when possible.  Of course, January will be quite different weather wise.  Interested in if your wife felt comfortable walking with the various groups, if the groups you got paired with didn't mind her being there, etc.  I think my wife is a little nervous to be walking along with a random group, although I have assured her it is normal there.  Considering it's January I am only playing once a day (BT, BD, SR) but am secretly hoping it will be just her and I on Trails (what an awesome walk!).  

 

 

Happy for your upcoming trip and would be more than glad to help out!

 

My wife is definitely more extroverted than me, however she was at first worried too about going along and walking with strangers. I'd be lying if I said she didn't enjoy each round that she walked with me. Everyone that I ran into at Bandon, regardless if they were in my golf pairing or not, was just there to golf and take in the experience. I was paired up with two different husband/wife couples (wife non-golfers) during my trip and the wives of those guys were having a blast. I know the weather will be cooler in January, but my wife was raving about the massage center; a nice break from the golf action. I'd tell your wife that just being out there along the coast, surrounded by other folks that are just there to have fun, take pictures, and live in the moment, she will thoroughly enjoy herself! The guys in my group loved my wife being there too - she's been around me long enough to know when to not talk/move/etc. so she never "got in the way". Everyone at Bandon made her feel like she was golfing also and never out of place. Just the special environment and atmosphere Bandon creates.

 

You should ask Reservations to book you for the last round of the day on Trails; like you mentioned, that walk through the forest with your better half...nothing quite like it! You'll have flexibility going in January and especially as a single. Certainly worth looking in to!

[bcc69]

Great write up!!  It brought back a lot of the recent memories I had last month at Bandon.  So glad you had some really nice weather.  Start planning your next trip.  It never gets old.  I've been fortunate enough to gone to Bandon 5 times.  My rankings seem to change every time that I go.  Bottomline, 5 great courses, plus the Preserve.