Bandon Dunes - 16th Hole - What is your strategy?

[BG5]

The 16th hole on Bandon Dunes is one of the most beautiful golf holes in the world.  Its a shorter par that typically plays downwind in the summer and into the wind in the winter.  There are lot of options on how one plays the hole and am curious about what everyone's strategy is when they play it.  Let the fun begin 🙂

 

 

[jvincent]

I play a fade / cut with driver now so I just aim it over the left corner of the cross bunker thing and let it rip. 

[Wardonation]

3 wood 25 yards left of green. played it over 50 times and love it...

[VNutz]

First 2 times I played it were a bit into the wind, so it was driver up the left, then a low running pitch to the green. Last time played downwind and hit a 5w pin high just left but stymied by the pot bunker. Have never played short of the bunker. I love holes where there's no wrong or right way to do it, and can be anywhere between birdie and triple as a result.

[spud3]

So many ways to play 16.  All depends on the wind. 

 

Typically, I aim for the large landing area just over the ridge, then a running shot toward the hole.

 

In a heavy wind from the south, I've even played an iron onto the lower fairway, then a chippy mid-iron that just gets over the ridge and starts running toward the hole.

 

Plan and Execution are two different things, tho...

 

[MongoSmash]

Lay up with iron. 

[jrg75]

Love this hole but historically one of my worst in terms of scoring.  Finally had some success last few trips using driver just left of pot bunkers.  Goal is to end up in the collection area near 17 tee box.  Actually played from 17 tee box a few times.  Easy pitch back into the wind for 2nd shot and let the putter hopefully work.

[BG5]

My plan is to aim for the pin and go for the eagle.....why not????? 🙂

[Swingem]

I've had the best success from the left fairway. Lots of room on the left with a full wedge to the green. I've played it from everywhere too, by design and by mistake. Left upper fairway is an easy 4.  

Edited December 19, 2022 by Swingem
Clarification

[Lefty_89]

Played it this past Friday - last round of the week with absolutely perfect weather.

 

3-wood left edge, two putts for bird.

[eboettne]

Play it at 17’s tee, I hit a natural fade so if it cuts towards the green great. If it doesn’t, that’s fine too

[mallrat]

I think I’ve hit driver on this hole every time and been everywhere from the bunker/waste area right of the green to the lower fairway (windy day, driver barely got there) to the tall grass to the left. 
 

My strategy every time is to not have to look over the edge for my ball. 

[TreeHugger73]

On 12/21/2022 at 7:42 AM, eboettne said:

Play it at 17’s tee, I hit a natural fade so if it cuts towards the green great. If it doesn’t, that’s fine too

 

This is the right answer. And, generally, the farther you hit it the better. 

[dvq9654]

On 12/22/2022 at 6:35 AM, TreeHugger73 said:

 

This is the right answer. And, generally, the farther you hit it the better. 

 

Agree. Longer and left has been my most successful approach. I've tried long irons and 3 woods a little further right and the risk of ending up in a small, nasty bunker is pretty high. 

[JNewsted]

Left.  Way left.

 

Worst case scenario, you're in the flat and in line with the green.  It's a semi blind shot up there (into the sun in the PM, that kind of sucks) but minimal danger as long as you don't go way long.  I've been trying to get a moving sideways with a semi-slice, as I'm not sure there's a perfect slope to bounce it on from.

 

Last time out, played it Par - Birdie.  Tailwind + solid fade = a couple paces off the back, long and left.  Easy chip up and in.

 

The hole is 10/10!

[TexasTitleistUser]

Driver and just clear the berm toward the left. 75-80 out and blade a 50 degree over the green. Chunk the first chip about 3 feet and have it roll back to you. Nip the next one perfectly to kick in range. Great hole. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 18, 2023 by TexasTitleistUser

[njlam]

On windless days, i go for it. Last few times I have been just short of green, but in the s***, yet findable.

 

On days with the wind in my face, I aim at the flag and let my draw take the ball to the left. Usually land on the upper fairway....then blade it into the ocean.

[Mcgeeno]

Late response on this but I was thinking of this hole today as I planned my 2nd ever trip. Day dreaming at work hahaha.

 

I played this hole once, my first ever trip and I was lucky with the wind and weather that day (But not for other rounds haha)

 

Wind at my back, (I'm a lefty) and sprayed my drive slightly left but hit an absolute bomb. Ended up within kicking distance of the green.

 

The flag was actually tucked almost directly behind the front bunker and I stupidly decided to hit a hero flop shot to which ended up within a foot for the one and only birdie at Bandon Dunes for me that day lol. 

 

My other epic highlight was a holed out bunker shot on Pac Dunes on 11 from the green side bunker. My buddies joked that I threw the ball out because they couldnt see me in there lol.

What a place.

 

 

[doc52]

Heavy wind gusts this past Saturday afternoon forced me to hit 3 iron to the left/top fairway with an 8 iron approach in from 110 out... 

[shackmangolf]

Downwind: hi cut 3 wood or hybrid to left of green.  Wind straightens out the cut. 

Into the wind: driving iron to lower fairway. 

 

The key to having fun at bandon is always having a second shot. 

[Kasparov05]

Hi cut 3 wood all day long.

[aa6]

3 wood at the left side of the green... sometimes it works... sometimes it doesn't hahahaha

[ALo314]

I took a hybrid that might have been my best swing of the trip. I ended up in the small pot bunker left front-left of the green.

[puttnforthe8]

Driver for moi ...and try to go long.  

[mikedejong33]

Played it twice last week. Both times I hit driver just short left, right beside that pot bunker. Chipped on and made 2 pars! Awesome hole for sure, but laying up seems more difficult than just blasting away and keeping it a bit left to me.

[MarkLP]

Im a 20-handicap and played it for first time recently. I’m not a big hitter and my natural shot is a fade - so I said what the heck. With a nice breeze behind me I aimed just off the ocean cliff and slammed it. Ball finished five feet short of the green. Missed a player in forward group by a few inches (according to him) - to whom I apologized. He then congratulated me on a great shot. Have fun out there - it is an amazing course.

 

[shortstop20]

Played it for the first time just a month ago. Caddy said Driver so I let it rip downwind. Was 20 yards left of the green. Hit it to 8 feet and made birdie. Won’t be forgetting that one!