Bandon Dunes Reservation Swap - October 2025

[eboettne]

Got a bit of a long shot here:   

 

After having our trip canceled in Feb 2023 for a snowstorm that closed Bandon we got in the lottery and got lucky with an October 2025 Reservation. The last Wed-Sunday that allows a direct flight from Denver, Perfect!  As we've gotten closer the anticipation has grown as 2 in our group have never been.  We just brought them to Sand Valley on Memorial Day last year and had an absolute blast so I was pumped to show them the Oregon coast. 

 

Welp, just got back from the doctor and my wife's pregnant with our 3rd child which is amazing as it was a lot of time, money and heartache to have our 2nd child and this one somehow just "happened" a year after with no medical intervention.  As ecstatic as I am about this, our due date is the 1st day of the aforementioned October Bandon trip. 

 

Long story longer, looking for anyone that may have a June - Mid September trip booked for 4 guys that would want to do a straight up reservation swap with me. 

 

Here's our itinerary:

 

[graveydellic]

Congrats! Wish I could help you out, but just know I feel your pain.  I made an 8 man reservation in early 2021 for the middle of 2022.  Was looking forward to bringing out 7 friends who had never been before.  Fast forward and I had to bail because baby was due same weekend as the trip.  I remember being in the hospital before my wife was induced watching the course cameras as my friends descended on the punchbowl.  

 

Best of luck! 

[eboettne]

Quick update: Called Bandon and explained my plight asking if there's a July or August date we could squeeze in and almost got laughed off the phone.  Not that it was terrible but as someone whose business depends on a call center, I'm starting to see what people are talking about with the customer service taking a bit of a nosedive.  There wasn't really any empathy or willingness to help out, I basically had to lead them down the path of checking different dates/months and then had to actively inquire about getting on a waiting list or she was ready to call it a day.  Starting to wonder if we need to start thinking of some other summer destinations that may have openings because her best advice was keep calling back in the 30-90 day window.   

[jrg75]

29 minutes ago, eboettne said:

Quick update: Called Bandon and explained my plight asking if there's a July or August date we could squeeze in and almost got laughed off the phone.  Not that it was terrible but as someone whose business depends on a call center, I'm starting to see what people are talking about with the customer service taking a bit of a nosedive.  There wasn't really any empathy or willingness to help out, I basically had to lead them down the path of checking different dates/months and then had to actively inquire about getting on a waiting list or she was ready to call it a day.  Starting to wonder if we need to start thinking of some other summer destinations that may have openings because her best advice was keep calling back in the 30-90 day window.   

No offense and I understand your situation but it's kind of a big ask given how popular this place is. 

 

Fwiw, I've made several calls over the last month to shore up my April reservation and also book dates in 2026.  The agents have been nothing but outstanding and accommodating but they can only work with the availability they have.

[eboettne]

6 hours ago, jrg75 said:

No offense and I understand your situation but it's kind of a big ask given how popular this place is. 

 

Fwiw, I've made several calls over the last month to shore up my April reservation and also book dates in 2026.  The agents have been nothing but outstanding and accommodating but they can only work with the availability they have.

 

You must have misunderstood me. I wasn't critical that they didn't bend over backwards and accommodate me, cancel someone's reservation to make room for me because I'm so special. It's the mannerisms on the phone that have changed so drastically since I started calling Bandon.  It feels like I'm speaking to a call center instead of a local golf course that's excited(or can at least fake it) you're calling.  

 

That's cool you've only had outstanding experiences.  I was right there with you up until this point.

[jrg75]

17 minutes ago, eboettne said:

 

You must have misunderstood me. I wasn't critical that they didn't bend over backwards and accommodate me, cancel someone's reservation to make room for me because I'm so special. It's the mannerisms on the phone that have changed so drastically since I started calling Bandon.  It feels like I'm speaking to a call center instead of a local golf course that's excited(or can at least fake it) you're calling.  

 

That's cool you've only had outstanding experiences.  I was right there with you up until this point.

I guess your plight of a new baby messing up a golf trip is what is throwing me off.  I don't see that as something that would normally generate empathy, much less excitement from an agent that they find a new reservation for a group of 4 in peak season just a few months out.

[edgibson22]

On 3/3/2025 at 7:21 AM, eboettne said:

Quick update: Called Bandon and explained my plight asking if there's a July or August date we could squeeze in and almost got laughed off the phone.  Not that it was terrible but as someone whose business depends on a call center, I'm starting to see what people are talking about with the customer service taking a bit of a nosedive.  There wasn't really any empathy or willingness to help out, I basically had to lead them down the path of checking different dates/months and then had to actively inquire about getting on a waiting list or she was ready to call it a day.  Starting to wonder if we need to start thinking of some other summer destinations that may have openings because her best advice was keep calling back in the 30-90 day window.   

Unable to help either but Ive been going since 2005 and it's changed. Used to have all types of good gifts in room on arrival and gm would respond personally to any problems. Had some issues last time and were basically told tough s***. Never would have happened 10 or 15 years ago and if it did they would have bent over backwards go make sure we were happy and coming back. That said, I have a trip planned for April 12th. A month away. Probably my last but I'm pretty excited. 

[wtoomey]

20 hours ago, edgibson22 said:

Unable to help either but Ive been going since 2005 and it's changed. Used to have all types of good gifts in room on arrival and gm would respond personally to any problems. Had some issues last time and were basically told tough s***. Never would have happened 10 or 15 years ago and if it did they would have bent over backwards go make sure we were happy and coming back. That said, I have a trip planned for April 12th. A month away. Probably my last but I'm pretty excited. 

Cannot agree with this more! We are on year ten, and also likely our last due to the lottery. 
 

The golf has remained awesome. The rooms are always comfortable and adequate. The problem is the lack of service. They are totally understaffed. The employees seem to barely have enough time to get their core functions completed, let alone go the extra mile. That wasn’t always the case. Our first year we had a caddie issue but didn’t say anything. The staff overheard us and sent the Caddy Master without hesitation to make it right. 
 

Servers were friendly and got to know you, now they just want to get you done with the table so they can seat the next group. 
 

It may sound like sour grapes, and guys who are going for the first time are going to have a blast, but it’s a shame they are missing what it once was…the cost of growing I guess. 

[eboettne]

On 3/3/2025 at 4:33 PM, jrg75 said:

I guess your plight of a new baby messing up a golf trip is what is throwing me off.  I don't see that as something that would normally generate empathy, much less excitement from an agent that they find a new reservation for a group of 4 in peak season just a few months out.

You are clearly a blast at parties. I don't think we need to continue to interact.

[eboettne]

On 3/9/2025 at 3:18 PM, wtoomey said:

Cannot agree with this more! We are on year ten, and also likely our last due to the lottery. 
 

The golf has remained awesome. The rooms are always comfortable and adequate. The problem is the lack of service. They are totally understaffed. The employees seem to barely have enough time to get their core functions completed, let alone go the extra mile. That wasn’t always the case. Our first year we had a caddie issue but didn’t say anything. The staff overheard us and sent the Caddy Master without hesitation to make it right. 
 

Servers were friendly and got to know you, now they just want to get you done with the table so they can seat the next group. 
 

It may sound like sour grapes, and guys who are going for the first time are going to have a blast, but it’s a shame they are missing what it once was…the cost of growing I guess. 

 

It was probably inevitable with the golf boom + a labor shortage but doesn't make me any less sad that it's happened.

[jrg75]

7 hours ago, eboettne said:

You are clearly a blast at parties. I don't think we need to continue to interact.

Sorry man, wasn't trying to be a jerk, sometimes a quick response in a thread can come across different than what you intended.

 

I wish you the best with the new addition to your family and getting rescheduled at Bandon. I've personally gone through the same situation a few times including a trip to the Masters I had to cancel for the birth of my son and a recent trip to Bandon that I had to cancel so I could support a family member's cancer treatment.

 

Stay optimistic, these family needs never come twice but Bandon will always be there. In my case, opportunities presented themselves that allowed me to take these trips later and I never thought twice about missing out.

[eboettne]

On 3/12/2025 at 6:37 PM, jrg75 said:

Sorry man, wasn't trying to be a jerk, sometimes a quick response in a thread can come across different than what you intended.

 

I wish you the best with the new addition to your family and getting rescheduled at Bandon. I've personally gone through the same situation a few times including a trip to the Masters I had to cancel for the birth of my son and a recent trip to Bandon that I had to cancel so I could support a family member's cancer treatment.

 

Stay optimistic, these family needs never come twice but Bandon will always be there. In my case, opportunities presented themselves that allowed me to take these trips later and I never thought twice about missing out.

I appreciate the follow up and clarification. I wasn’t looking for sympathy for my situation when I originally posted. Just a reservation swap and also commenting on the change in the customer service level at my favorite place to golf in the world. Those things weren’t completely related but just an observation. I also own a business that lives and breathes customer service so I’m sensitive to that stuff. I also commented that Sand Valley had crap service 5 years ago and has since gotten exponentially better.

 

My family is the most important thing in the world to me, bar none. However I feel I can balance that with also trying to make a golf trip with some buddies happen. Hell, my wife and I are going to Ireland in a month and she’s playing 36 with me so I am not over here feeling sorry for myself or expecting anyone else to. Just making observations.

 

Cheers