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Tim Bert

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This is the 2nd of 3 threads dedicated to the courses at Bandon Dunes resort.  This one will focus on the original course - Bandon Dunes.  There are a few holes where I don't have the critical mass of photos that I have for Pacific Dunes, so feel free to help out when the selection is poor (the 1st is a good example!)

Hole #1 is a par 4
386 from the black tee
352 from the green tee

This is the least intimidating first tee shot of the three at the resort, though there is still pressure not to hit the ball right - where OB awaits a poorly struck shot.  The hole plays much longer than the card in the summer time as the wind opposes the tee shot.

This is a solid starter with an elevated approach shot to the green.  Each time I return, the scale of the green site on #1 takes me by surprise.  There is a good change in elevation to the green, the bunkering is fierce, and the green is large.  The bunkering is different than most of the other bunkers on this course.

An alternative green was opened a few years ago (I think the intent was to change it to the primary green) on the left side of the hole but it seems that it came and went between my trips in 2005 and 2007.  It didn't exist on the former trip, and by the latter trip it was apparently out of use.  While it probably sped things up by taking OB out of play and also made for a shorter walk to the 2nd tee, I can't imagine that it resulted in a better hole.  From 50 yards in to the original green is the best part of the opener in my opinion.

The approach from well back in the fairway


From closer to the green


A view from the left side


A view of the green from #2 tee


Views from the tee or close-ups of the green are welcome!
« Last Edit: September 01, 2008, 04:43:56 PM by Tim Bert »

Kyle Christensen

Here is a pic from the tee shot on 1.



With the wind blowing into you the second shot is pretty demanding with the elevated green. The three times I played the hole I hit two 3 woods and a 5 wood from about 180 yards. Serious summer wind makes this a tough opener.

Ronald Montesano

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Madonna!  I had forgotten how gorgeous that place is.  Let's see...42 years old and broke...how soon until I retire out there?
Coming in August 2023
~Manakiki
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~NCR South
~Springfield
~Columbus
~Lake Forest (OH)
~Sleepy Hollow (OH)

Wayne_Freedman

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I just played Bandon and Pacific  a week ago, and considered it odd that Bandon has the tougher slope and course ratings. It seems to me that Pacific is more difficult, and poses more problems for errant shots.

Do you agree?

Bandon posed  a tough, but easily playable challenge from the tips.
At Pacific, I moved up after  nine. It's also worth noting that there was not much wind at Bandon on the day I played,  and about 10 mph the next morning at Pacific.

Then again, on a previous trip, it howled, but Pacific still seemed more difficult.   


Will MacEwen

I just played Bandon and Pacific  a week ago, and considered it odd that Bandon has the tougher slope and course ratings. It seems to me that Pacific is more difficult, and poses more problems for errant shots.

Do you agree?

Bandon posed  a tough, but easily playable challenge from the tips.
At Pacific, I moved up after  nine. It's also worth noting that there was not much wind at Bandon on the day I played,  and about 10 mph the next morning at Pacific.

Then again, on a previous trip, it howled, but Pacific still seemed more difficult.   



Wayne - I find that Bandon giveth, and Pacific takes it away.  I am usually about 9 strokes worse on PD - I always have a blowup hole or two. 

Jay Cox

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I'd forgotten just how good the approach at Bandon's 1st is.  Thanks, Tim, for reminding me.

I just played Bandon and Pacific  a week ago, and considered it odd that Bandon has the tougher slope and course ratings. It seems to me that Pacific is more difficult, and poses more problems for errant shots.

Do you agree?

I find this a very interesting question.  A few thoughts:
(1) Under normal conditions -- one or two club wind, say -- from my experience I think that Bandon should have the higher course rating but that Pacific should have the higher slope.  I would expect the scratch player on average to shoot a lower score at Pacific and the 18 handicapper, say, on average to shoot a lower score at Bandon.

(2) Under abnormally calm conditions, I think that Pacific becomes the easier course for both high and low 'cappers.

(3) Under even windier conditions, I think that Pacific becomes the harder course for both high and low 'cappers.

Reef Wilson

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Here is a pic from the tee shot on 1.



With the wind blowing into you the second shot is pretty demanding with the elevated green. The three times I played the hole I hit two 3 woods and a 5 wood from about 180 yards. Serious summer wind makes this a tough opener.

The new PD club housing makes for a nice aiming reference. I had some big numbers here initially, but once you figure this hole out it's a blast and a real favorite of mine.

Darn, I wish I could run up there and get a few rounds in right now.

Tim,
Thanks for these threads, these are a lot of fun!

Wayne_Freedman

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Re: the f1st at BD...you round the corner, and for the unitiatiated, the first view of that  greeen rising up--- it's shocking...as if you're seeing a giant dinosaur that has returned to life.
« Last Edit: July 28, 2008, 02:53:33 PM by Wayne_Freedman »

Wayne_Freedman

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FWIW...here is a link to the photos I shot at Bandon that day. They include one of my wife, who actually walked the front nine with me even though she doesn't get golf.

I was fortunate enough to play uncommonly well on the front.  She had not seen me play in ten or twelve years. In short, with her there for inspiration, I showed off, and temporarily  elevated my game to a ridiculous level.

Her reaction..."It's cold. What is so hard about this game? You're better putting up hills than down them."

Naturally, my game returned to it's  'comfort zone of mediocraty' after she left, but still, her presence there was one of the sweetest things she's ever done, among many.

http://picasaweb.google.com/wayne.freedman/BandonDunes?authkey=Od-31ab4sc8
« Last Edit: July 28, 2008, 04:40:20 PM by Wayne_Freedman »

Tim Pitner

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One of my favorite holes at Bandon Dunes--I thought the move to a new green was a terrible idea and I'm glad that didn't pan out.  I prefer playing the hole into the wind (#2 also).  Hitting a longish iron into that elevated green is an intimidating shot.  The hole also plays well as a bet-deciding 19th (or 37th) hole. 

Given Kidd's Gleneagles connection, I've always suspected that this hole was inspired by Gleneagles Kings #1, but I've never read that from Kidd. 

Steve Kline

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The summer wind you guys played this hole must have been pretty strong because two of the three times I played this hole without any wind I had 80 yards to the green - which is not an easy pitch given how uphill it is. All in all I'd say it is a pretty generous and easy opening hole. The bunker that eats into the left of the green certainly makes you play it out to the right.

Wayne_Freedman

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I had about 90 yards in, for what it is worth.

Jim Tang

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Nic pics.  I've been out to Bandon twice, and just love the entire experience that it offers.  I remember my caddie telling me they were building an alternate green for the first hole becasue a lot of golfers were sailing their tee shots over the dunes on the right of the hole and into the parking lot.  I too, am glad they kept the original design.

I think w/ the wind down, you can get Pacific Dunes and it is the easier course.  You just don't seem to have much room off the tee or into the green complexes at Pacific.  Bandon is wider and gives you some land to play with.  But man, when that wind comes up, forget it, Pacific Dunes is a terror.

That is another wonderful aspect of the courses at Bandon.  Pacific and Bandon are right next to each other, but they look like and play like two entirely different golf courses.  Beautiful.

Wayne_Freedman

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Compared to Pacific, Bandon felt like a resort course.
It was due mostly to the conditions, of course.


Nic pics.  I've been out to Bandon twice, and just love the entire experience that it offers.  I remember my caddie telling me they were building an alternate green for the first hole becasue a lot of golfers were sailing their tee shots over the dunes on the right of the hole and into the parking lot.  I too, am glad they kept the original design.

I think w/ the wind down, you can get Pacific Dunes and it is the easier course.  You just don't seem to have much room off the tee or into the green complexes at Pacific.  Bandon is wider and gives you some land to play with.  But man, when that wind comes up, forget it, Pacific Dunes is a terror.

That is another wonderful aspect of the courses at Bandon.  Pacific and Bandon are right next to each other, but they look like and play like two entirely different golf courses.  Beautiful.

Tim Bert

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I've played Bandon better than Pacific in my time there.  Actually on my first trip out. I played Pacific better (well I actually played both poorly.)  Since that trip, I've scored better on Bandon.  I've broken 90 twice on Bandon, including an 86, which is my lowest round at the resort.

I would tend to agree with many that Pacific might be a little easier had by the strong player, but Bandon is generally the easier course for a mid-to-high handicapper.

As I think about it a bit more, I might say that if you were a 12 handicapper and trying to play a 4 or 5 handicapper (with proper strokes) you'd have a better shot at Pacific in match play and at Bandon in stroke play.  I think Bandon tends to yield less blow-ups and yields a steadier round for me, so I've got a better shot at stroke play there.  At Pacific, I'm going to blow up on a few holes, but there are plenty of chances at par and birdie out there to keep you in a match.

John Kirk

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This hole features "blowout" style greenside bunkers, after which that style of bunker is abandoned for the formal revetted look.  I wonder why that is so.

Nice opening hole.  The front pin positions are deceptively sloped.  The large green is open to the elements, and gets pretty fast and dry.

After learning each course fairly well, I found Bandon Dunes was easier for me, assuming the courses were playing from about equal yardages.  Bandon Dunes can be set up very long, over 7300 yards, if they want. 

Dan Herrmann

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It's got a great tee too - lots of folks milling about and you can look great, or like a fool on your tee shot.

Jeff Doerr

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This hole features "blowout" style greenside bunkers, after which that style of bunker is abandoned for the formal revetted look.  I wonder why that is so.

Nice opening hole.  The front pin positions are deceptively sloped.  The large green is open to the elements, and gets pretty fast and dry.

After learning each course fairly well, I found Bandon Dunes was easier for me, assuming the courses were playing from about equal yardages.  Bandon Dunes can be set up very long, over 7300 yards, if they want. 

Good question John.  The other "blowout" style are all connected to natural areas if I recall correctly.
"And so," (concluded the Oldest Member), "you see that golf can be of
the greatest practical assistance to a man in Life's struggle.”

Cory Brown

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I think I may have the photobucket thing figured out finally.

Here goes nothing.


David Botimer

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As for the comments regarding course difficulty, Bandon plays easily 5+ shots easier than Pacific AND Trails for resort guests.  During the 2007 U.S. Mid-Am, which Bandon and Trails each were played for one round of stroke play, Trails played almost 1.5 strokes more difficult to par (course stats are available on the Mid-Am's website).

Regarding the use of a new green on #1, it lasted less than a year.  The hole was straight, relatively flat, and the green complex fairly mundane.  It comletely neutered the hole of any character and moving back to the original green returned the hole to being an excellent starter hole.

The tee shot is not overly exacting, but the summer wind definitely gets your attention, leaving many golfers to "bail out" left and leave a longer, much more challenging approach shot to the green.  Regardless of pin positions, the blowout bunker front and center of the green serves to limit how far left players aim on the approach.  With the approach mostly eastbound the summer winds are crossing left to right.  With the green elevated one club higher than most of the fairway, and the wind usually hurting, club selection is critical.

As Bandon is often the starting course for resort guests, I often have the "do I need this Bushnell / Sky Caddie?" conversation in the 1st fairway.  The answer is no, given judging the wind / elevation change in the club selection process far more important than getting the yardage to the exact # ( which the caddie should have within 1-3 yards every time anyway ).

GREAT starting hole, par definitely earned!

Tim Pitner

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My own experience is that the first time I played Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes, I scored well at Bandon, but not at Pacific.  Since then, after the visual intimidation factor has worn off and I've learned the course, my lowest scores have always come at Pacific Dunes.  I'm really not sure why--I agree that Bandon Dunes generally has less trouble.  For whatever reason though, that has definitely been the case.  I've played Bandon Trails far less, but the closing few holes there are real brutes into the wind and have taken their toll on my scores. 

Sorry for the diversion--back to Bandon Dunes. 

Tim Bert

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Hole #2 is a par 3
189 from the black tee
155 from the green tee

Based on the my experience, the green tee has usually been back closer to the black tee yardage.  With the summer cross wind coming left to right and also hurting a little bit, this can be a very difficult tee shot.  When the wind is up and the tee is back a bit it will play well over 200 yards.  When the tee is up without wind (rare on my trips) you may have a middle iron in hand.

An intimidating looking carry awaits on your first par 3, though it really shouldn't take too much to get over the trouble.  That being said, I've been there looking for a ball in the valley between the tee and green.  The green collects balls in a few key areas, so if you trust yourself and make a good swing it is possible to put it close to the pin by hitting to the correct portion of the green.  This is probably my least favorite of the four par 3s at the course, but the other three are all really good.

A view from the tee


A more intimidating, zoomed out view from the tee.  Looking at the gloomy sky in this picture, it is hard to believe that we've had less than 15 minutes of rain during the almost 20 rounds we've played at the resort.


A look back on the green (#3 in the distance)


The back pin placement.  Note: the three close balls are my playing partners' tee shots.  The ball further away is my 2nd shot.  This pin placement allows for the funnel affect I mention above.  The three golfers hit differently shaped shots that all ended up right there.  I wouldn't recommend placing the pin here during a hole-in-one contest.


 

Ed Oden

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Tim, I think this may be about the same pin position shown in your pics.  One of my playing partners flew the green almost to where the grass meets the fescue on a line about 20 feet right of the flag.  The ball bounced back and to the left and rolled within kick in distance from the hole.  I agree that this is the least appealing visually of the par 3s.  But that is no slight.  Still a quality hole nonetheless.


Reef Wilson

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Has anyone played 2nd from the other set of tees? These are along the ridge on the other side of the first green and while I imagine it would be brutally into the wind during the summer, it would still be good fun to have a go from over there. They seem to be fully maintained and are very visible on google earth, just wondering if anyone ever plays from over there.
Reef

Doug_Feeney

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A view from the back tee on #3 just a few weeks ago.  Great contours - I missed the green right and was able to play it off the slope on the back edge of the green and get it close.


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