Bandon Dunes on a Winter’s Mourn
shlinklincoln December 16th, 2007
I had the opportunity to tour both Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes this last Saturday morning thanks to my friend Clayton (thanks Clay) who is the Spray Tech for Pacific Dunes. It was friggin cold, but the sky was clear and the sun made a few appearances throughout the morning.
Both courses are beautiful in their links course design. Shooting your tee shot with the Pacific Ocean in the background is an awesome sight. I can only imagine how difficult the course is to play as there are many “brutal” hazards and slopes on just about every hole.
I wasn’t there to play a round (my game is no where near worthy) but I did get an opportunity to hit a few 6 iron shots at the par 3s 10th and 17th of Pacific Dunes. I had a few good swings but my G.I.R. was 0%. The one I did manage to land on the green at 17 rolled and rolled (and rolled) off the back of the green. Had these been fast summertime greens it wouldn’t even have been close.
From BandonDunesGolf.com:
“The game of golf was born on rugged, wind-swept land just like this. Every hole, every hazard, every shot is defined by nature’s infinite presence. As the elements change, so does the game. It’s all part of the tradition of links golf. Lies are tight and conditions are lean. Bounce and roll are a much better measure of quality than color. Mastery of the ground game becomes a more important skill than raw power.
The ingenious and inventive player is rewarded with multiple options on nearly every shot. Amongst the massive dunes and hearty pines, you’ll discover golf in its purest state. Where nature is embraced, not conquered. And where the traditions of a time-honored game yield to an experience unlike any other.
Perhaps Golf Odyssey summed it up best: “it is here, on this remote stretch of the wildly stunning Oregon coast, where the finest golf courses in the whole world quietly await you.”
Here’s to hoping one of these courses will host a U.S. Open in the near future.
View more Bandon Dunes photos.
In loving memory of Andy.
