When Michael Keiser first visited what’s now referred to as Bandon Dunes as a potential purchaser, he hiked away from the ocean to a wooded spot within the southeast nook of the property and emerged upon an expansive view of towering dunes and the roaring Pacific within the distance.
The sight was so surreal, he instantly knew that he had discovered the spot to go all-in on his imaginative and prescient for the primary true American hyperlinks golf vacation spot.
The “nice reveal” is a sense acquainted to all hikers and golfers alike, a journey constructing in anticipation earlier than rising upon a spectacular vista.
This inland portion of the Bandon Dunes resort property might actually be mistaken for a nature protect that includes a climbing path that peaks in such superior style. It’s a various surroundings full of wildlife and assorted fauna, full with views of mountains and the ocean.
The pure setting of this property is as spectacular as any Nationwide Park I’ve ever visited, and it’s solely becoming that it will definitely grew to become residence to the third course at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, now aptly referred to as “Bandon Trails.”
Within the early 2000’s, after the wild success of the primary two seaside hyperlinks programs at Bandon Dunes, strain was excessive to proceed increasing the resort. Keiser selected the inland website of his “eureka” second for a 3rd course, despite the fact that the property didn’t have oceanfront.
Nonetheless, it was troublesome to conceive of an inland course that would measure as much as the unique two breathtaking, cliff-hugging layouts. Certainly, this venture simply might have been a letdown – consider different golf resorts in America the place a second or third course was added on much less fascinating land. What number of of these add-on layouts at the moment are thought-about high 100 programs within the nation?
Thankfully, Keiser discovered the architects that have been completely suited to the duty at hand, Invoice Coore and Ben Crenshaw. This pair is known for his or her fashion of routing, one which emphasizes lengthy stays on website full of strolling the property, relatively than intensive research of topography maps from an workplace. They attempt to route programs based mostly on pure strolling corridors, typically utilizing animal tracks as guides to search out the optimum path.
Within the case of Bandon Trails, a singular and revolutionary strategy was essential to route 18 memorable holes over some uncommon, spectacular terrain and thru a number of, distinct environments. The property includes a rolling meadow, a large ridge within the center, and dense pine forest to the east of the ridge. To the west, the beginning and ending level of the observe lies within the dunes.
Melding collectively all three environments – forest, meadow and dunes – whereas nonetheless sustaining a cohesive expertise was a perplexing job. Different multi-environment programs, corresponding to Spyglass Hill, have typically been cited for his or her disjoint nature and lack of a cohesive really feel.
To ease the transition between environments, Coore and Crenshaw opted to focus closely on the “climbing” theme. In between holes, groomed trails lead golfers to the subsequent tee, actually resembling a hike. Indicators adorned with info on native animal species and vegetation are additionally arrange between holes, in step with this central theme.
At occasions the expertise felt extra like a hike with some golf occurring on the facet, not the opposite method round. Having been on many hikes in nationwide or state parks that traverse a number of environments, it felt pure to take action at Bandon Trails due to the eye to element on the hiking-themed components of the expertise.
Bandon Trails had the distinctive place in my 2022 journey of being the one replay spherical. In each instances, we tackled Trails on clear, calm mornings to kick off multi-round days. Regardless of the shortage of wind, I discovered Trails to be the hardest course on the resort resulting from its excessive contours and penal bunkering. Each of my rounds began out respectable sufficient, however went to die in brutal bunkers on the again 9.
The opposite problem I encountered at Bandon Trails was the number of its greens. The varieties of undulations range significantly from hole-to-hole, with some greens repelling considerably, some that have a tendency to gather pictures in the direction of the opening, and a few which can be simply out-of-this-world such because the Biarritz-like fifth. The big selection of contours creates a fascinating, difficult expertise that may preserve all golfers on their toes.
This multi-environment setting makes Trails really feel like a number of programs in a single. Let’s take a dive into every of those sections of the format.
The Dunes, Half I
The unique property that Keiser bestowed upon Coore and Crenshaw solely occupied meadow and forest. Regardless of having many sturdy options, this land might have housed a course fully unrecognizable from the others on the resort, a disorienting change-of-venue from the general Bandon expertise.
Coore and Crenshaw acknowledged this, and had their eyes set on a plot of heaving dunes situated simply west of the unique Bandon Trails land to alleviate the difficulty. If the course began and ended within the dunes, identical to the resort’s different layouts, it could higher match the Bandon Dunes profile and go away friends feeling extra linked to the general expertise.
The 2 architects have been finally in a position to discuss Keiser and his enterprise associate, Howard McKee, into utilizing the dunes land for Bandon Trails. Finally, solely a part of the dunes property was deemed appropriate for a regulation course, forming holes 1, 2 and 18, whereas an space with extra excessive topography was discarded however later used for the resort’s epic par 3 course, Bandon Protect.
The primary gap begins atop a tall dune with a view of the ocean within the distance. The quick distance of this downhill par 4 could tempt longer hitters to attempt to drive close to the inexperienced, however the fairway narrows to a sliver with tall grass and sand on each side simply shy of the placing floor, making this an unwise play. An iron off the tee (3-wood for me) is a better transfer, which is able to accumulate on the base of the green for an uphill quick iron to a receptive inexperienced. Staying beneath the opening is paramount on this closely back-to-front sloping floor, which is best to realize with a wedge from the green.
The second is a downhill par 3 enjoying alongside a large dune to the best. The inexperienced options a number of distinct sections with a handful of potential pin positions that may alter the technique of the shot. A sneaky bunker lies excellent of the inexperienced and is partially hid from view on the tee. Its steep lip shouldn’t be messed with, however that’s precisely what I did in my first Trails spherical, with the slightest of proper misses discovering a comfortable spot close to the lip of the lure. Nonetheless, this bunker proved to not be a round-killer like a pair others I’d encounter at Trails, as I used to be in a position to hit a fragile flop close to the opening to safe a sand save.
The Meadow, Half I
Bandon Trails’ meadow holes stood out to me because the architecturally greatest stretch on the format, occupying a very distinctive setting of maritime grasses, brush and groves of pines. Using contours on the rolling land, the position of the bunkers and the slopes of the greens make the meadow holes very strategic with a number of choices accessible to most gamers.
Gap 3 is a barely downhill par 5 that dives into the meadow with a tee shot over the primary entry highway. Three centerline bunkers dictate the technique of the opening, with the primary in play for longer hitters off the tee. The second and third of those traps lie inside wedge distance of the inexperienced, prompting a layup both to the left or proper with the pin place dictating the optimum angle. A big swale over the inexperienced needs to be prevented and provides to the danger of making an attempt to succeed in the inexperienced in two.
The mid-length par 4 fourth makes use of a dramatic fairway contour so as to add strategic curiosity. A steep ridge runs diagonally throughout the green, making a selection between aiming left off the tee to arrange an extended strategy or veering proper for a shorter however doubtlessly blind shot. The entrance part of the inexperienced is decidedly simpler to assault than the well-defended again portion, however in both case short-right is the perfect place to overlook.
There are nice greens, after which there are otherworldly greens. Very like 12 at Whistling Straits or 4 at The Membership at Lac La Belle, the fifth at Bandon Trails belongs to the latter group. This quick par 3 performs to an enormous inexperienced with a large swale within the center. Whereas not a pure Biarritz, this gap presents the same variety of choices as one with the pin place dictating the opening’s problem. Birdies are in ample provide right here, however so are three-putts.
The sixth is one other par 4 that makes terrific use of the meadow’s topography to create strategic choices. The aggressive line off the tee is up the best facet, the place a pace slot can propel a robust drive to a tame spot within the fairway only a quick wedge away. Nonetheless, two centerline traps and enormous blowout bunkers to the best await errant tee pictures, making this a dangerous technique.
The Forest
After a brief stroll across the north finish of the ridge and previous idyllic Spherical Lake (pictured earlier), the format enters the forest, one of the secluded settings I’ve ever skilled within the sport. Crammed with towering pine bushes and wildlife sightings, I felt transplanted to a completely totally different time and place every time I entered the forest.
Following a sizeable problem on the lengthy, uphill seventh, the eighth supplies a slight reprieve. This quick par 4 (sub-300 from the inexperienced tees) bends ever so barely to the left with a number of bunkers flanking the placing floor. Lengthy drives can trip a right-to-left slope onto or close to the inexperienced, making the reward of this route outweigh the danger usually.
After lacking the green with hybrids in each of my rounds, the primary misplaced to brush to the best, I used to be left questioning why I didn’t strategy #8 extra aggressively.
My favourite spot within the woods got here on the ninth, a straightaway par 5 that weaves by humongous pines. The bushes are so staggeringly tall that the green appears far tighter and extra demanding than it truly is. Even so, three high quality pictures are required to make sure a par, which I used to be solely in a position to obtain as soon as in two tries.
In each of my rounds at Bandon Trails, I reached the flip in respectable style with hopes for a 79 alive and properly. What awaited, nonetheless, was a deadly again 9 that acquired the perfect of me twice, arguably the hardest 9 on the complete resort. It’s additionally maybe essentially the most dramatic stretch at Bandon (a formidable declare), notably the ultimate 5 holes.
The eleventh is a robust dogleg proper with a extreme left-to-right slope in play off the tee that may propel all however the perfect drives towards waste bunkers. My pure lower shot, mixed with shorter distance off the tee, made this shot just about unplayable for my sport. In each instances, I hit common drives that caught the slope and tumbled into awkward lies within the waste space, and I used to be pleased to flee every time with a bogey. The one water hazard on the complete resort is in play on the strategy, a artifical pond simply to the best of the inexperienced.
After the lengthy par 3 twelfth, #13 takes golfers again in the direction of the ridge with the ultimate gap within the forest. It was right here that my second Trails spherical went to die in a hellish front-right bunker. My last rating was ruthlessly inflated by a Large Quantity right here, because of rediscovering a knack for shanking and skulling sand pictures that used to plague me in my earlier {golfing} life.
The return to the meadow is achieved by going straight over the southern finish of the central ridge in dramatic style. The trail from 13 to 14 ascends a steep slope, and the resort staffs a shuttle to offer a trip up the hill, the one place on property the place strolling is optionally available. My recommendation – for those who’re enjoying 36, graciously settle for the trip to save lots of your legs. If Trails is your solely spherical of the day, embrace the problem and take the hike to totally expertise the good reveal that lies forward.
The Meadow, Half II
The 14th is residence to essentially the most dramatic shot on Bandon Trails, but it’s also essentially the most controversial gap on the property. Its excessive downhill tee shot may be performed in the direction of the inexperienced, particularly for longer hitters, however drives ought to favor the left facet to arrange an inexpensive angle into an infamously robust inexperienced. This tiny topped floor will solely settle for essentially the most exact approaches, mercilessly rejecting anything down steep slopes or into deep bunkers. My second time by, after a well-struck lob wedge trickled off the again edge into tall grass, I decidedly joined the camp of fanatics who imagine the 14th is overly punitive.
The fifteenth is a stunning par 4 that bends barely to the best. Whereas it might be tempting to unleash a giant swing off the tee after a presumably irritating expertise on the earlier gap, warning needs to be exercised to keep away from a cross bunker on the nook that may catch longer drives. A brief iron needs to be all that’s wanted on the strategy to a well-guarded inexperienced perched on a facet slope.
On the uphill par 5 sixteenth, the second shot is essential because it should discover a slim sliver of fairway whereas avoiding giant blowout traps to the best. Regardless that it performs into the prevailing Summer season wind, that is nonetheless the final respectable scoring alternative with two robust holes to shut out the spherical.
I really like a penultimate par 3, as a brief gap can heighten the drama of a match nearing its conclusion. The seventeenth at Bandon Trails is a terrific one, superbly sculpted out of undulating meadow terrain.
Sadly, it claimed me as a sufferer in my first Trails spherical. My lower tendency was ill-suited for the form of this gap, as my drive couldn’t fairly skirt previous the large front-right bunker, organising a brutally troublesome sand shot. Identical to the catastrophe on the thirteenth gap the next day, I forgot easy methods to hit a bunker shot on the worst attainable second right here, and 4 hacks later I used to be doomed to a scorecard-crushing 7.
The Dunes, Half II
If Bandon Trails have been a novel, the 18th can be its epilogue. This one-hole return to the dunes can also be one of many format’s stiffest challenges, enjoying uphill and into the Summer season wind. The intimidating tee shot straddles a large dune to the left. Missed drives in each of my rounds left me behind the eight ball on this closing gap, the primary being a duck hook that led to a just about unplayable sidehill shot from the sand. The strategy performs to a inexperienced nestled within the dunes, with golfers as soon as once more immersed within the acquainted seaside setting of the resort.
Closing Ideas
Whereas I beloved having Trails as the one replay spherical of my Bandon journey, the sequence of the rounds was a slight adverse. We performed Bandon Trails on two good mornings with little wind, which produced a zen-like expertise in a secluded setting, nevertheless it didn’t present great selection. Consequently, each of my Trails rounds are inclined to mix collectively in my reminiscence. The truth that I performed the entrance 9 properly and acquired beat up on the extra penal again facet in each rounds didn’t assist distinguish the 2 rounds from one another, both. Trails can also be the hilliest of the resort’s 5 18-hole tracks, and I used to be bodily spent attending to the 36 plus-hole end line of every of these two days consequently.
With all that mentioned, I believe the perfect strategy to slot Trails right into a Bandon journey can be close to the midway level as the one 18-hole spherical in a day. This would offer a breather from the challenges and (blissful) monotony of oceanside hyperlinks golf and permit for some recharging earlier than going all-out to complete the journey on the opposite programs. It’s a robust stroll, so it could be smart to make it the one full spherical in a day. Combining it with the Protect or Punchbowl within the night would even be a savvy play.
Bandon Trails is a superb change-of-pace from the opposite tracks on the resort, that are all seaside hyperlinks uncovered to the weather. The bushes and elevation present some shelter from the area’s infamous coastal winds, making it a greater afternoon venue. I used to be fortunate sufficient to have benign wind and near-perfect climate for many of my Bandon journey, however I can think about {that a} spherical within the secluded setting of Bandon Trails can be a welcomed respite in additional typical climate.
Whereas I ranked Trails third greatest on the resort, barely behind the unique Bandon Dunes course and Pacific Dunes, two of my tripmates discovered it to be their favourite observe on website, an opinion that’s relatively standard amongst Bandon fanatics. Bandon Trails resembles a parkland course essentially the most of any of the resort’s layouts, so it tends to be a favourite of those that have but to discover a love for hyperlinks golf. It actually stacks up properly among the many buffet of elite programs on website, and it’s a must-play on a Bandon golf journey.
For extra on Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, take a look at Brian’s full vacation spot overview:
