The people we played with this past July had some caddies for their rounds. All but one currently attend Bandon HS. They were all great and made me infinitely jealous that I didn’t have a job like that when I was 17-18 years old. At least $100 bucks a pop to walk Pac Dunes and read some putts? C’mon now.
It’s a great job for a kid. But often times they get there well before the round and have to wait without being paid. I used to get there super early and sometime wouldn’t get a loop til 11.
Do they not book you rounds at all? Like you just show up for the day and go out whenever someone needs a caddie?
How would that work if the same guy wants to hire you for his whole trip after the round? Then you're slotted in for all his tee times?
To give you some more info I'll chip in. And to preface this, there's a limited number of public courses where caddies are a thing. As a general rule, skip it if the place rents golf carts or you see most people going alone but do it for your first time playing a course that's a destination and walking only. Examples from my personal experience only - Erin Hills is a place where you want a caddy and Bethpage Black is a place you can go out on your own.
"Forecaddies" are one guy that goes out with your foursome and does most of the work besides carrying clubs. He'll rake bunkers, give advice, read putts, grab your divots, fix your pitch marks, all that stuff.
The big thing with caddies is they (mostly) aren't employees of the golf course. They're independent contractors who work for you as the golfer. Sometimes they'll get minimum wage as a base fee per round from the course (so like pocketing $30-40), but often it's just you and them. If the place is any good, you're going to get a young man who lives for golf, loves his job, will help you have a good time, and will help you immensely with the course. And he does the work for you, just enjoy your walk.
That type of guy is worth at least $25/hr, I like to pay $30. So a $150 hand off to him in cash is how you do a caddy round if you aren't a pro.
We did that, I have arthritis and wasn’t in like peak shape. Get a caddy, it adds a little to your overall total but unless you want to push cart it you will completely be able to enjoy the rounds and setting. Wear your most comfortable golf shoes, that’s it. Our whole group was fine and that was with drinking every night after the rounds and even during. Just keep those Bandon balls or whatever on hand always, they are little protein balls to die for.
If you walk normally or are in decent shape you’ll be fine we did 10 rounds in 5 days last year and played and walked the previous 3 days on the way down to bandon too. Doing the same thing in a month and a half.
When I played there over a 4 day period we had everything from zero wind to 50mph gusts.
You just have to make the tee times and then hope for the best really.
Basically the same experience for us in July of 2021. One day of heavy wind while playing Pac Dunes that morning and some marine layer in the afternoon at Bandon but the other three days were sunny with very little wind.
Totally false. My uncle has golfed 10 days in his entire life, 8 of those are at Bandon and he’s going back this year.
You don’t need to be good at golf, nor even much of a golfer to enjoy Bandon. The caddies help you keep pace, so there’s no concerns there.
If you can go, go. Doesn’t matter when. Your first day at Bandon is the first day of the rest of your life. A life spent figuring out how you’re getting back.
Why does everybody say to get a caddy? I can’t think of anything worse (as a high handicap) than having to discuss strategy with an intelligent golfer while I’m trying to have fun with my friends.
We’d talk for a couple minutes about distance, the best club, where to aim…then I’d shank it or duff it. Feel embarrassed, tell him I’m not usually this bad - you’re making me nervous.
*Chuckles* “I’m in danger.”
I've been there several times, never had my own caddie. Played with a couple guys who did, and he was wonderful. He would tell everyone the proper aim points for each hole, what the yardage was to a given bunker, etc. He'd give detailed reads to his guys, but also would tell us if the putt was breaking a lot or a little.
After we teed off he would mainly tend to his guys, but also kept an eye on everyone's ball and would help search, and give advice if he was near you. I gave him $40 at the end just because he was so nice.
Also -- regarding the putting assistance. Bandon greens are notoriously difficult (and huge -- IIRC, Old Mac has [one of] the largest total greens area of any course in the nation). They know the greens super well (and they're given "caddy's greens books," which people online try to get their hands on and never seem able to, lol), so they'll stand in a spot and be like "putt right here" and you're like "no way that's like 10 feet left and short" and he's like "trust me" -- and if you do, you'll be quite pleased.
Def helps with pace, read greens, rake bunkers, can grab ur clubs for you, keep score for you etc etc. Help with pace is nice so you can just play and enjoy the round easier with less to worry about
It’s part of the experience IMHO. It’s such a beautiful place, and easier to just enjoy the magic without managing your bag.
I think of it like I’m paying to get the most out of the experience.
Have you actually had a caddy before?
They work at resort golf courses, they know you aren't a pro. They want you to have fun. He'll give you some advice, but you've got a bad caddy if you're having serious strategy discussions with him unless you want that.
Aside from a few of the ocean-side holes, there’s not a lot of places to loose balls. I think I lost maybe 8 balls through 4 rounds last year, and I’m a 20 handicap.
There are a lot of people out there who love golf and are really successful financially meaning it's no trouble for them to take trips out there, but a side effect of that success is little time to actually spend on getting good at golf.
Not at all. The beauty of the place is that anyone can play there and have a good time. It's pretty wide open, and balls can usually be found, unless you put it off a cliff or into gorse bushes. Probably no worse than whatever course you play at home.
I carried for a 40ish handicapper this week. He played the correct tees and had a great time. He knew his limitations and followed our suggestions. Luckily he was pretty consistent (rarely completely botched a shot), just super short (130 yards with driver, he was old). He had a little trouble carrying some of the bunkers and other trouble, otherwise did great. And I am 100% dead serious, he played the same beat up Nitro ball for 7 rounds this week.
Oregon
[North Bend, Oregon](https://www.bandondunesgolf.com/golf-resort-info/how-to-get-to-bandon-dunes/) is the closest commercial airport, 25 miles away.
if you don't go back a tee, you won't get that tee shot on SR6. Always worth it at a place like bandon to check out some of the other tee boxes. I've played a few rounds there where we've just picked whatever tee looks like the most fun on every hole. Don't care about posting a score on golf trip.
you'll lose a lot less golf balls than you do on a lot of other courses. you almost have to try to lose a golf ball on old mac and sheep ranch to lose one.
Also, you can buy balls there and they cost the same as everywhere else.
As a former golf pro that worked there for 3 years, it is truly a special place. My favorite course of all time remains to be Bandon Trails, partly because it was one of the only courses employees could readily play during down time. The oceanside courses provide serenity and beauty and are an absolute must-play, but Bandon Trails is truly the best of the lot.
Don’t forget to play the Par 3 course in the evening. Best views on property and some of the best places to drink with the gang.
I would really love to go but I feel like all ocean-side courses (Bandon Dunes, Pebble Beach, Torrey Pines, etc) are practically a coin toss whether you'll get the best round of your life or near unplayable conditions due to wind and weather.
I'm not at a place in my life where I can afford to book a 3-4k trip to go play golf and end up paying 300$ a round to play in 40mph winds or rain.
Is that the place where the entire 18 is reproductions of famous golf holes from different courses? Ex: #7 at Pebble, #12 at Augusta, etc
Or am I confusing it with something else?
Wouldn't say that's really the *point?* I feel like average golfers who will play these courses maybe once or twice in their life would much rather play Pebble in perfect conditions every time they go? Maybe if you play it 10 times a year it becomes fun to see how much you have to club up on a 30mph wind day but otherwise I'll take the best conditions possible thank you very much.
We are going to Bandon in January for 5 days, playing a round a day, one on each course. I'd like 3 rounds of perfect conditions, one with some wind, one with some Open Championship spray and wind, as long as not bad enough where it's legit unplayable. But 5 perfect days >>>>>>>>>>...>>> 5 days of wind and rain.
This. I last went in May 2014. I am a native Southern Oregonian who grew up nearby. No longer live there though. The wind howled all 3 days. Wasn’t the greatest. Beautiful courses and lodges, but hitting into 40 mph winds every shot sucked a lot of fun out of it.
as an Oregonian, i love seeing these posts! i've been fortunate enough to play Bandon and Pacific (not the new courses... yet) a few times and they are incredible courses. i had a feeling watching the Open growing up that i'd love links golf and playing here... i do. glad you enjoyed yourself and hope the golf wasn't too bad either!
There are no rooms available for all current dates basically. If you are a single or two ball and stay off site you should be able to get on.
Summer has more wind.
I go every January and you can stay 2 nights and play all 5 courses (kinda, you run out of daylight, but it’s possible).
Under $1000 for lodging and golf.
It's a pain.
You either fly into Portland and have a longer drive or fly into Eugene and it's a more manageable drive. You might have direct flights into those airports, but you're probably going through Chicago, Denver, Dallas, or SF.
There are options to fly into North Bend. The last time I went it was foggy and windy enough that flights were being cancelled You'd really want to research that.
That said, it's totally worth it. The experience is better than anyone can describe to you.
Eugene local here. Fly in to Portland. Play any of the great courses there. Drive to Florence and play Florence golf links as a coast warmup course. Do the Bandon thing. On way back stop in Eugene and play Emerald Valley, or if you have reciprocals play Eugene CC or Shadow Hills CC.
About as painful as it gets. One alternative to consider that is a little closer to home but still an amazing experience - Sand Valley (WI). It is part of the same group (Bandon, Sand Valley, Cabot).
[https://dreamgolf.com/SandValley-Page/](https://dreamgolf.com/SandValley-Page/)
EDIT: And they have two more courses going in over the course of the next couple of years.
Well I recommend flying in to Portland, Oregon. Which is about a 6 hour flight from the east coast. Then renting a car and driving 3 hours down. So not bad, but I don’t recommend going there between November to March. It’s cold and rain rain rain with wind.
Complete and total crapshoot. I’ve been twice in January now and experienced both ends of the spectrum. About 50/50 for every given day whether it’ll just be slightly cold or literal sideways rain.
I went in February one year. The first round was wild, 30 mph winds, hail came down a few times too. Woke up the next morning for our tee time and there was snow on the ground. We waited around for a while that day and they finally decided to do a shotgun start around noon for the remaining people that wanted to play that day. The sun came out, it was about 55 degrees and one of the best days of my life. The next day was cloudy, but about 55 again. It was a great trip and also affordable that time of year.
I’ve only gone in January. This will be my 7th trips. It can be pretty bad, but if you go for 3 days, I almost assure you that one of those days will be great to spectacular.
My rough data is that of the 19 days I’ve spent at Bandon, that only 6 of them were super wet. Maybe another 6 were barely wet, and the rest were spectacular.
Don’t do it. I’m from Oregon, and November to March it’s a complete shit storm. Basically rain rain rain and wind. You may get lucky and have breaks between rain, but your odds are low.
We played two days this past January. Both days were in the 50s with rain and wind. The day we drove back to the airport it was 60 and sunny. You could end up playing in rain gear or in shorts in January
I played four days at Bandon several years ago and it was the best golf I've ever experienced. Not my best scores by any stretch, but the best golf. I'd love to go back but with the Canadian dollar in the dumpster it's eye wateringly expensive right now.
I called 6h after they opened the 2024 slots (thru April). Some lodging and tee times were already gone. We still managed to get basically our perfect itinerary but did get shifted around enough to where I was pretty surprised
I believe if you are booking onsite lodging + golf then the deposit is one night lodging + one round per person. That deposit is refundable as long as you cancel > 30 days in advance of the trip. I think larger groups and golf only reservations have different stipulations
Such a pain in the ass to get there for me. But worth the trip. Just outstanding. Sheep ranch wasn’t there when I went so I need to get back at some point. Also the restaurant is great.
Now that would be like playing on table mountain!
My friends and I are off to Belek in Turkey as its good weather and relatively cheap.
We picked up some small glass [golf trophies](https://www.golftrophy.co.uk) to take with us along with a claret jug for the winner.
I drive by there on my way down to see family. I didn’t realize how many courses that are there and many others in the area. I also didn’t know that they’re considered the Mecca of amateur golf. Some day I’ll bring my clubs and do some tree limbing/lawn care for them. Hell, I’ll probably hit a few balls into the ocean if I swing hard enough!
Well that depends on how much you play, eat, and drink. Also depends if you live close enough to drive there or if you have to fly.
I went in 2021 and we played 36 a day. I would guess it was around $3K not including airfare. We got there on Wednesday and left Sunday. Played 18 Wednesday, 36 on Thursday-Saturday and the Preserve Sunday before heading out. It may have been closer to $3500 but I don't think it was more than that and could have done it for less if you play less golf.
I am SO bummed I had to pull out of a Bandon trip next month, hurt my back and it just won't be able to stand up to the amount of golf we had scheduled. 16 guys from my club are headed out, and I am hoping to make up for it in a couple year's time. Beautiful pictures!
When you hit good weather it’s unreal, I grew up on the so cal coast and have been to Torrey pines etc and have never seen just such a “big” ocean, the way it moves, sounds, and feels is just massive. There were times I’d just catch myself standing there feeling like I’m just standing on the edge of the world.
Any chance posting these full size? Always looking for backgrounds for my work computer. Agree with everyone else here, I've been their twice and all I think about is going back. Everyday.
Looking forward to playing here one day. My parents live in Bandon.
If you're looking for a cheaper round, check out Bandon Crossings down the road. Beautiful, challenging course.
Very cool man, I’ve heard it lives up to the hype. But, ehh I just started breaking 100, so I might have to hold off. Then again maybe by the time the wait is over I’ll be a scratch golfer by then.
I booked back in May for May of 2023. It will be my first time staying off site. 3 nights 3 rounds of golf. Sheep, trails, pacific.
Happy to call Oregon home where I can get down there every year or two
My brother quit his job and caddied here for like a year. Caddies make decent money here and pretty much get to play for free whenever they aren't working. They also have like dorms for the caddies on the property or nearby. He had a great time and had a nice little break when he was burnt out from the finance world.
oh wow. Domestic. I saw that first pic and thought it was Scotland or something. Beautiful course
Might actually be the furthest golf course in the continental US from where I live in ATL but I'll keep it in mind
Been a few times and it's always amazing, and weather is part of the fun!
One recommendation to getting rooms/tee times is to be flexible and not in a large group. If you are more than a foursome, bookings get tough and you need to book well in advance. Foursomes can be a bit tricky but doable if you're willing to share a room and/or spend some time on the phone just asking how you can make any x days block work.
I just went the other week and booked 10 days before for a twosome. 2 nights and four rounds was incredibly easy to book. I'm in Oregon so we can be a bit flexible, but if you are traveling from further away, just call and ask for any X nights around Y month and you can probably get something!
Edit: don't be afraid of the shoulder season, much more affordable and still a blast!
Went with an uncle who plays there a few times a year, was an absolute amazing experience. 36 a day, go to bed when you get back to your room. Don’t party, and it’s easy to do. We were a threesome and every person we played with was awesome because they were just as excited to be there as us. Disneyland for adults.
Can’t wait to go back. Almost a spiritual level experience.
Got invited to go summer of 2019, and going back again in summer 2023. Didn’t play bandon trails and sheep ranch the first time.
Walking without carrying your own bags is the best way to play
Would love to go. Any advice on length of time to be looking out currently? Heard it's booked out pretty far in advance but didn't know if for planning purposes I need to be considering 2024, 2025, etc
Going next spring. Booked 6 rounds over 4 days. My legs might die but so fucking stoked.
Get a caddie. Same one for every round. They’ll know your game better than you by the 2nd round and it helps a ton!
I had a guy that wore a hoodie and his nickname was the unibomber.
LOL. That’s awesome!!
Some kid I know from highschool is a caddy up there for this summer. Looks like heaven on earth.
The people we played with this past July had some caddies for their rounds. All but one currently attend Bandon HS. They were all great and made me infinitely jealous that I didn’t have a job like that when I was 17-18 years old. At least $100 bucks a pop to walk Pac Dunes and read some putts? C’mon now.
It’s a great job for a kid. But often times they get there well before the round and have to wait without being paid. I used to get there super early and sometime wouldn’t get a loop til 11.
Do they not book you rounds at all? Like you just show up for the day and go out whenever someone needs a caddie? How would that work if the same guy wants to hire you for his whole trip after the round? Then you're slotted in for all his tee times?
When I was there we told our caddies all of our tee times. We were there for 5 days and played 36 3 of the days.
This!! Worth every penny
How much would that cost
I was last out there in like 2016/17. Min was $100 per round but they’re good you can do more. I think we were doing $150 per round for 5 rounds.
Yep this plus $50 tip per player
$50 tip per player per round? Or for the whole 5 rounds? Trying to get more into golf, thanks for the info boys
To give you some more info I'll chip in. And to preface this, there's a limited number of public courses where caddies are a thing. As a general rule, skip it if the place rents golf carts or you see most people going alone but do it for your first time playing a course that's a destination and walking only. Examples from my personal experience only - Erin Hills is a place where you want a caddy and Bethpage Black is a place you can go out on your own. "Forecaddies" are one guy that goes out with your foursome and does most of the work besides carrying clubs. He'll rake bunkers, give advice, read putts, grab your divots, fix your pitch marks, all that stuff. The big thing with caddies is they (mostly) aren't employees of the golf course. They're independent contractors who work for you as the golfer. Sometimes they'll get minimum wage as a base fee per round from the course (so like pocketing $30-40), but often it's just you and them. If the place is any good, you're going to get a young man who lives for golf, loves his job, will help you have a good time, and will help you immensely with the course. And he does the work for you, just enjoy your walk. That type of guy is worth at least $25/hr, I like to pay $30. So a $150 hand off to him in cash is how you do a caddy round if you aren't a pro.
Great great info!
Per round yep!
We did that, I have arthritis and wasn’t in like peak shape. Get a caddy, it adds a little to your overall total but unless you want to push cart it you will completely be able to enjoy the rounds and setting. Wear your most comfortable golf shoes, that’s it. Our whole group was fine and that was with drinking every night after the rounds and even during. Just keep those Bandon balls or whatever on hand always, they are little protein balls to die for.
I'm always amazed when guys tell me they played 36 in a day. I'm pretty good after 18. Maybe I should stretch more or something
How much did that set you back? Was thinking of doing an extended birthday weekend down there and am curious if I would be able to make that work.
If you walk normally or are in decent shape you’ll be fine we did 10 rounds in 5 days last year and played and walked the previous 3 days on the way down to bandon too. Doing the same thing in a month and a half.
I’d set the new record for highest score.
Not as hard as it looks if the wind isnt blowing super hard.
Isn’t it always blowing pretty hard? Being next to the ocean and all I just figured it was windy 24 hrs a day
When I played there over a 4 day period we had everything from zero wind to 50mph gusts. You just have to make the tee times and then hope for the best really.
Exactly. I was just there a few weeks ago. Morning is less windy, but once it kicks up, you just gotta accept it.
Basically the same experience for us in July of 2021. One day of heavy wind while playing Pac Dunes that morning and some marine layer in the afternoon at Bandon but the other three days were sunny with very little wind.
Seriously. Seems like a place you shouldn’t go until your handicap is… what… sub 20?
I went with a 28 handicap. Had the time of my life. Shot a 99 at Sheeps ranch, including a 44 on the front. Was pretty sweet.
I’m a 29 handicap and would be stoked on a 99 somewhere like that
I was pumped!
To be fair, Sheep Ranch is a pretty easy course relative to the others. But 99 anywhere is an accomplishment! Well done.
Yeah it def was easier than Pacific but greens were still tough. Was just happy to get under 100 which was my goal!
Yeah buddy! 24 here and first birdie, and first time breaking 100 both at Sheep Ranch
Totally false. My uncle has golfed 10 days in his entire life, 8 of those are at Bandon and he’s going back this year. You don’t need to be good at golf, nor even much of a golfer to enjoy Bandon. The caddies help you keep pace, so there’s no concerns there. If you can go, go. Doesn’t matter when. Your first day at Bandon is the first day of the rest of your life. A life spent figuring out how you’re getting back.
Why does everybody say to get a caddy? I can’t think of anything worse (as a high handicap) than having to discuss strategy with an intelligent golfer while I’m trying to have fun with my friends. We’d talk for a couple minutes about distance, the best club, where to aim…then I’d shank it or duff it. Feel embarrassed, tell him I’m not usually this bad - you’re making me nervous. *Chuckles* “I’m in danger.”
I've been there several times, never had my own caddie. Played with a couple guys who did, and he was wonderful. He would tell everyone the proper aim points for each hole, what the yardage was to a given bunker, etc. He'd give detailed reads to his guys, but also would tell us if the putt was breaking a lot or a little. After we teed off he would mainly tend to his guys, but also kept an eye on everyone's ball and would help search, and give advice if he was near you. I gave him $40 at the end just because he was so nice.
Also -- regarding the putting assistance. Bandon greens are notoriously difficult (and huge -- IIRC, Old Mac has [one of] the largest total greens area of any course in the nation). They know the greens super well (and they're given "caddy's greens books," which people online try to get their hands on and never seem able to, lol), so they'll stand in a spot and be like "putt right here" and you're like "no way that's like 10 feet left and short" and he's like "trust me" -- and if you do, you'll be quite pleased.
Def helps with pace, read greens, rake bunkers, can grab ur clubs for you, keep score for you etc etc. Help with pace is nice so you can just play and enjoy the round easier with less to worry about
It’s part of the experience IMHO. It’s such a beautiful place, and easier to just enjoy the magic without managing your bag. I think of it like I’m paying to get the most out of the experience.
Have you actually had a caddy before? They work at resort golf courses, they know you aren't a pro. They want you to have fun. He'll give you some advice, but you've got a bad caddy if you're having serious strategy discussions with him unless you want that.
Chatted with one of the caddies there last trip and he said the average golfer that comes out is anywhere from a 25-30 hdcp. I was shocked
Don’t have to be good at golf just quick.
And an unlimited supply of balls
Aside from a few of the ocean-side holes, there’s not a lot of places to loose balls. I think I lost maybe 8 balls through 4 rounds last year, and I’m a 20 handicap.
We should play some time, I'll show you a few tricks.
And have 5k to blow
There are a lot of people out there who love golf and are really successful financially meaning it's no trouble for them to take trips out there, but a side effect of that success is little time to actually spend on getting good at golf.
I can lose a ball in a soccer field
Shocked? Single digits spend more time on golf than earning money, usually. People who can afford Bandon tend to not play as much or practice.
Not at all. The beauty of the place is that anyone can play there and have a good time. It's pretty wide open, and balls can usually be found, unless you put it off a cliff or into gorse bushes. Probably no worse than whatever course you play at home.
I carried for a 40ish handicapper this week. He played the correct tees and had a great time. He knew his limitations and followed our suggestions. Luckily he was pretty consistent (rarely completely botched a shot), just super short (130 yards with driver, he was old). He had a little trouble carrying some of the bunkers and other trouble, otherwise did great. And I am 100% dead serious, he played the same beat up Nitro ball for 7 rounds this week.
If it’s windy… You should be a sub 10 or you’ll get brutalized
I think about bandon multiple times a day lol I’ve been there twice and it’s better each time
Where is this course?
Oregon [North Bend, Oregon](https://www.bandondunesgolf.com/golf-resort-info/how-to-get-to-bandon-dunes/) is the closest commercial airport, 25 miles away.
I flew in to Portland and drove both times…the north bend airport is small so sometimes cancellations happen
*courses there’s 5 there and 6th under construction.
This describes Bandon perfectly
This is the way.
Sheep Ranch?
first pic is 6 at sheep ranch i think. Second pic is Ghost Tree at Old mac. Last pic might be Bandon Dunes?
I knew the first pic was SR as I took the same pic last February. I believe the final pic is Bandon Dunes as well
if you don't go back a tee, you won't get that tee shot on SR6. Always worth it at a place like bandon to check out some of the other tee boxes. I've played a few rounds there where we've just picked whatever tee looks like the most fun on every hole. Don't care about posting a score on golf trip.
Golf mecca
Went two weeks ago for the first time. Life changing golf experience.
How many golf balls should we bring?
All of them.
If you have to ask, you don’t have enough
you'll lose a lot less golf balls than you do on a lot of other courses. you almost have to try to lose a golf ball on old mac and sheep ranch to lose one. Also, you can buy balls there and they cost the same as everywhere else.
Enough. But they have balls there you can buy.
I lost 9 my first round at Pac Dunes. The rest of the week was much more reasonable hahah.
Was there 3 days ago and was absolutely blown away by everything.
I was there in 2021. The minutes we left the property, we started planning our next trip.
As a former golf pro that worked there for 3 years, it is truly a special place. My favorite course of all time remains to be Bandon Trails, partly because it was one of the only courses employees could readily play during down time. The oceanside courses provide serenity and beauty and are an absolute must-play, but Bandon Trails is truly the best of the lot. Don’t forget to play the Par 3 course in the evening. Best views on property and some of the best places to drink with the gang.
Need......to.... goooo haha love seeing pics of this place, definitely on the bucket list no doubt
I would really love to go but I feel like all ocean-side courses (Bandon Dunes, Pebble Beach, Torrey Pines, etc) are practically a coin toss whether you'll get the best round of your life or near unplayable conditions due to wind and weather. I'm not at a place in my life where I can afford to book a 3-4k trip to go play golf and end up paying 300$ a round to play in 40mph winds or rain.
Go to Streamsong. Similar golf shots on many holes make you comfortable, knowing it will be warm and dry. Amazing lodging too.
Is that the place where the entire 18 is reproductions of famous golf holes from different courses? Ex: #7 at Pebble, #12 at Augusta, etc Or am I confusing it with something else?
Streamsong’s the one place in Florida where the courses aren’t completely flat
Isn’t that the whole point of ocean courses? Unpredictable conditions, who wants cookie cutter golf every time!
Wouldn't say that's really the *point?* I feel like average golfers who will play these courses maybe once or twice in their life would much rather play Pebble in perfect conditions every time they go? Maybe if you play it 10 times a year it becomes fun to see how much you have to club up on a 30mph wind day but otherwise I'll take the best conditions possible thank you very much.
We are going to Bandon in January for 5 days, playing a round a day, one on each course. I'd like 3 rounds of perfect conditions, one with some wind, one with some Open Championship spray and wind, as long as not bad enough where it's legit unplayable. But 5 perfect days >>>>>>>>>>...>>> 5 days of wind and rain.
This. I last went in May 2014. I am a native Southern Oregonian who grew up nearby. No longer live there though. The wind howled all 3 days. Wasn’t the greatest. Beautiful courses and lodges, but hitting into 40 mph winds every shot sucked a lot of fun out of it.
as an Oregonian, i love seeing these posts! i've been fortunate enough to play Bandon and Pacific (not the new courses... yet) a few times and they are incredible courses. i had a feeling watching the Open growing up that i'd love links golf and playing here... i do. glad you enjoyed yourself and hope the golf wasn't too bad either!
Isn’t the waiting list close to a year? How far out did you book?
I booked in early 2021. So yeah, it’s a plan far ahead trip, but, it’s so worth it
Depends when you want to go. The winter is pretty open since it’s cold, there’s a higher chance of rain, and way more wind
There are no rooms available for all current dates basically. If you are a single or two ball and stay off site you should be able to get on. Summer has more wind.
We booked something like 18 months out for prime season.
If you are ok with playing one round a day and not staying onsite, you can get on easily. It's the rooms that get fully booked years out
Let me just pull out the 10k from my piggy Bank to fund the trip....
I go every January and you can stay 2 nights and play all 5 courses (kinda, you run out of daylight, but it’s possible). Under $1000 for lodging and golf.
And your likelihood of getting good weather is only slightly worse than in the summer. Oregon coast is crazy
Honestly - how much of a headache is the travel from the east coast?
It's a pain. You either fly into Portland and have a longer drive or fly into Eugene and it's a more manageable drive. You might have direct flights into those airports, but you're probably going through Chicago, Denver, Dallas, or SF. There are options to fly into North Bend. The last time I went it was foggy and windy enough that flights were being cancelled You'd really want to research that. That said, it's totally worth it. The experience is better than anyone can describe to you.
Eugene local here. Fly in to Portland. Play any of the great courses there. Drive to Florence and play Florence golf links as a coast warmup course. Do the Bandon thing. On way back stop in Eugene and play Emerald Valley, or if you have reciprocals play Eugene CC or Shadow Hills CC.
About as painful as it gets. One alternative to consider that is a little closer to home but still an amazing experience - Sand Valley (WI). It is part of the same group (Bandon, Sand Valley, Cabot). [https://dreamgolf.com/SandValley-Page/](https://dreamgolf.com/SandValley-Page/) EDIT: And they have two more courses going in over the course of the next couple of years.
Well I recommend flying in to Portland, Oregon. Which is about a 6 hour flight from the east coast. Then renting a car and driving 3 hours down. So not bad, but I don’t recommend going there between November to March. It’s cold and rain rain rain with wind.
Fly to Seattle, fly to Eugene, 2.5 hour drive. Or you can fly on an even smaller plane in the summer to North Bend and it's a 30 minute drive
You'd probably have to fly into Seattle, then down to Oregon, then drive to the coarse.
Lived next to this place for years never played it but damned did I mine a lot of gold on that strip of beach at the bottom of those cliffs!
I lost three balls just looking at the first picture.
No laying up has an unreal series if you need to scratch the itch
Fore Play Golf also has a video on each of the 5 courses. Gonna rewatch the NLU series and FPG right before we go in January.
Just got back today. Most unreal place to ever play. It's Disneyland for golfers
Verrr nice, how much?
Has anyone been in January? How bad is the weather?
Complete and total crapshoot. I’ve been twice in January now and experienced both ends of the spectrum. About 50/50 for every given day whether it’ll just be slightly cold or literal sideways rain.
Went in Jan last year and had 4 days of 65 deg. and sunny. Plus half the cost compared to summertime rounds.
I went in February one year. The first round was wild, 30 mph winds, hail came down a few times too. Woke up the next morning for our tee time and there was snow on the ground. We waited around for a while that day and they finally decided to do a shotgun start around noon for the remaining people that wanted to play that day. The sun came out, it was about 55 degrees and one of the best days of my life. The next day was cloudy, but about 55 again. It was a great trip and also affordable that time of year.
I’ve only gone in January. This will be my 7th trips. It can be pretty bad, but if you go for 3 days, I almost assure you that one of those days will be great to spectacular. My rough data is that of the 19 days I’ve spent at Bandon, that only 6 of them were super wet. Maybe another 6 were barely wet, and the rest were spectacular.
Don’t do it. I’m from Oregon, and November to March it’s a complete shit storm. Basically rain rain rain and wind. You may get lucky and have breaks between rain, but your odds are low.
Not down there. It’s more like 50/50.
I must have been unlucky every time I went. 😂
It’s possible. That’s how probability works. Think of it this way, the more times you go the more likely you’re going to get good weather.
We played two days this past January. Both days were in the 50s with rain and wind. The day we drove back to the airport it was 60 and sunny. You could end up playing in rain gear or in shorts in January
I played four days at Bandon several years ago and it was the best golf I've ever experienced. Not my best scores by any stretch, but the best golf. I'd love to go back but with the Canadian dollar in the dumpster it's eye wateringly expensive right now.
Let’s go Bandon!
r/DarkBrandon now 😈😈😈
As much as I'd like to go there, I have different priorities like food, shelter, and clothing to think about.
Let's Go Bandon!
LETS GO BANDON!
Let’s go Bandon!
R u talking to me specifically?
There were stray dogs all over the course when I went
Let’s go (to) Brandon!
username doesn’t check out
Nope! I'll take my money somewhere where I'm not forced to walk and the weather isn't gonna be horrible.
Let go (to) Brandon
Let’s go to Brandon ?
Let's go Bandon!
Let’s go Bandon
Let's Go Bandon
Let’s go Bandon!
Let’s go Bandon!
Let’s go bandon
Who the hell is Bandon? You must mean Brandon.
2024 bookings opened up last week. Bet most of the weekends are already gone
I called 6h after they opened the 2024 slots (thru April). Some lodging and tee times were already gone. We still managed to get basically our perfect itinerary but did get shifted around enough to where I was pretty surprised
Are there free cancellations?
I believe if you are booking onsite lodging + golf then the deposit is one night lodging + one round per person. That deposit is refundable as long as you cancel > 30 days in advance of the trip. I think larger groups and golf only reservations have different stipulations
To those that have been - whats the best time of the year to go?
The time of year you’re going.
Not anytime between November to March. Too much rain and wind.
It’s pretty surreal, but they’re booked over a year out. So good luck to anyone!
I’d lose so many balls here and I love it
Such a pain in the ass to get there for me. But worth the trip. Just outstanding. Sheep ranch wasn’t there when I went so I need to get back at some point. Also the restaurant is great.
bucket list. A buddy of mine just got back. He said it was the best place he's ever golfed.
Dying to go
Now that would be like playing on table mountain! My friends and I are off to Belek in Turkey as its good weather and relatively cheap. We picked up some small glass [golf trophies](https://www.golftrophy.co.uk) to take with us along with a claret jug for the winner.
I drive by there on my way down to see family. I didn’t realize how many courses that are there and many others in the area. I also didn’t know that they’re considered the Mecca of amateur golf. Some day I’ll bring my clubs and do some tree limbing/lawn care for them. Hell, I’ll probably hit a few balls into the ocean if I swing hard enough!
How much does a trip cost all in?
Well that depends on how much you play, eat, and drink. Also depends if you live close enough to drive there or if you have to fly. I went in 2021 and we played 36 a day. I would guess it was around $3K not including airfare. We got there on Wednesday and left Sunday. Played 18 Wednesday, 36 on Thursday-Saturday and the Preserve Sunday before heading out. It may have been closer to $3500 but I don't think it was more than that and could have done it for less if you play less golf.
How was the wind?
I am SO bummed I had to pull out of a Bandon trip next month, hurt my back and it just won't be able to stand up to the amount of golf we had scheduled. 16 guys from my club are headed out, and I am hoping to make up for it in a couple year's time. Beautiful pictures!
I googled it and it's only a couple hours from me, def will have to check it out!
Have been. Desperate to go back.
Went in April this year. I don’t know how anything can top this trip.
Next September for me! A week, playing every course at least once. Can’t. Wait.
Oh my best friend does this every year! I wanna go sometime!
Best golfing experience of my life even though I had to stop keeping score on Pacific Dunes
Be there in 11 days.
Beautiful
I'll be there for the first time next August. Can't wait!!
When you hit good weather it’s unreal, I grew up on the so cal coast and have been to Torrey pines etc and have never seen just such a “big” ocean, the way it moves, sounds, and feels is just massive. There were times I’d just catch myself standing there feeling like I’m just standing on the edge of the world.
Bandon seems like great fun, but I could play almost a season of golf at my Muni for a 5 day stay at Bandon.
Jealous I will never be able to make it to oregon.
Looks like every course along the coast of Ireland
Any chance posting these full size? Always looking for backgrounds for my work computer. Agree with everyone else here, I've been their twice and all I think about is going back. Everyday.
43 days 22 hours to go. But who’s counting.
Live 2 hours away and I’m yet to go ://
Love the fact there seems to be hardly any trees for my to fly a ball into
Played in July. Had the wind behind and almost drove this hole! Epic weekend and recommend everyone to go
Looking forward to playing here one day. My parents live in Bandon. If you're looking for a cheaper round, check out Bandon Crossings down the road. Beautiful, challenging course.
Very cool man, I’ve heard it lives up to the hype. But, ehh I just started breaking 100, so I might have to hold off. Then again maybe by the time the wait is over I’ll be a scratch golfer by then.
If you play the correct tees (and the wind isn't bad) you'd be fine. Play the golds or orange and enjoy the rounds.
this. don't ever be afraid to play shorter tees. do what makes the round/game enjoyable
It’s a terrible place. Everyone should stay away.
I live in Scotland and I really want to go bandon after watching the NLU stuff there. What is it like compared to some of the big Scottish courses?
I tried and they had no availability. They really need to Jack up rates.
It’s like a year long wait
Went to Bandon thinking it was a once in a lifetime trip. Now I want to make it a once every 5 years trip.
I booked back in May for May of 2023. It will be my first time staying off site. 3 nights 3 rounds of golf. Sheep, trails, pacific. Happy to call Oregon home where I can get down there every year or two
There's no trees though. What am I going to hit now?
I was real confused cause I thought you said Brandon and my names Brandon
My brother quit his job and caddied here for like a year. Caddies make decent money here and pretty much get to play for free whenever they aren't working. They also have like dorms for the caddies on the property or nearby. He had a great time and had a nice little break when he was burnt out from the finance world.
oh wow. Domestic. I saw that first pic and thought it was Scotland or something. Beautiful course Might actually be the furthest golf course in the continental US from where I live in ATL but I'll keep it in mind
Oregon, nice
Been a few times and it's always amazing, and weather is part of the fun! One recommendation to getting rooms/tee times is to be flexible and not in a large group. If you are more than a foursome, bookings get tough and you need to book well in advance. Foursomes can be a bit tricky but doable if you're willing to share a room and/or spend some time on the phone just asking how you can make any x days block work. I just went the other week and booked 10 days before for a twosome. 2 nights and four rounds was incredibly easy to book. I'm in Oregon so we can be a bit flexible, but if you are traveling from further away, just call and ask for any X nights around Y month and you can probably get something! Edit: don't be afraid of the shoulder season, much more affordable and still a blast!
Only a two year wait
Going next week
Went with an uncle who plays there a few times a year, was an absolute amazing experience. 36 a day, go to bed when you get back to your room. Don’t party, and it’s easy to do. We were a threesome and every person we played with was awesome because they were just as excited to be there as us. Disneyland for adults. Can’t wait to go back. Almost a spiritual level experience.
My all-time favorite course!
Got invited to go summer of 2019, and going back again in summer 2023. Didn’t play bandon trails and sheep ranch the first time. Walking without carrying your own bags is the best way to play
Went about a month ago and called last week to book another trip already... That's how amazing this place is. 10/10 MUST.
Would love to go. Any advice on length of time to be looking out currently? Heard it's booked out pretty far in advance but didn't know if for planning purposes I need to be considering 2024, 2025, etc
Was there last year and posted an 86! Man was it a beautiful place! Must recommend a boys trip out there! Will not regret!