Bandon Dunes Golf Course, Oregon

[Sherlockian]

GOLF BLISS

I am sure you know, but I'll say it anyway. The courses are walking only(caddies are available), but some of the conference fellows that I went to the course with were unaware. Sadly for them, they chose not to play, since carts and beer were not involved(educated guess on my part). I should have figured this out from talking golf with them, but I assumed they knew. It was great for my co-worker and I though, we enjoyed a great round, course, and experience without the "distractions".




Sorry, I skipped some posts before making mine. Anyway, now you know what golf heaven can be.

[IcemanYVR]

Chambers Bay SHOULD not be on that list! Secluded by a bay and not very windy, no holes where the water comes into play as well.

Believe the poster qualified with a separate "waterfront" catgeory for Chambers & Whistling Straits.

The Pacific Northwest is very, very windy at times... not uncommon to have steady 70-80km/hr winds with gusts will over 120km/hr. The winds that destroyed parts of Stanley Park were in excess of 160km/hr.

I've played Chambers Bay, and it was very windy one of the times I played, easy 2-3 club winds on some of the holes. I've also played on a crystal clear, calm days, and it's one of the most beautiful courses I've played, but it's a completely different course in the wind. You would think the sound would shelter the course, but with the Mountains to the east, and the Olympic Peninsula on the west, I think it almost acts as a funnel or venturi.

[Canuck]

Chambers Bay is beautiful, I wasnt even really aware of how nice it is. That is a must play for sure. We are planning a trip in the summer to go to Semiahmoo and Loomis Trails so maybe Chambers Bay should be on that list as well.

[doctork]

GOLF BLISS

I am speechless. Clearly these fellows were just occasional golfers, at most?

They could make Bandon crawling-only and I'd still play! DoctorK

[sean_miller]

I am speechless. Clearly these fellows were just occasional golfers, at most?

My favourite courses encourage walking - they set it up so it's really inconvenient and annoying to cart. The rule is cart paths only, and they put them as far as possible from the fairway - it's both hilarious and awesome.

I really want to play in Oregon again some day (like today - stupid GD Alberta weather!!!!) - never actually been to Bandon, but there are a lot of nice tracks in that state - in a lot of states and provinces actually. The west coast at sunrise is really special though.

[doctork]

That is highly unusual considering the revenues and profit margins carts generate.

Consider yourself lucky there, Sean.

DoctorK

[Wine&Poker]

Pumpkin Ridge is my home course and it is fairly typical of NW golf - carts are usually available but rarely used. I went to high school in Atlanta and college in New Orleans and it was completely different - carts were almost always used. But in Oregon, we rarely get the heat, and never the humidity of some of other regions.

During my last trip to Bandon in January, the wind definitely picked up the day we played Pacific. I heard they clocked it at 78 mph while we were on the course. It was one of those winds you wanted to take advantage of when hitting downwind, but just swinging was hard. I've never had such a hard time placing my ball at my mark on the green. It would just start blowing away. The kicker was how warm it was...at least 65 degrees. I was trying to wear a stocking cap because the sand was stinging my bald head but then my head got too hot.
Shot 37-55. At least we almost finished 9 before it picked up. The other 3 days of that trip were perfect and if you're in the area again, I'd highly recommend playing Bandon Crossing as well.

[doctork]

During my last trip to Bandon in January, the wind definitely picked up the day we played Pacific. I heard they clocked it at 78 mph while we were on the course.

78 mph? That's enough to chase even me off the course!

Can't imagine you could even putt with the wind blowing anywhere over 40. Have heard Crossings is excellent. Randy Hixson design, right, same guy that did the new Wine Country course in Walla Walla? That looks terrific, too. Cheers, DoctorK

[Wine&Poker]

Dan Hixson.

Both great courses. I played Wine Valley last weekend and a year ago after it first opened. The course is a great design. There were obviously some immature spots on fairways and greens last year, but this year the greens were in good shape.....rock hard, but in good shape. I was surprised about the fairways though. It looks like they must have some weed growing out there and when they spray to kill it, it kills all the grass around it as well. So every fairway has bare patches about 18 inches in diameter. They're having the Washington Mid-Am there in July so hopefully the fairways are in better shape by then. Last year, I played Wine Valley in no wind at all. This year, it was a good 2 club wind. Shouldn't really surprise anyone when you look up and in the not-so-distance horizon stand a lot of wind towers.

[doctork]

I thought you might have played Wine Valley, give your proximity and member name.

Love the look of that course, with the bunker styling and shaping. Very Tom Doak/Coore-Crenshaw like. Hixson looks like an up-and-comer given the accolades for WVGC and Bandon Crossings.

Imagine Wine Valley does get a bit breezy at times.

Cheers,
DoctorK

[ilikefishes]

Yes, I was working on the coast of Oregon when this course went up. This is an incredible track that will challenge every aspect of your game. Give it a shot if you can get on. It is very busy.