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First and foremost, I am not an avid golfer. I enjoy playing, but I only get out a half a dozen times a year or so. That’s where I’m coming from. With that said, though, I have to share this golf experience in case there are any other golfers out there.
I’m on the way back from a trip to Bandon Dunes, a completely under-appreciated golf resort in southern Oregon. Two of the three courses are pure, old world, links-style courses, the third a modified links course, all with a generous helping of hills and dunes surrounding the various holes. Landed Wednesday night, played 36 yesterday, 18 today, and on my way back on the red eye this evening…
The first really cool thing about Bandon is that golf carts are not allowed, and the use of caddies is encouraged. In some respects, this would seem an annoyance, especially if you’re used to playing cart golf where you buzz around from place to place and get irritated on days that it’s “cart path only.” After teeing off, though, your caddy grabs your bag, you start walking towards your ball, and you quickly realize there is some method to the madness.
Even though it is a links course, the dunes that surround each hole ensure that you really can’t see other holes, other players, anything. There are no girls that come around to sell you beer and cigars. No trash cans, no cart paths, no guys out on mowers, and only the most minimal markings to indicate where the next hole is or that you’re even at the tee box. The paths from hole to hole are literally foot-worn paths that cut over dunes or through brush to your next destination, maybe covered with cedar mulch, maybe not. With the exception of the rough, which is really, really rough, pretty much all of the grass is the same length, from tee box to green, and it’s hard to even tell where the green “begins.” I honestly have no idea how they keep it so well-manicured, because I didn’t see a soul working on the course the whole time I was out there. It was the closest thing to a time-warp I’ve ever experienced.
You would think I would miss the creature comforts of most contemporary golf resorts, but it is all so immersive, I completely forgot about all of that shit. I was just me, the course, and my ball out there, with the salt-water infused air and the sound of the Pacific crashing on the shore below.
Oh, and my caddy. I’ve never played with a caddy before, and I can’t tell you how cool it is to have someone that knows the course well helping you around. Moreover, after about 5 holes, the guy knew me well enough that I’d arrive at the ball, and he’d have the right club in his hand. At one point, I asked for my nine on a blind 125 yard shot, he handed me my six iron and told me to trust him, that it was “windier up there than I thought.” Sure enough, I hit it and it dropped right next to the pin. Never asked for another club after that, just hit what he gave me.
Here’s the point of all of this. If you’re a golfer, you owe it to yourself to get up to Bandon, OR and give these courses a try. They ain’t cheap -- $265 a round, plus another $80-90 a round for the caddy – but it was a damn near a spiritual experience, and I’m not even an avid golfer. It is the opposite of the hyper commercial golf resort (at least when you’re on the course) and is truly an experience like no other.
I’m on the way back from a trip to Bandon Dunes, a completely under-appreciated golf resort in southern Oregon. Two of the three courses are pure, old world, links-style courses, the third a modified links course, all with a generous helping of hills and dunes surrounding the various holes. Landed Wednesday night, played 36 yesterday, 18 today, and on my way back on the red eye this evening…
The first really cool thing about Bandon is that golf carts are not allowed, and the use of caddies is encouraged. In some respects, this would seem an annoyance, especially if you’re used to playing cart golf where you buzz around from place to place and get irritated on days that it’s “cart path only.” After teeing off, though, your caddy grabs your bag, you start walking towards your ball, and you quickly realize there is some method to the madness.
Even though it is a links course, the dunes that surround each hole ensure that you really can’t see other holes, other players, anything. There are no girls that come around to sell you beer and cigars. No trash cans, no cart paths, no guys out on mowers, and only the most minimal markings to indicate where the next hole is or that you’re even at the tee box. The paths from hole to hole are literally foot-worn paths that cut over dunes or through brush to your next destination, maybe covered with cedar mulch, maybe not. With the exception of the rough, which is really, really rough, pretty much all of the grass is the same length, from tee box to green, and it’s hard to even tell where the green “begins.” I honestly have no idea how they keep it so well-manicured, because I didn’t see a soul working on the course the whole time I was out there. It was the closest thing to a time-warp I’ve ever experienced.
You would think I would miss the creature comforts of most contemporary golf resorts, but it is all so immersive, I completely forgot about all of that shit. I was just me, the course, and my ball out there, with the salt-water infused air and the sound of the Pacific crashing on the shore below.
Oh, and my caddy. I’ve never played with a caddy before, and I can’t tell you how cool it is to have someone that knows the course well helping you around. Moreover, after about 5 holes, the guy knew me well enough that I’d arrive at the ball, and he’d have the right club in his hand. At one point, I asked for my nine on a blind 125 yard shot, he handed me my six iron and told me to trust him, that it was “windier up there than I thought.” Sure enough, I hit it and it dropped right next to the pin. Never asked for another club after that, just hit what he gave me.
Here’s the point of all of this. If you’re a golfer, you owe it to yourself to get up to Bandon, OR and give these courses a try. They ain’t cheap -- $265 a round, plus another $80-90 a round for the caddy – but it was a damn near a spiritual experience, and I’m not even an avid golfer. It is the opposite of the hyper commercial golf resort (at least when you’re on the course) and is truly an experience like no other.
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