I'm bummed I never got around to playing the sheep ranch in its raw version. But I am excited to see it as a coore/crenshaw

Scott
i can't remember if the free third round of the day applies to the Preserve (for some reason i don't think it does, but you should check), but with a 1pm second round on Trails and twilight in October around 7pm you may want to look at getting on the Preserve for as long as you can (if it's free) since you'll be right there.

I technically don't think you are allowed to do that, but yes, I have done that before and it was free. I think it all depends on who you get in the golf shop.

That 49 hole day was a killer. I think I did it in March so about the same amount of light. I ended up pairing up with a single and played all day with him. He even decided to do the short loop on Bandon Dunes after that too. I was too dead to join him

The USGA 4-ball is at Bandon this week. They played stroke play on Pacific and Old Mac and the match-play will be on Old Mac starting today.

My brother is caddying in a group that made it through to to match-play; Hopkins/Kleinrock. They shot -7 in stroke play (-4, 66 on Pacific (Hole 15 is being played as a converted par 4) and -3, 68 on Old Mac).

Lots of usual usga am contenders made it through; Hagestad, Harvey, Mitchell, Parziale

No TV coverage for the 4-ball; but scoring here: http://www.usga.org/content/usga/hom...l.html#scoring

yeah i've been following that as well.

i enjoy looking at the course stats here, granted they are playing from several tees that are behind the blacks and the flags are in spots not normally used: http://www.usga.org/content/usga/hom...rse-statistics

interesting but not surprising Old Mac holes 11 & 12 are playing as the two hardest with the par 3 12 playing almost half a stroke over par. only birdied 3 times in 176 attempts during stroke play. during our Jan trip a starter told me it was the only hole on property without a hole in one in 2018.

OM had 8 holes averaging under par and Pacific had 11, with another averaging right at par.

Interesting; 12 on OM is such a hard hole. 10 and 11 are playing about as I'd expect; that's a tough stretch 10-12.

I have been watching at the scores closely as well. It has been a while since I have been on property so it's hard for me to remember the holes. Odd since I have played Old Mac more than any course on property.

scott - i tried to help you a few months ago but apparently you missed it?

I remember, just lazy.

one of the sides had to take an 'other' on OM 11 during the first round. it would normally be somewhat surprising for two scratch golfers' best score to be a double or worse on a 450ish par 4 until you've tried to hold that turtleback green from 150 out, especially when the wind is up.

what's more surprising is a side took an 'other' on Pacific 1 during the second round. even if both guys ended up right in the waste area or on the hill it's only a 370ish par 4.

i think i might have to do a little research to see what those scores actually were.

edit: the triple on Pacific 1 was by two fellows from NY who finished stroke play at +10 (second to last). they also had one of the three double bogeys on OM 16. Home course is Winged Foot and HCs are 0.7 and 3.1

edit2: the triple on OM 11 was by a couple of fellows from Wisconsin who play off a +2 and unknown

I think #4 at Old Mac is one of the toughest holes I have ever played. I have always played it into the wind. 18 I don't think I have ever played it well.

yeah, OM 4 is a ***** and well deserved of the 1HC hole. not surprising it was the 3rd toughest hole for the four-ball players. if you swipe one right off the tee you've automatically given up at least two strokes. there's a speed chute leftish of center fairway that will get you 20 or so extra yards if you find it, but you have to cover the pot bunkers out there and you still have 185-200 in to a well guarded green.

those first five starting holes of OM are a rope-a-dope. short par 4 to start with a wide open fairway and somewhat forgiving green makes the course seem easy from the start. the par 3 second is really tough if you miss the green (and almost as tough if you hit it far from the pin). hole 3 with the ghost tree is pretty simple if you find the fairway, hole 4 is the ***** mentioned above, and hole 5 (the short par 3 with the triple tiered green) is an easy hole if you find the right level off the tee and a ***** if you don't.

I grabbed my scorecards from the 3 times I have played Old Mac. I will preface it and say I am a much better player now than I was when I played there in the past.

I shot 85 each time.

1 - Par, Bogey, Bogey
2 - Bogey, Quad!!!!, Bogey
3 - Double, Par Double
4 - Bogey, Double, Bogey
5 - Bogey, Par, Par
6 - Par, Bogey, Par
7 - Par, Par, Par
8 - Bogey, Par, Bogey
9 - Bogey, Bogey, Double
10 - Par, Bogey, Par
11 - Triple, Bogey, Bogey
12 - Bogey, Bogey, Bogey
13 - Par, Par, Par
14 - Bogey, Par, Par
15 - Bogey, Par, Bogey
16 - Par, Par, Bogey
17 - Bogey, Bogey, Par
18 - Par, Par, Bogey

Pretty sad that I have exactly zero birdies on this course.

At least I have an eagle on 12 at Pacific Dunes.

those scores seem about right for someone (at almost any HC) playing it for the first few times.
it looks so forgiving and wide open off the tee on most holes you think you can just get your ball down the fairway somewhere and still have a chance to score....obviously not the case.

On Pacific Dunes: 83,83,85

1 - Par, Bogey, Par
2 - Bogey, Bogey, Bogey
3 - Bogey, Triple, Bogey
4 - Bogey, Bogey, Bogey
5 - Double, Par, Bogey
6 - Birdie, Bogey, Par
7 - Bogey, Bogey, Triple
8 - Bogey, Par, Double
9 - Bogey, Bogey, Bogey
10 - Par, Bogey, Par
11 - Par, Par, Par
12 - Par, Eagle, Par
13 - Par, Par, Bogey
14 - Bogey, Double, Bogey
15 - Par, Par, Par
16 - Triple Par, Bogey
17 - Par, Bogey, Par
18 - Bogey, Bogey, Double

Have a chance to add one more day to my trip. Because of work I can play in Eugene, Bend or just add another day to Bandon. Recommendations?

what's your travel plan? flying in to where and renting a car? bend to bandon is a 5 hour drive (30 minutes longer than portland to bandon because you aren't on an interstate).
lot's of great courses in Bend i could recommend if you're serious about going there, but it's almost worth a separate trip to play several.
Tokatee is an hour east of eugene and a lot of fun (we go every may and play 108 holes in 4 days). i believe eugene country club (the host course for the 2016 NCAA championships and the golf digest #5 best in state behind the bandon courses) has reciprocity for members of other clubs outside a 400 mile radius. i've also heard great things about bandon crossings but never played it.

Flying into Eugene on Sunday night. Then I have to work in Bend on Monday. My option is to just stay in Eugene and make it a long day of work Monday and drive back. Or I can drive to Bend Sunday night and just stay there Monday evening and play Tuesday before the drive to Bandon.

No interest in playing Eugene CC mainly because of trees and me are no bueno.

bend has the following courses:
Tetherow by David McLay Kidd (designer of Bandon) this course will kick you square in the nuts.
Crosswater by Bob Cupp has hosted several Senior Tour events. great course but has several forced carries and is also very challenging. may have to stay at the resort to get on.
Pronghorn Nicklaus (#6 in state)
Brasada Canyons (haven't played but heard good things)

not sure exactly when you're planning to play but check with any course about their fall aerification schedule.

Thanks. I will be there in mid-October. Tetherow looks like fun. Couldn't find golf rates on their website (had to call to get it). I also looked at Pronghorn and that looks like a really good option too.

I will check the others out too.

Tetherow should be $140ish for a day guest in October (better than their $190 peak rate).

i assume you'll be packing for four seasons since you're headed to Bandon, but remember the elevation in Bend is 3,500ish feet and they rarely get cloud cover. pack for warmth and pray for no frost delay.

Thanks. Leaning towards Tetherow. A kick in the nuts will just make Bandon look that much easier.

you might consider a forecaddie if you want to try to go low...lots of troublesome holes if you don't know what you're doing.

they have one of the most beautiful driving ranges i've experienced. the targets are actual greens (similar to Bandon's range, especially the south range/Shorty's course) and the landscape is amazing.

not my picture



here's a review by the Walking Golfers Society. https://thewalkinggolfer.com/tetherow_gc.html
they used to be a great source of course reviews in the NW 10 years ago but have pretty much petered out to nothing.

updates from the Sheep Ranch....images of all the seeded greens

https://sheepranch.golf/updates/seeded-greens

I was looking at that today, INSANE!