Bandon Dunes Trip Report
08-14-2020
, 07:07 PM
here's a blurry shot of 16 green back when it was only known as fivemile point. we played it in its original configuration in 2015, and this view is from somewhere near 3 tee or right at the start of 17 fairway.
we played to that green six times that day...three times as a par 3 (one time as a blind shot over the mound), once as a par 4 from the north, once as a 5 from the south, and once as a par 8 from the southern tip of the property down where 6 green currently sits. i believe that 'hole' started driver followed by four consecutive 3 woods.
we played to that green six times that day...three times as a par 3 (one time as a blind shot over the mound), once as a par 4 from the north, once as a 5 from the south, and once as a par 8 from the southern tip of the property down where 6 green currently sits. i believe that 'hole' started driver followed by four consecutive 3 woods.
Last edited by REDeYeS00; 08-14-2020 at 07:13 PM.
08-14-2020
, 09:01 PM
this was the view from the first tee in 2015. i'm guessing this is somewhat close to where the current clubhouse is.
our group of 24 had the whole place to ourselves starting at noon until the sun went down. there was a suggested routing and we played it for a few holes but quickly abandoned it for our own 'choose your own adventure' experience.
another shot from that day looking south toward Old Mac:
my good friend does a whole lot better job of describing this particular experience than i can:
our group of 24 had the whole place to ourselves starting at noon until the sun went down. there was a suggested routing and we played it for a few holes but quickly abandoned it for our own 'choose your own adventure' experience.
another shot from that day looking south toward Old Mac:
my good friend does a whole lot better job of describing this particular experience than i can:
Quote:
Actually, there is a 5th venue at Bandon Dunes, one where little dirt got moved. On their website they don’t mention it, locally it’s called the Sheep Ranch. I think its life began in the last days of the 20th Century when the owner of Bandon Dunes wanted to experience golf in its original form. For that he chose a plot of land on the far northern edge of his large sea coast purchase. A special place for him to play. Today, it’s open for others to enjoy, by arrangement.
My first view was around 2002 when the leader of our Safari, a certain Mr. Seelig, insisted he take me to see it. Bwana, we call him, drove out of the primary Resort along twisting north coast public roads, finally pulling up to a steel farm gate. I got out, opened the gate, and down a gorse lined, gravel road we bumped. We came upon an open area of rolling open land, looking west to the ocean, upon which 6, links faithful, greens had been shaped. That day the sun dove into the Pacific marking the experience something not easy to forget.
Today the same gravel road leads to a sandy parking area surrounded by high gorse, open to the west. My eye says the tract is perhaps 200 acres of gently rolling linksland stretching along the cliff that falls into the Pacific. One can count from this vantage 12 flags fluttering out across the landscape marking simple greens spread one end to the other, all of which use nature’s humps and bumps, and contours left by the wind and sea. Thick, evil gorse bounds the inland perimeter and the coastline drop-off. To spark some romance, a number of twisted pines remain along the cliff’s edge, smacking of Cyprus Point.
There are no teeing grounds, that’s right, no teeing grounds. Only closely mown areas, thicker seaside grasses, and 12 imaginative greens exist. There are no visible routes that define any particular hole to play. There is no suggested par, in fact, there are no suggestions. One is encouraged that it’s a game, so go play!
This year our gang consisted of 24 golfers eager to get started. We had the entire place to ourselves. Six foursomes, each one taking off in a different direction toward their chosen distant flagged pin. The questions for most were “where to?”; “what’s par?”; “how far is it?” Grasshopper, the answer and lesson is: “Who cares?”
Off the groups bumped, each person shouldering his own sticks, clanking step by step. One could hear that clank as we played, all crossing each other’s paths numerous times, a wave, a shout, a wisecrack every time. We played holes with lengths less than 100 yards, we played one hole over 1,000 yards. I am not sure how many holes we played, only that after each one, there was a winner and a loser and some snarling or laughter each time. Along the way we talked over old departed friends, places for dinner, the best Irish whisky, accompanied by a scratch here and a tug there.
I don’t remember why we stopped playing. The place was ours until dark. I do remember looking forward to dinner with the guys in town, a treat that begins with a ‘toot’ at the motel overlooking oldtown Bandon on the harbor. From there everyone moved by foot to dinner in some remembered stop down below.
The truth I took away is that the Sheep Ranch proves that GOLF is a game. Get it? It’s a game, not work; and there is no life or death or consuming horror that will take us over when we fail. Really, it is not about totaling up a score card at all.
Here is what I am sure golf really IS about:
Friends taking a wonderful walk
Friends talking with friends about stuff
Hitting a little ball far enough to have to go look for it
Hitting it again
Repeating the process until that little balls gets in a hole in the ground
Friends adding up the number of times the ball got hit along the way
Honorably telling the friends about that sum total
Have the pride to gracefully accept a win or a loss
Friends retiring to the bar for a “wee snoodle” and more talk about stuff.
That’s Golf!
The experience of playing at the Sheep Ranch changed my thinking about golf, a game I have played for over 50 years. Maybe I shall learn more one day.
My first view was around 2002 when the leader of our Safari, a certain Mr. Seelig, insisted he take me to see it. Bwana, we call him, drove out of the primary Resort along twisting north coast public roads, finally pulling up to a steel farm gate. I got out, opened the gate, and down a gorse lined, gravel road we bumped. We came upon an open area of rolling open land, looking west to the ocean, upon which 6, links faithful, greens had been shaped. That day the sun dove into the Pacific marking the experience something not easy to forget.
Today the same gravel road leads to a sandy parking area surrounded by high gorse, open to the west. My eye says the tract is perhaps 200 acres of gently rolling linksland stretching along the cliff that falls into the Pacific. One can count from this vantage 12 flags fluttering out across the landscape marking simple greens spread one end to the other, all of which use nature’s humps and bumps, and contours left by the wind and sea. Thick, evil gorse bounds the inland perimeter and the coastline drop-off. To spark some romance, a number of twisted pines remain along the cliff’s edge, smacking of Cyprus Point.
There are no teeing grounds, that’s right, no teeing grounds. Only closely mown areas, thicker seaside grasses, and 12 imaginative greens exist. There are no visible routes that define any particular hole to play. There is no suggested par, in fact, there are no suggestions. One is encouraged that it’s a game, so go play!
This year our gang consisted of 24 golfers eager to get started. We had the entire place to ourselves. Six foursomes, each one taking off in a different direction toward their chosen distant flagged pin. The questions for most were “where to?”; “what’s par?”; “how far is it?” Grasshopper, the answer and lesson is: “Who cares?”
Off the groups bumped, each person shouldering his own sticks, clanking step by step. One could hear that clank as we played, all crossing each other’s paths numerous times, a wave, a shout, a wisecrack every time. We played holes with lengths less than 100 yards, we played one hole over 1,000 yards. I am not sure how many holes we played, only that after each one, there was a winner and a loser and some snarling or laughter each time. Along the way we talked over old departed friends, places for dinner, the best Irish whisky, accompanied by a scratch here and a tug there.
I don’t remember why we stopped playing. The place was ours until dark. I do remember looking forward to dinner with the guys in town, a treat that begins with a ‘toot’ at the motel overlooking oldtown Bandon on the harbor. From there everyone moved by foot to dinner in some remembered stop down below.
The truth I took away is that the Sheep Ranch proves that GOLF is a game. Get it? It’s a game, not work; and there is no life or death or consuming horror that will take us over when we fail. Really, it is not about totaling up a score card at all.
Here is what I am sure golf really IS about:
Friends taking a wonderful walk
Friends talking with friends about stuff
Hitting a little ball far enough to have to go look for it
Hitting it again
Repeating the process until that little balls gets in a hole in the ground
Friends adding up the number of times the ball got hit along the way
Honorably telling the friends about that sum total
Have the pride to gracefully accept a win or a loss
Friends retiring to the bar for a “wee snoodle” and more talk about stuff.
That’s Golf!
The experience of playing at the Sheep Ranch changed my thinking about golf, a game I have played for over 50 years. Maybe I shall learn more one day.
08-15-2020
, 11:16 AM
08-15-2020
, 09:06 PM
10-08-2020
, 05:55 PM
our annual early Jan trip is still on, although we're down to 26 players (from 32). some of the older guys just didn't feel comfortable with the sleeping arrangements and there were only so many lodge singles or chrome lake suites available.
i've played Old Mac every year since it opened but had to choose between OM and Pacific and i chose Pacific. i have to stick to the group tee times so i can't try to chase two rounds a day in January. i'm sure we'll get out on Shorty's at least once in the evening and goof around 'til the sun goes down.
1/6: Trails/Preserve
1/7: Sheep Ranch
1/8: Pacific
1/9: Bandon
10-08-2020
, 07:05 PM
Quote:
our annual early Jan trip is still on, although we're down to 26 players (from 32). some of the older guys just didn't feel comfortable with the sleeping arrangements and there were only so many lodge singles or chrome lake suites available.
i've played Old Mac every year since it opened but had to choose between OM and Pacific and i chose Pacific. i have to stick to the group tee times so i can't try to chase two rounds a day in January. i'm sure we'll get out on Shorty's at least once in the evening and goof around 'til the sun goes down.
1/6: Trails/Preserve
1/7: Sheep Ranch
1/8: Pacific
1/9: Bandon
our annual early Jan trip is still on, although we're down to 26 players (from 32). some of the older guys just didn't feel comfortable with the sleeping arrangements and there were only so many lodge singles or chrome lake suites available.
i've played Old Mac every year since it opened but had to choose between OM and Pacific and i chose Pacific. i have to stick to the group tee times so i can't try to chase two rounds a day in January. i'm sure we'll get out on Shorty's at least once in the evening and goof around 'til the sun goes down.
1/6: Trails/Preserve
1/7: Sheep Ranch
1/8: Pacific
1/9: Bandon
I also am down to look into a 2p2 Bandon trip - I will likely be going next November, too!