I only hit it in one bunker on the day and I raked it. I don't expect someone's caddy to do that for me. Just saying nice shot when I actually hit one was really all I was looking for

Had to go back and look at my yardage book for 17, I hit a 9 iron. Downhill and it was playing straight downwind. I hit just a slight cut and it almost stopped before taking the slope all the way down to the hole.

I also have had nothing but good experiences with Bandon caddies.
Not that it's an excuse, but Tues/Wed is probably the weekend for the good ones.

Scott I'm a caddie here at Bandon and I was just wondering if you remember what the caddie in your group name was?

I don't. If I did remember I don't think I would say either. My goal wasn't to get anyone in trouble or anything like that. I just wanted to share my experience. It certainly will not deter me from going back

I think I am going to be back next March again. Based on the prices I think it's the perfect time to go.

just realized what you said here. i've played pacific >10 times and i'm pretty sure i've never hit less than a 5 into 17 from the green. aiming right and letting the slope work for you is the play (i've completely missed the green right before and still ended up within 15 feet).

Yeah if I remember correctly it was playing 184y. Prevailing wind in the summer would be against you. One of the few times I heard the caddy say it plays more like 150 (from the whites). My usual 9I club is 150 but I was playing the awesome Pinnacle Gold so it was gonna release (or so I thought).

not sure i've ever had much of a helping wind, and i tend to play more club since short right is a nasty bunker and short left is all the way down the hill with a nastier bunker between you and the hole trying to elevate the ball off a super-tight lie.
the first few times i played it there was a lot more gorse surrounding the tees, and it seemed to be a more intimidating first shot....not like it's an easy one now.

Yeah nowhere to miss really. Right bunker is tough, front bunker seems to always plug and long is as you said pretty dead also. Pacific plays pretty easy but the finish is def no cakewalk thats for sure.

During the summer months when we get those nasty winds coming from the north it's normally straight into the wind and is about 2-3 clubs. Then during this time of year the winds are normally from the south and makes the hole a lot more manageable. Then with the winds from the south it makes #4 at both Pac and Old Mac two of the toughest holes on property, long and straight into the wind.

Checks his scorecards....

Wind was down for the first 10 holes or so of the day on Pacific. I remember missing the green on #4 and making bogey.

#4 on Old Mac I remember hitting either hybrid or a 3 wood into the green and being short, another bogey.

Now #3 on Old Mac was really tough with the wind. I think i had around 120y to the green and hitting 9I and still being way short and left. Played horrible around the green including a 3-putt for double.

Heading back next Wednesday and playing:

Thursday - Bandon Dunes and the Preserve
Friday - Trails and Pacific
Saturday - Old Mac and Pacific

Short trip but going to be fun. No guarantee on finishing the replays at Pacific but hopefully the afternoons are less crowded and we get most of the way done by dark.

Forecast doesn't look as appealing as last time; but a lot can change in a week.

I'm within a week or two of booking my next trip out there in March. Depending on if someone goes out with me or not, my plan is to make it a longer trip and play 6 rounds plus the preserve, or 4 rounds for the shorter trip.

what are your times? sunrise/sunset will be roughly 7:20am to 4:50 pm (daylight depending on weather, of course). i've played ~40 rounds at bandon and i don't remember playing a round in more than 4:30...typical round in my experience is around ~4:15.

next time you book double rounds in nov/dec/jan you might consider having bandon be your afternoon round. it's the only course that has a hole 9/10 transition at the clubhouse which makes walking off the course a little easier if darkness and/or weather are chasing you. pacific and old mac have you about as far away from the clubhouse at the turn as you can be...trails not that much closer. you should be fine at the preserve.

another option is to see if the shorty's course is open and go play pick your own shot for cheap...that place is a blast.

7:50 Bandon, 2:00 preserve. No problem.

7:40 Trails, 1:00 pacific - likely get to 15 or so. Hoping to get out a little earlier than 1 if possible.

7:40 Mac, 12:40 pacific. Hopefully get it done in 4 hours and be good.

It's my brother, my girlfriend and I. So if our afternoon rounds especially are just the three of us I like our chances of finishing.

I bought some night flyer LED glow balls today so we can just smack them around if it gets too dark. Maybe night putting on the punch bowl.

Any frost delays or whatever will def. cause us to look at more preserve times and shortys.

those are good times, I'm guessing you'll finish all your rounds unless you get frost delayed.

It was a few years ago, but it was well after dark and a dozen or so people were chipping led balls from the 10th tee at bandon to the 18th green. there was an led hoop on the green to show the target. what is that, about 80 yards? looked like something they set up through the clubhouse. we were sitting around drinking on the west patio and cheering them on.

I love that about Bandon and the people who go - darkness won't get in the way of hitting golf balls

I called to book today. I was going to get a room for myself and then book a twosome with the other guy booking his room later. No can do. Both need to reserve before booking a twosome, doh. Thing is I am about 75% the person I am going with is gonna cancel and I'm just going myself.

that doesn't make sense...did they ask you if both players were oregon residents? what if i lived in oregon (which i do) and wanted to travel down for the day to play? why wouldn't they take my tee time if i didn't book a room?

guessing you told them your second was going to get a room later but you still wanted to book a time?

Yeah that's exactly what I did. I guess I could always book a double room in order for it to work but I don't really want to pa the extra $60 or so a night. Hopefully it all gets worked out soon enough.

just book a queen bed at the lodge or a king room at the inn and tell them he's your 'partner'. that won't cost you extra. if he does in fact show up, make him sleep on the floor or pay $20 for a rollaway.

Said screw it and booked without him.

3/21 for 3 nights in a Forest King. I think I was in a Golf King last year.

3/21 - Arrive and hit the range, Shorty's and possibly the Preserve.
3/22 - Old Mac 7:50a
3/22 - Bandon Dunes 12:50p
3/23 - Pacific Dunes 7:30a (I think that's first off)
3/23 - Bandon Trails 1:00p
3/24 - Pacific Dunes - 8:50a

Will likely find some combo so I can play 36 on Friday though.

for Pacific being the one you play twice.

sunrise that time of year is ~7am and sunset ~7:45 pm.

guessing on 3/22 you'll walk off Old Mac, get on a shuttle, and pretty much walk straight to the tee of Bandon with time to grab a sandwich.
3/23 looks like you have time to sit down for lunch if you want. you might even be able to get on the Preserve for at least a few holes after your round if they have room....should be free since it would be your third round of the day.

how are you traveling? through PDX or Eugene?

Yeah I have played Pacific and Old Mac the last time I played. My goal is to play Pacific and Bandon Dunes the last day.

Still not sure yet on where I am flying to. Guessing it will likely be PDX. I will be flying in from Orange County. Might have to go out of LAX then to get to PDX.

Good itinerary Scott.

Thanksgiving was a bit of a washout. Didn't get 36 in any of the days.

Played Bandon Thanksgiving day in crazy wind. Shot 91 and thought I hit the ball great. Played the preserve after and it was tough but super fun in the wind. Putted off the front tee on #13 to 1 foot - love that hole.

Friday was a downpour; played trails and shot 86. A few green were so flooded you couldn't putt - should have been a better score when you account for 2 3-putts from < 15'. Didn't warm up at the range as the rain was just coming down - soaked through good rain gear by hole 3. Was a fun day tho. Coming from CO where I rarely play in the rain it was a nice change of pace. Was going to play Pac Friday afternoon but there was no way with how wet we got during the morning round.

Had old Mac and Pac scheduled for Saturday and the rain looked like it might be similar to Friday so we cancelled OM and moved our Pac round up as early as possible. Was windy but we stayed dry; poured right as we walked into the pacific grille. Shot 88 and again thought I hit it pretty good; putting was bad but that's the story of the week. On 16 I hit 4-iron from 110y dead into the wind; pured it and it was the right club.

Stayed at the inn and really enjoyed it. The library at the inn is not widely publicized but an awesome place to watch games and have drinks. Plus they have cool golf books.

Thanksgiving dinner at the Gallery was good; nothing special but solid and the sweet potatoes (my fave) hit the spot.

Likely going back in June. Already can't wait.

Yeah looks like you lost the Bandon weather lottery. I always seem to go to their site daily and look at the course cameras to see what the weather looks like.