Bandon Dunes

[41eater]

I'm going in 5 short weeks.

Anyone been? Any advice? In particular, any advice on what I should do to prepare my game?

[HDPM]

Lucky you. I have not been there yet, but have been thinking about getting there next year. My advice would be to read some stuff on golf course architecture. Read golf club atlas for a while. Tom Doak who designed Pacific Dunes posts there some. Golf Club Atlas has reviews of the 3 courses with pictures, I would check them out.

As far as preparing your game, I would play a round or two with no more than 7 or 8 clubs. That might actually be a good thing to do at Pacific Dunes, especially if you can do it for a second round of the day. If you pull off some three quarter punch shot in the wind running the ball on firm turf, you will be happier than hitting a stock shot to a soft green on an uninspired course.

[41eater]

Thanks for the tip.

I read this book about the making of the three courses.

Dream Golf

The good news is that I'm naturally a low-ball hitter, and the low punch is my go-to shot. But I don't get a chance to hit a lot of running chip shots so I'm going to practice those.

[RedLeprechaun]

I went in November 05 and it was just incredible, the first day i played pacific in morn. in pretty good weather till the wind hit 40 mph for last 6 holes , then played bandon dunes in 40-50 mph winds in torrential downpour, was totally soaked by 3rd hole and have never had more fun on a golf course ever. Final round at B.Trails in very god weather. ITs like disneyworld for grown ups, i wish i could play there everyday, enjoy it

[HDPM]

The chip shots will be fun. I had a chance to play a Doak course last summer, and one thing that surprised me was how much more fun the chips and pitches were. Practice them sure, but when faced with one, you will have to come up with a shot that you couldn't practice very effectively at most places. It was great, having to imagine the shot and improvise. The green contours also added some suspense, because you couldn't always see where the ball finished from where you hit the shot. Hitting the shot you imagined then getting over a contour to see it relatively close to the hole is like opening a gift or something.

[ghostface]

A friend of mine is interning there this summer. All I can say is good luck.

[tuq]

OP, others,

I noticed years ago (I mean literally like 5+ years ago) that Bandon Dunes & Co. had a really stellar website w/r/t course information. Here is a good example of what I mean. Really nice webpage design, has me drooling. By the way, while 100% inland, the pics and layout of Bandon Trails look pretty sweet, but I haven't heard much about it.

[offTopic]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm going in 5 short weeks.

Anyone been? Any advice? In particular, any advice on what I should do to prepare my game?

[/ QUOTE ]

I haven't been there, but I know the weather is supposed to be highly variable. Personally, since I'm not used to bundling up when I play golf, I would try to take the time to practice all manner of shots in whatever foul weather gear I owned.

[Punker]

I haven't been by my brother has. My brother was an assistant pro at various courses in Palm Desert and Tahoe, so he's seen some nice courses. He never talks about any of them in even remotely the same breath that he does about Bandon Dunes, like to the point that I'm sick of hearing him talk about how incredible it is.

I'm sure you'll love it.

[RickAstleyFan]

My best friend works there as a bartender. He can get free golf, but get this, HE DOESN'T GOLF!!!

That's like being the manager of a whore house and choosing to be a virgin.

Anyways, he's hooked me up with free golf. A great place. My favorite course in the Western U.S.