Bandon TR (Part 1)

[tuq]

41,

After this series of posts by you I want to have your babies.

[41eater]

[img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

[BrunoThePug]

I'll be there at the end of august... very excited. I'm just happy to be playing golf in sub 100 degree temps. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Vee Quiva]

Great post. I wish you would have invited me to come along.

[tuq]

Bump thread - I was talking with my friend who just got back from there - the Old MacDonald course is apparently a blend of ocean and inland holes, so a mix of PD/BD and BT.

Well, does anyone remember the pics in SI from awhile back of the "secret" course at Bandon Dunes? It was north of the other ones IIRC and had a lot better seaside real estate to work with - instead of the shore running parallel to the course it actually had some curvature, which could lead to more innovative design. There were already like 13 holes but no tees so the guy who owned the land would take people out and just play to random greens.

Does anyone remember this, and know if the Old MacDonald course is part of this layout?

[black knight]

I looked at BT #14 and don't see what's so confusing. Seems like a 220yd shot followed by a wedge is an easy way to approach the hole. No?

[41eater]

The first time I hit driver, at my caddie's insistence. The second try I tried what you suggest. Unfortunately I missed a mile left into the forest, re-teed with driver, and hit that a half-mile right.

I think the problem with laying up is this: The fairway slopes severely left-to-right and almost anything will end up at the bottom of the hill on the right-hand side of the fairway (which is pretty wide). From there you're hitting uphill to the green and over a pretty cavernous greenside bunker. If the pin is front or middle you will be hard-pressed to hold the green and avoid going over and into the collection area to the left of the green. From either the collection area or the bunker, you have almost no margin for error -- your speed or touch has to be perfect.

That said, I think this is the play. Put it down there and leave yourself the 90-100 yard, full-wedge shot -- something you can get up in the air and hopefully stop within a reasonable distance (remember, nothing will hit the green and just stick). If the pin is front or middle, it's probably wise to just play to the back of the green, to avoid the collection area/bunker pinch.

Like I said, it's a hole I'd like to play a few dozen more times to figure out. I'm sure there's a way to make four there -- I sure just didn't come close.

[black knight]

Ya, I guess I was just coming from being able to spin a wedge so I didn't think in terms of mid to high handicappers playing the hole. So, I can see how it'd be pretty difficult for such a short par 4. I'm sure the wind would just compound things.