Pebble Beach 5th Hole

Bandon Dunes

Golf Course Review by: Bill Satterfield (2009)

Quick Facts

Designer:  David McLay Kidd in 1999

Cost:  $75.00 - $220.00 ($55/bag for a caddy) Click for current rates

Contact Information:  Phone: (888) 345-6008 - Jeff Simonds, Head Professional

Course Website:  Official Website - Visit Bandon Dunes' official website by clicking on the link provided.

Directions:  Get here! - 57744 Round Lake Drive, Bandon, Oregon 97411

Photos:  See additional photos of Bandon Dunes

Accolades: Ranked 33rd (2nd for Public courses) on Golf Digest's 2009-10 Top 100 Greatest Golf Courses in America and 2nd in the state of Oregon.

Signature Hole:  16th - 363 Yard Par 4

The famous 16th at Bandon Dunes has a ton going on visually
16th Hole at Bandon Dunes (363 Yard Par 4)

What to Expect: Ah yes, the course that started it all. No, not St. Andrews; I'm talking about Bandon Dunes. The course that for the first time in American golf history had players considering playing along the Oregon coast rather than Pebble Beach's California course; and for half the price!. It all started with the dream (and money) of Mike Keiser that wanted to introduce a "pure" golf experience to the general public. Most golf experiences that take golfers back in time when caddies carried bags, signs weren't found on tee boxes, and yardages weren't displayed on sprinkler heads are reserved for private courses like Cypress Point, San Francisco Golf Club, and Shinnecock Hills. But the revolution at Bandon Dunes brought "golf as it was meant to be" to the general public and on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Scottish links coastal courses prior to Bandon Dunes were reserved for those fortunate enough to play internationally while the rest of us could only watch the British Open on TV and wonder what it would be like. Well the Bandon Dunes Resort and its four courses have been a gigantic hit and the only concession they've made since the original course opened was to put yardages on the sprinkler heads; other than that Bandon Dunes is as pure of a golf experience as can be found.

By the Numbers:

Tees Par Yardage Rating Slope
Tournament 72 7212 76.8 150
Black 72 6732 74.6 145
Green 72 6221 72.1 141
Gold 72 5716 69.7 132
Orange (Women) 72 5072 72.1 128


Individual Hole Analysis

Best Par 3:  6th - 217 Yards

This view of Bandon's 6th green (on left) is from the 10th tee at Pacific Dunes
6th Hole at Bandon Dunes (217 Yard Par 3)

Best Par 4:  4th - 443 Yards

This hole was featured on Golf Magazine's Top 500 holes in the world
4th Hole at Bandon Dunes (443 Yard Par 4)

Best Par 5:  13th - 553 Yards

Birdie Time:  14th - 390 Yard Par 4

Bogey Beware:  5th - 445 Yard Par 4