Bandon Trails

Bandon Trails – Played May 2015

• Rankings: Golf Digest #70, Golf Digest Public #16, Golf Magazine #49, Golf Magazine Public #15
• Location: 57744 Round Lake Road, Bandon, Oregon
• Year: 2005
• Architect: Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw
• Course Access: Resort
• Walking Rules: Walking Only, Caddies Available

Score Card Information:

• Black: 6,759 yards, Par 71, 73.6 Rating/130 Slope
• Green: 6,247 yards, Par 71, 71.1 Rating/129 Slope
• Gold: 5,751 yards, Par 71, 68.7 Rating/122 Slope
• Royal Blue: 3,827 yards, Par 71, 61.2 Rating/105 Slope
• Orange: 5,100 yards, Par 71, 66.1 Rating/117 Slope

This was a happy and sad day at the same time since I would be saying goodbye to the wonderful Bandon Dunes.  I should say that I hope it is see you later and not a full goodbye!

The finisher for my trip was Bandon Trails.  The Coore & Crenshaw addition to the resort was the third course built on the property.  It plays inland and is sheltered somewhat from the breezes that are ever-present at the other three courses.  I think it makes for a nice change of pace and it is an added bonus to the resort that you can play different types of golf in one place.

All yardages are from the green tees.

Hole 1 – 356 yards – Par 4

The weather was slightly overcast to start, but not windy.  I took a three iron here for precision.  This hole gives you a linksy tease before going more inland.  You can see the ocean from the tee.  The fairway is more framed than the picture shows.

The fairway has some large mounding and the approach plays uphill to the green.

You can see the slope from back to front in this photo.  You could have a lot of break in your putt depending on pin and ball position.

Hole 2 – 166 yards – Par 3

The second shot plays downhill but didn’t play much short of the distance for us.  There aren’t many places to miss here.  Bear down on this one.

Here is the green from the front left.

Hole 3 – 532 yards – Par 5

Hey look, trees!  There hasn’t been a ton on the prior three courses we have toured.  The bunkers are reachable.  Split the three you see and you will be in great shape.

The second shot plays over more fairway bunkers.

Here is a look from a common third shot distance.

And a wide-angle of the putting surface.

Hole 4 – 363 yards – Par 4

The tee shot here is uphill.  You cannot see the landing area due to the hill.  There is a little more room right than you think, but it’s wise not to tempt fate as I did.  The fairway runs out sooner the further left you go.

The second shot from the fairway is visually easy.  The green is wide and hopefully you have a wedge in your hands.

We had some more spectators of our round at Bandon Trails.  They seem about as interested as usual.

The green slopes from back to front and is quite wide.  You want to be careful with distance to avoid having a long putt.

Hole 5 – 124 yards – Par 3 

In the experience I have had playing Coore & Crenshaw courses, I think their biggest strength is the par threes.  They almost always have variety and ask something different of the golfer on each one.  The fifth at Bandon Trails is no exception.  It is very short, but misses are penalized.  The main trouble is short with some nasty bunkers.

The green has a large swale through the middle so even if you go long you aren’t out of the woods.  Putts from the back to the front of the green will be adventurous.

Hole 6 – 359 yards – Par 4

You can play this tee shot however you like as long as you don’t go in the bunker in the middle of the fairway.

I was a little further back and thus the green was hidden by the hills.

The putting surface is relatively flat though which should make birdies available.

Hole 7 – 406 yards – Par 4

This hole reminded me of some holes in New Hampshire that I grew up playing.  It plays longer than the yardage due to the climb up the hill.  A drive to the right of the bunker on the left will leave you a good shot into the green.

Interestingly, this was the only course I dealt with slow play.  You can see the group in front just walking off the tee.

It’s still quite bit up the slope for the second so take some extra club.

The front of the green is extremely sloped.  If you don’t carry this hill you will be chipping!

Hole 8 – 299 yards – Par 4

The Coore-Crenshaw team knows how to make a driveable par four.  This one was no exception.  It favors a draw to avoid the bunkers down the left.

Should you choose to layup the green is open and only features the trouble right and long.

Here is a closer look at the green.

Hole 9 – 522 yards – Par 5

This par five moves to the left.  The bunker in the middle is definitely in play.  A drive to the left of the bunker will leave a great opportunity to go for it in two.

The second shot is open to a fade.  The trees block a big draw.

The green doesn’t feature much trouble with a lone bunker to the right.

Here is the green complex from another angle.

Hole 10 – 393 yards – Par 4

The tee shot here calls for a draw again.  You can get in trouble if you go too far to the right as the fairway runs out.

The approach can be run up onto the putting surface.  It must avoid the bunker on the right.

You can see that the green has a false front that will repel any shots not hit far enough.

Hole 11 – 429 yards – Par 4

This hole features the only water hazard on the course.  It bends to the right once it crests a hill in the fairway.

The bunker is quite a bit short of the green.  The water is very much in play to the right of the green.

The photo below illustrates the proximity of the water.

Hole 12 – 235 yards – Par 3

The twelfth is a beast of a par three.  There is tree trouble hard to the left of the green.  The shot requires a lot of length and precision unless you bail to the right.

Here is a zoomed-in look from the tee.

The putting surface is seen below.

Hole 13 – 374 yards – Par 4

The landing area is wide open from this tee.  You will want to favor the left side since it will give you a much better angle on the approach.

The second shot plays to a green guarded by some mean bunkers.  Direction is crucial here.

Here is the green from close up.  You can see the contouring that forms a mild three tiers.

This bunker on the right side of the green is nasty.  It is very deep and requires a perfect bunker shot just to get out.

Hole 14 – 306 yards – Par 4

The polarizing 14th is upon us, but before we get to that here is a look at the ocean from the tee.

Back to the controversy.  This hole has generated a wide range of opinions.  I personally loved it.  The tee shot gives you options of laying up or trying to drive the green.  There is quite a bit of room if you choose to hit iron off the tee.

Here is a zoomed shot from the tee.

The green is domed and will repel mishit shots.  You need to be close to the center of the green with shots here.  Long is not good.

Hole 15 – 367 yards – Par 4

This hole plays longer than the yardage since it is back up the hill.  A good line is at the bunker down the middle.  You can see up on the far right the location of the 14th tee.  It is quite an elevation change from there.

This approach looked really cool to me for some reason.  You have to play over the bunker and avoid the sand behind the green as well.

The green is very long and the pin position can change what club you are hitting quite a bit.  The slope is back to front.

I liked this shot looking back at the green and fairway from behind.

Hole 16 – 494 yards – Par 5

Get your walking shoes on!  This one is uphill all the way.  It plays much longer than its yardage due to the elevation.  A little draw will play great on this hole.

Here is the view of the second shot.

The green is seen below as you walk up the hill.

You can see the green slope down from back right to front left.  It is actually quite steep.

Hole 17 – 159 yards – Par 3

This is a great one-shotter.  It was playing into the wind for me.  The bunkers are all in play, but luckily most of the heather should be carried by a well-struck shot.

Here is a closer look at the green.

Hole 18 – 363 yards – Par 4

The finishing hole takes you back out of the forest and towards the water.  There is more fairway that you can see.  Depending on the wind you can hit less than driver.

The approach plays up the slope to a green that is open in the front.  Don’t flair one right or you might hit someone eating lunch at the restaurant next to the green.

Here is a closer look at the approach.

Below is a look at the putting green from the modest clubhouse and restaurant.

Bandon Trails was an awesome experience!  It was my favorite course at the resort.  I thought it called for many types of shots and featured many different types of holes.  Coore and Crenshaw hit this one out of the park.