Random Bandon Thread

[ferrispgm]

I had the pleasure of playing Bandon on a buddies trip in 2018....I was a 1.5 index at the time and had a lesson 2 months prior which put the trip right in the middle of the massive struggle period for me when working on a change. I didn't break 90 in any of my 4.5 rounds there but loved every single minute of it. I have never played so horribly and had so much fun. However, I would love to go back when I'm actually comfortable and swinging well. The courses aren't crazy hard but they are visually intimidating when you aren't comfortable with your swing.

On a funny side note...we were playing I think it was Old Mac and there is a driveable hole that was like 315 or something to the middle...I believe it was hole 13. It's the 3rd day and I haven't found the center of my driver face once...literally hitting it all over the map 240 off the tee and just awful. Caddie tells everyone to aim at the green and hit away while our friends are putting on the green. i step up and finally pipe one down the middle on the green and almost hit the caddie. I get up to the green and their caddie just looks at me, laughs, and gives me a high five lol.

[spud3]

I like BT 18 as well, only my tee shot usually is entering the forest right of the fairway...

 

Don't know why I almost always jack one right on that hole.

[duffer987]

Oh sure I don't don't like 16, and that's a good point, occasionally with a really good bounce from the drive you can have a potential pop in two :-)

But for 18 with the 'smart' play on 18 when we've still got a match going being Hybrid-9I, it is just a bit of a letdown for me. When the match is done, then ya, play a draw off the trees, keep from turning it into the left bunkers and it's a pitch/putt attempt for birdie.

[Edaw68]

I'll agree with Buzlin on 18 at Trails, I like that hole, it works with the overall flow. (although having the road not there wouldn't break my heart) But 16 is just a slog for me, probably the only hole on Trails where I have a truly negative opinion of it.

[spud3]

+1

The thing about 16 for me is that no matter where you hit your drive, they all end up in the same area down at the bottom left of the hill. Then it's two good hits (for me) up to the green and you can't see that even a little left of the green leaves you in a brutal bunker or down the hill by 17 tee. I've ruined several good rounds on that hole, and not hitting really any bad shots.

 

Plus climbing that hill after walking the rest of the course is a real drag.

[jjr]

Just added Preserve for the morning of 2/12, ready to go! No rain forecast Mon & Tues, 40-50% Wed/Thurs. Come on out guys my buddy and I need a 4 ball match!

[mallrat]

I think 18 is much better after redesigning the bunkers on the right. 16 I’m torn because I normally play it well (including saving par from 17 tee 2 out of the last 3 times I played it) but it’s just a blah hole. Maybe I’m just down on 18 because I lost a match to a guy hitting one off the concrete at the base of the deck and having it bounce and roll back to 3 ft.

[Edaw68]

How or when did they redesign the bunkers on the right on 18? I must not have noticed this, or it was before I started going.

[mallrat]

I wanna say about 3 years ago. The fairway used to slope and almost anything right 1/2 of the fairway got sucked in and it was deep. I think they just softened it up.

[duffer987]

Isn't it going on 7yrs now?

They leveled/lowered 18 fairway to make it less crowned and then brought down the front half of the green, as it would have been raised to much in relation - IIRC.

Did they do additional work in 2016/17? Have to say I don't remember that, but then me be no smart sometimes.

[mallrat]

No I think you’re right. Didn’t realize how much time has passed.

[Edaw68]

Cool, thanks for the info.

[jerebear21]

3 weeks and counting!

[Edaw68]

Anyone ever played to a front pin on #8 at Old Mac? I don't think I've ever even seen a front hole location cut there, and the pin sheets show all the zones in the back.

[mallrat]

I’ve never seen the pin in front of the swale. I’ve seen it - or 2 paces behind the swale but never in front.

[spud3]

Nope. Never seen it in front of the ditch. Glad of that, as I think it would be really tough to stop a shot on the front half of the green.

[duffer987]

I remember it on the left side of the dip once, otherwise always back 3rd, never front 1/3. I understand the reason for it at a resort course, but it would be neat on a day when they knew it wouldn't be downwind if they put it there.

Speaking of par 3s, I can only think of once when it's been properly front on #5 on Trails.

[buzlin]

Never seen it on the front part of 8.

Have seen the pin on the front of 5 on Trails though. Which if a tough spot if you tend to get a bit flippy with your wedges and come up short.

[spud3]

Yes, I've seen the pin front on Trails #5. It's a tough shot, mentally. At least when it's way back you have some room for error, though that put to the back of the green is easily 3- (or 4-) puttable.

[VNutz]

Pretty sure my first trip to Bandon the pin was on the front of #5 Trails. Was very tricky. Fortunately as a first timer I didn't know any better.

[duffer987]

Indeed! In a trip that is usually full of knock down wedges and irons, to make a regular 'ol full wedge swing off a peg can feel a bit weird and tough to draw up.

[buzlin]

Yep, the flipping of the tee wedge shot, when you're already trying to get cute, and you catch it centered, but know you didn't compress it enough, only to watch it sail high and straight at the pin, and drop right into the bunker. It's like you knew all along it was going to end up there, but still had some some hope cuz of how it looked and maybe a wisp of a helping breeze, but no, you suck at golf.

[spud3]

Hm. That gets me to thinking that the way to play that hole with a front pin is probably to carry it past the flag and let it come back down. Can't remember how long the slope is from back to front, but I remember it's pretty steep at the very back of the green.

 

I think the false front really adds to the (diabolical) impression that the green is bigger than it looks; at least the puttable part of the green.

 

C&C score again...

[duffer987]

Ya, unless there is a back pin, I'm trying to hit the same shot all the time. Into the bit of mid-green upslope. If that comes off, none of the non-back pins are too far away then.

Similar to OM #8, where I just hit a 7I 4/5 times, unless I need to drop down, go up due to wind.

[tboh]

sigh ... i have a true love / hate relationship w this thread

[duffer987]

Ha! Time does indeed fly :-)

It was funny when they had the holes closed, as you got carted out to 3 and then carted from 13 to 16, and then in again from 17... actually no wait, was it carted in from 13 to clubhouse? Eesh time does totally fly. I remember it being a discounted rate - even as a replay - and that it was empty. Some guys I caught up to, played 3-6, then hopped into their car parked beside the gate after 6th hole, otherwise IIRC no one was out there.

[mallrat]

If you guys take caddies ask them about Ronnie and Daniel the Beards accident on that road. We’ll just say they had too many at the Bunker Bar with the group they were caddying for and wrapped their car around a tree.

[schneidm10]

After hearing that story when we were there last year, it's probably one of my favorite stories I've heard. That one or the one about the guy who chased his push cart into the gorse and then thought it was a good idea to go in the hot tub later to make the cuts feel better.

[Sushiyoshi]

Less than 2 weeks to go!

Thinking of getting a waterproof bag. My 20 year old bag was completely soaked last year.

Looking at Titleist StaDry 4UP and Callaway Hyper Dry. Any others I should be looking at?

[spud3]

I have a 4Up. It replaced an H2No that was underwhelming in performance. The Titleist bag has been great. Came through a couple Bandon monsoons perfectly. Look no further.