Bandon Dunes
Scotland in Oregon - the pilgrimage every golfer should make.
The Course
Mike Keiser found a stretch of Oregon coastline in the 1990s that looked like the Scottish linksland and hired little-known architect David McLay Kidd to build on it. When Bandon Dunes opened in 1999, it proved Americans would travel for true links golf - firm, fast, windblown, walking-only.
The resort has since added Pacific Dunes (Tom Doak), Bandon Trails (Coore/Crenshaw), Old Macdonald (Doak/Urban), and Sheep Ranch (Coore/Crenshaw) - five courses that all rank among America's best. It is the single greatest golf destination in the United States.
Bandon is walking-only, caddies available, and the weather is gloriously unpredictable. Pack rain gear regardless of forecast.
Signature Holes
Hole 4 - Par 4, 410 yards
Cliff-edge dogleg with the Pacific on your right the entire way. The postcard hole.
Hole 16 - Par 3, 180 yards
Downhill to a green perched above the ocean. Club selection is pure guesswork in the wind.
Designer
David McLay Kidd (1999)
Practical Info
Peak green fees around $375 per round - remarkably reasonable for a top-10 course. Book lodging and golf together as far ahead as possible; the resort sells out months in advance. Bring rain gear and an extra glove. Walk - it is mandatory and it is the point.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Green fee from | $375 |
| Fee notes | Peak rate. Walking only - no carts. |
| Location | Bandon, Oregon |
| Par / Yardage | 72 / 6732 yards |
| Slope / Rating | 142 / 74.2 |
Worth it?
The easiest yes on this list. Bandon Dunes is the best golf trip in America: great golf, honest prices, no pretension, and the Punchbowl putting course for evening wind-downs. Go for three days minimum.