Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

Courses

The first course at the resort, Bandon Dunes, opened on May 19, 1999. Bandon Dunes was designed by Scotsman David McLay Kidd, and it instantly garnered high praise. The course was one of Kidd's early efforts at designing a golf course. Since opening, the original golf course on the property has been adjusted. Alterations include significant amounts of gorse removal and a rerouting of the par-3, second hole. Bandon Dunes is traditionally home to resort guests' lowest scores, thanks to its forgiving landing areas off the tee and mildly to moderately undulating green complexes.

The resort's second course, Pacific Dunes, opened on July 1, 2001. Pacific Dunes was designed by Michigan architect Tom Doak, and sculpted by his design firm, Renaissance Design, Inc. Pacific Dunes also opened to glowing reviews and quickly surpassed Bandon Dunes as the highest-rated course on the property. Pacific Dunes was rated the number one resort golf course in the country in 2005 by Golfweek magazine, placing just ahead of Pebble Beach. It was ranked 8th in the best links courses ranking by Golf Magazine in 2014.

The resort's third course, Bandon Trails, was designed by the team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. Bandon Trails opened on June 1, 2005. Bandon Trails differs from its siblings in that no holes are routed along the Pacific Ocean. The course meanders through dunes, meadows, and forest land. Upon its opening, Golf Odyssey, the preeminent newsletter devoted to golf travel, named Bandon Dunes, The Best Place on the Planet for Golf.

The fourth course, Old Macdonald (in honor of Charles Blair Macdonald), was designed by a team led by Tom Doak and Jim Urbina. It opened in June 2010.

The fifth course, Bandon Preserve, is a Par-3 short course There are 13 holes on the course. It was also designed by Coore and Crenshaw, and the course opened on May 1, 2012.

A more recent addition to the Bandon Dunes family, The Punchbowl, is a 100000 ft2 putting course designed by Doak and Urbina. It opened in 2014 and is adjacent to the first tee at Pacific Dunes. It has 18 holes and takes about an hour to play. The area is a collection of natural hollows. Punchbowl is a longstanding design concept by golf architects. The 18th hole at Old Macdonald shares the same principles and is aptly named "Punchbowl."

The sixth course, Sheep Ranch, opened on June 1, 2020. Located to the north of Old Macdonald, it has a mile of ocean frontage over a series of promontories, with several holes featuring shots over water and cliffs. The property had been a wind farm in the 1970s, but had been abandoned because the winds proved to be too intense for turbines of that era. Resort owner Mike Keiser bought the land in 2000 along with business partner Phil Friedmann, and originally intended for it to be a private course separate from the main resort. Doak and Urbina started work on the property after completing Pacific Dunes, and had completed 13 greens before Keiser and Friedmann stopped construction once locals heard about the project, fearing that the project would cause problems for the resort. For more than 15 years, the property sat largely vacant; the greens were not irrigated, and only a select number of resort guests who asked the right individuals were allowed on the incomplete course. Eventually, Keiser and Friedmann decided to incorporate this land into the resort, and enlisted Coore and Crenshaw to design a full course. Three pairs of holes that travel in different directions share teeing areas.

The seventh and the newest course, called Shorty's, opened on May 2, 2024. It is a 19-Hole Par 3. Designed by Whitman, Axland and Cutten, the golf course boasts fantastic views. It is named after Shorty Dow, the previous owner of the land and Mike Keiser's good friend.

The use of golf carts is not permitted at the resort, unless required for medical reasons.

In 2009, Golf Magazine named the three courses existing at that time to its list of the 50 best courses built in the last 50 years. Pacific Dunes ranked second, Bandon Dunes twelfth, and Bandon Trails thirty-third.

The resort is widely known as a top destination for golf trips.

Tournaments held

The United States Golf Association has staged nine amateur championship tournaments at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, the most recent being the 2025 U.S. Women's Amateur.

The USGA first came to Bandon Dunes in 2006, staging the Curtis Cup, a biennial women's amateur team competition between the United States and Great Britain/Ireland. The matches took place on the Pacific Dunes course, and the U.S. won 11½ to 6½.

The next year, 2007, saw the resort host the U.S. Mid-Amateur Golf Championship. Bandon Dunes was the primary course for the event, with Bandon Trails used as the second course for the stroke-play portion of the event.

Bandon Dunes hosted the 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links and the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links championship tournaments. It was the first time the USGA held the men's and women's Public Links events jointly. The tournaments were played on the Old Macdonald and Bandon Trails courses.

In 2015, the resort hosted the first U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball, an event the USGA created to replace the Public Links, which was discontinued. The event was held on the Pacific Dunes course.

Bandon Dunes was also the site of the 2019 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. Old Macdonald's was the primary course used for the event, with Pacific Dunes also used.

In 2020, the resort hosted the U.S. Amateur for the first time. Bandon Dunes was the primary course, with Bandon Trails used as the second course for the stroke-play portion of the event. Tyler Strafaci won the tournament, defeating Ollie Osborne in the final match, during which the contestants played through thick fog during the final holes.

In 2021, the USGA announced that 12 additional championships would be held at the course through 2045 including the 2025 U.S. Women's Amateur, and 2029 Walker Cup.

In 2022, the resort hosted the U.S. Junior Amateur for the first time. Bandon Dunes was the primary course, with Bandon Trails used as the second course for the stroke-play portion of the event.

In 2025, the resort hosted the U.S. Women's Amateur for the first time, held at Bandon Dunes course.

Starting in 2010, the resort has hosted an annual Division I collegiate tournament in March called the Bandon Dunes Championship. The tournament draws elite college teams from across the country with past champions including Duke, Clemson, Notre Dame, Oregon, and Missouri. The resort partnered with Gonzaga University as the host school for the first 11 years of the tournament, but since 2021, the University of Idaho has acted as the host school. The 2024 championship was to be played on March 10-12 on Pacific Dunes, but was canceled due to inclement weather.

Scorecards

Restaurants

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is home to 10 different on-site dining options with varying offerings and availability in addition to in-room dining services.

• Ghost Tree Grill—a Pacific Northwest inspired steakhouse and raw bar named after the fabled Ghost Tree on Old Mcdonald's third hole
• The Gallery & Puffin Bar—Offers Italian classics, located at the main lodge
• Pacific Grill—Seafood-focused Menu, located above the Pacific Dunes pro shop
• McKee's Pub—Traditional Pub Fare, located next to main lodge
• Trails End—Seasonal offerings with a focus on Pacific Rim cuisine, located next to Bandon Trails pro shop
• Charlotte's—BBQ Cuisine, located at practice facility
• The Bunker Bar—Late-night bar with limited dining menu, near the main lodge
• The Library Lounge—Cocktail Bar with South Coast cuisine, connected to lobby of the Inn
• Sheep Ranch Clubhouse—quick-serve restaurant, located at Sheep Ranch golf course
• Shorty's Clubhouse—quick-serve, Mexican street fare, located at Shorty's clubhouse

Gallery

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References

References

1. "Course Rating and Slope Database: Bandon Dunes: Pacific Dunes - black tees". USGA.
2. "Bandon Dunes: What Others are saying".
3. James, Marty. (November 13, 2011). "Course designer David McLay Kidd creates a jewel in Bandon Dunes". Lee Enterprises, Inc..
4. [http://www.golf.com/photos/best-links-courses-world/no-2-royal-porthcawl#370495 The Best Links Courses in the World: Pacific Dunes] - ''Golf Magazine''
5. "Old Macdonald Course".
6. "Bandon Dunes: What's New".
7. Hennessey, Stephen. (June 1, 2020). "Sheep Ranch, Bandon Dunes' Highly Anticipated Fifth 18-Hole Course, Is Now Open". Golf Digest.
8. "Planning the Ultimate Bandon Dunes Golf Vacation".
9. "The List of 50 Greatest Courses of the Last 50 Years". [[Golf Magazine]].
10. In 2013, [[Golf Digest]] ranked Bandon Dunes (Old MacDonald) fifth in its list of the Top 50 Golf Courses for Women.[https://www.golfdigest.com/story/top-50-courses-for-women-2013-07] Golf Digest, America's Top 50 Courses for Women, July 2013
11. Peterson, Anne. (July 29, 2006). "Female amateurs descend on Bandon". Eugene Register-Guard.
12. Peterson, Anne. (July 31, 2006). "Americans hoist Cup". Eugene Register-Guard.
13. (July 28, 2006). "Bandon Dunes hosts biennial Curtis Cup Competition". ESPN.
14. "Fact Sheet". Official Website of the 2007 U.S. Mid-Amateur.
15. (June 18, 2009). "Bandon will host 2011 USGA events". USA Today.
16. "U.S. Men's & Women's Public Links Coming Up at Bandon Dunes". Cybergolf.
17. Gunther, John. (August 8, 2013). "Bandon Dunes to host USGA in 2015". Bandon Western World.
18. "Fact Sheet". Official Website of the 2020 U.S. Amateur.
19. (August 16, 2020). "Tyler Strafaci wins U.S. Amateur at foggy Bandon Dunes". ESPN.
20. "Bandon Dunes to host 13 USGA championships". Golf Digest.
21. "Fact Sheet". Official Website of the 2022 U.S. Amateur.
22. Shefter, David. (October 10, 2024). "Fast Facts for 2025 U.S. Women's Amateur".
23. "Restaurants".