About
Critical acclaim and sites directly on the Pacific Ocean for the first two courses at Bandon Dunes left Coore & Crenshaw with big shoes to fill while building the Resort’s third course, Bandon Trails. Unlike Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes, Trails is removed from the water. The Resort’s visionary owner, Mike Keiser, wanted to move east into the temperate rainforests quintessential of western Oregon, so as to be tucked away from the harsh coastal winds ever present on the first two courses. Variety is as important a component to the game as any element, particularly at a resort known for great golfing grounds. But how would such a transition inland be carried out with two heralded layouts already on the Pacific?
Compounding that transition with even more variety became the solution. Coore & Crenshaw eventually integrated three distinct ecosystems into the routing by extending the layout west, back towards the water. Today Bandon Trails actually begins in the dunes until the par five third meanders out of the beachgrass and into a vibrant coastal meadow rich with flora. After the sixth, the routing bends around an enormous dune ridge out to Keiser’s holes amid the looming Douglas Fir. In so doing, not just one, but two unique environments distinguish Trails from the spectacular assortment of golf found at the Resort.
Collaborative management by the resorts capable staff enabled David to not only manage the project, but also lend a hand shaping a number of holes throughout the site. The journey may begin as a seaside venue in the dunes, but the layouts variety is greatly compounded by the transitions to softer slopes and wooly vegetation of the meadow, along with the dark endless forest further east. This is further enhanced by a topographic roller coaster that begins on the fourteenth tee atop the coastal dune ridge. Emerging from the forest, the tee ball plummets down this short par four towards a devilish green in the meadow. From here we wind back to Trail’s End Clubhouse atop the dunes. Many frequent guests, locals and caddies now consider Trails their favorite course on the resort and the layout rests comfortably amongst America’s Top 100 Golf Courses.
Location
Bandon Trails . Bandon . Oregon
Images By
Wood Sabold
