Bandon Dunes Golf Resort Course Review & Photos

36. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

David McLay Kidd (1999)

Chicago recycled-products mogul Mike Keiser took a gamble when he chose then-tenderfoot architect David McLay Kidd to design a destination daily fee on the remote southwestern coastline of Oregon. But the design Kidd produced, faithful to the links-golf tenets of his native Scotland, proved so popular that today Keiser has a multiple-course resort at Bandon Dunes that rivals Pinehurst and the Monterey Peninsula—or perhaps exceeds them given that all four Bandon courses are ranked on our 100 Greatest. None of that would have happened if McLay Kidd hadn’t produced a great first design that drew golfers into its orbit.

100 Greatest History: Ranked since 2001. Highest ranking: No. 28, 2005-06 & 2011-12. Previous ranking: No. 36

Panelist comments:
“Walking up to one of the infinity-view greens, and soaking in the views of the Pacific Ocean, is one of those feelings that stays with you even for years after first experiencing it. And the course is memorable, too, and scores highly in each category. Bandon gives you the desire to come back again.”

“ When evaluating Bandon Dunes versus Pacific Dunes, you couldn’t fault someone for picking one over the other. Bandon Dunes is the original, it feels more rustic, but Pacific Dunes has more breathtaking holes and has very few that disappoint. Bandon is still a masterpiece.”

“This is a course that is very easy to embrace. I found the deception provided by mounds and bunkering enhances the shot value. You certainly need to be both a master of aim and distance on many of the drives for shot position off the tees.”

“The removal of the gorse in places opened up more views of the other holes. I always gain further appreciation for Bandon Dunes’ routing and its bunkering after considering my round.”

“What can you say about the courses at Bandon Dunes that hasn’t been said? Certainly as close to Scotland as I’ve seen in the U.S. We’ve been a number of times, and the trip never disappointed. Overall, a great pilgrimage.”