Bandon Trails Golf Course, Bandon Dunes

July 27, 2020 Off By BBF

I don’t think anyone would begrudge Bandon Trails if it were having a hardcore inferiority complex, or suffered from Impostor Syndrome. The third of the golf courses built at the resort after Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes is likely the least played of the bunch at Bandon. Yet it is still one of the most loved courses by die hards and caddies alike. It’s hard to talk about a genuinely world class Coore and Crenshaw designed golf course in this regard. Anywhere else in the country and this golf course would definitely be a bucket list destination golf course in its own right, in fact it even regularly breaks the top 15 public golf courses in the country.

Its problem? It’s a well hit driver from Bandon Dunes Golf Course (regularly number 7 on the list of top public courses) Pacific Dunes (regularly number 2 after Pebble Beach) and just down the road from Old Macdonald (regularly number 12). Oh, and now it’s down the road from Sheep Ranch Golf Course, which will be guaranteed to be top 20 as well.

View from Bandon Trails Golf Course — *A cool feature of Bandon Trails, you can watch people enjoying a nice canoe ride*

Not only is it in maybe the densest area of bucket list golf outside of St. Andrews, it is also a very different golf course than the other four that are seaside Scottish links style golf. See, Bandon Trails Golf Course is not by the water, instead, it’s a magical stroll through the dense forest that is just inland from the Oregon Coast.

When planning a golf trip to Bandon Dunes (where all the golf courses are the same price) it’s hard to put Bandon Trails on the priority list. Up until June 2020 you had three world class golf courses within view of the ocean to play… now you have a fourth in Sheep Ranch. So unless you are going to want to do a number of days of 36 holes of golf, or stay at the resort for days and days on end… Trails is the golf course that gets cut. Simply because there is no looming ocean view. And honestly that is a mistake.

It’s Scottish links meets the Oregon Forest (ok that’s an oxymoron). This course instead meanders in the forest with each hole delicately carved out of the trees and brush and each hole is revealed in what tells the story. I’ve made jokes before about how some well done golf courses feel like you are on your way to grandma’s house. But in reality on Trails you might turn around a corner to see a bear having recently taken a dump on the green (actually happened to us).

There are some spectacular holes on this golf course, many that require some astute course management. To be honest, playing Bandon Trails to round out your course selection can be a nice choice. Much of it will be protected from the wind, and it’s a nice change of pace for Bandon. The second par 3 hole number 5 is a spectacular short iron shot to a very oblong green that is very well bunkered. Choose wisely playing this picture postcard of a hole. On the back 9 watch out for hole number 14. It’s a short par 4 that is very tricky and is home to the smallest green on any of the regulation golf courses at the resort. Par here will feel like a birdie.

Trails shares a clubhouse with the 13 hole par 3 masterpiece The Preserve, and the shopping and eating at the facility is really remarkable so be sure to give yourself some time to do some shopping and enjoy a post round refreshment as well.

I can say very few things with 100% certainty, but one thing I can say is that nobody ever walked off of 18 of Bandon Trails and said, “That was a disappointment” or “meh”. It’s not that at all. It’s a spectacular course, arguably a better test of golf than the rest. You have to think your way around Bandon Trails, whereas most of the big Scottish style courses are pretty WYSIWYG, and have large fairways. Don’t count this course out when planning your bucket list golf trip to Bandon. Perhaps do make it the second round on a day of 36, or consider adding just one more day. You genuinely will not regret it.

Best Buddies Golf Trip Rankings:

Bucket list rank (from 1 to 5 buckets): 4 Buckets
Caddies: 9
Location: 8.5
Spectacle/ visual: 8.5
History: 6
New/ancient: modern
Playability : 8
Memorability : 6
Buddy-a-bility : 10
Service/etc: 10
Value: 6 (that’s not why you are here though)
Shopping: 10
Warm up facilities/Range: 9
Food & Drink: 9

CategoryFour Buckets

About The Author

BBF

BBF or “Big Ball First” comes from a golf saying for hitting a shot fat. Or hitting the “big ball first” in that you hit the ground (the big ball) before hitting the golf ball. In the BBF blog, it’s a metaphor for traveling the planet, soaking in exclusive experiences, and pointing people to the Awesome, the Great, the Good, and the not so good out there. We’re hitting the big ball running with tales from international golf courses, with fine wine, fine food, did I mention golf…well, especially the ‘buddies bucket list golf trips’. The hope is that like minded people will enjoy the stories, and hopefully use it as a reference point. If this blog helps people prioritize the experiences they want to have on our planet then we will have succeeded on our mission. We only have so many go’s at “bucket list” travel experiences. Especially the bucket list buddies golf experiences. My hope is you can refine your experience based upon my learning, and take your “big ball first” experiences to the next level.