For the Love of Bandon Dunes

Pacific Dunes

Buddy golf bucket list excursions are so very much in rage, and one trip of a lifetime is Oregon’s incomparable Bandon Dunes, an Edenesque coastal destination that has become even more enticing thanks to non-stop United Airlines flights from Denver to North Bend.

What’s all the fuss? Here are five reasons why Bandon should be on every golfer’s bucket list:

1. In 1999, architect David McLay Kidd created the first of the resort’s four championship-level links courses, Bandon Dunes, a 6,732-yard orchestration of brilliance that was a mere taste of things to come. Since, the resort has added 6,633-yard Pacific Dunes (crafted by Tom Doak), 6,759-yard Bandon Trails (Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw), and 6,944-yard Old Macdonald (Doak and Jim Urbina).

Bandon Trails

2. It just keeps getting better. In 2012, the property opened 13-hole Bandon Preserve (Coore/Crenshaw), a supernatural par-3 course nestled hard on the windswept shores of the Pacific Ocean. Play it to settle wages, for the outrageous fun, for its breath-stealing beauty, or to help fund the Wild Rivers Coast Alliance.

3. Putting practice was never this cool: BD’s newest addition is a 100,000-square-foot, 18-hole putting course (Doak/Urbina) called The Punchbowl. How fun? “You will find every kind of putt you can imagine out there, and probably a few you’ve never dreamed of,” said Doak. Resort guests play for free, there’s no need for a tee time, and the resort will even provide loaner putters and balls.

The Punchbowl

4. Purists will idolize the 50-acre practice center, which includes a double-ended practice range, one-acre practice green, and a nine-hole par-3 practice course called Shorty’s (McLay Kidd). As a reminder, Bandon Dunes’ courses are walking only (medical exemptions accepted), however guests are encouraged to take full advantage of the 300-person professional caddy stable.

5. Once here, there’s little reason to wander off. Guest perks include luxurious and spacious lodging, casual and private dining prized for its delectable Pacific Northwest cuisine, massage and fitness centers, and a 10-mile trail system. Nearby attractions include wind and kite surfing, sea kayaking, horseback riding, guided freshwater fishing for native steelhead and salmon, and the resplendent gardens of Shore Acres.

Bandon Dunes is an easy 35-minute drive from North Bend’s Southwest Oregon Regional Airport (OTH). United Airlines’ seasonal, non-stop service from Denver International Airport to North Bend is offered through early October. For information and turnkey customer service call Bandon Dunes at (888) 345-6008.

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Chris Duthie is a Durango-based contributor to Colorado AvidGolfer, the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it. It publishes eight issues annually and proudly delivers daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com.