Bandon Dunes Golf Resort: Pacific Dunes

Pacific Dunes

6633 Yards

71.5/129

Pacific Dunes was the second course built on the property. Designed by Tom Doak, the majority of this course plays either into the wind or with the wind at your back, making this arguably the toughest of the courses on the property. Pacific Dunes is consecutively in the top 3 in the nation, and with good reason.

Hole 1: 370 Yards- Starting off with the wind in your face, this short par 4 plays much longer with the wind. Take a driver or three wood over the hill and be left with a 100 yard shot. Pacific Dunes greens are noticeably smaller than the others on the property, so precision approaches are necessary.

Hole 2: 368 Yards- With practically the same yardage, this hole plays slightly uphill with the wind in your face. The bunker in the center of the fairway plays 215 yards from the tee box so aiming over that gives you the best look to the green. 

Hole 3: 499 Yards- This short par 5 plays directly into the wind. Fairway bunkers line the middle of the fairway so either take it right or left, as there is room in both directions. Hitting the green in two is a challenge with the wind, but on a calm day it is very reachable. A giant bunker guards the green so most players will lay up. 

Bunkering on the third hole.

Hole 4: 463 Yards- This beautiful par 4 plays along the Pacific Ocean with the wind at your back. A solid tee shot kept just right of the fairway bunker will leave you a mid iron into the green. Anything pushed off the tee right is gone.

Hole 5: 199 Yards- This long three shotter plays with the wind at your back. The high grass blocks parts of the green. Three greenside bunkers await off target balls.  

Hole 6: 316 Yards- This hole plays with a crosswind. Long hitters can reach the green in one, but anything left or right is in a bunker. The greenside bunker on the left is about 20 feet deep.

Hole 7: 464 Yards- Plays with the wind at your back, this long par 4 plays much shorter. No danger off the tee, swing away and find the fairway. Anything too far on the right side leaves you a blind second shot over some trees. Bunkers line the left side of the fairway from 80 yards out to the green.

Hole 8: 400 Yards- Plays directly into the wind, this long par four is a tough hole for sure. No trouble off the tee.

Hole 9: 406 Yards- This hole has two greens, an upper and a lower. Depending on where the green is, you will either aim over the path on the left or over the largest hump in the fairway on the right. Anything hit to the lower green will get extra roll off a giant dune. Mid irons to wedges are played into this green. 

Hole 10: 206 Yards- This long par 3 plays in a crosswind. No bunkers on this hole.

Hole 11: 148 Yards- This short par 3 plays with the wind in your face. Probably the most photographed hole on the golf course. Smallest green on the course.

Hole 12: 529 Yards- This mid length par 5 plays longer than the yardage. Any ball hit left will end up in the bunkers. Hit it out to the right for the best look to the green in two. 

Hole 13: 444 Yards- Probably the hardest hole on the course. Ocean lines the left side of the fairway and dunes line the right. Parring this hole feels like a birdie.

Hole 14: 146 Yards- This short par 3 plays with the wind at your back. Any shot short leaves you a tough up and down for par. Balls hit to the front will release to the middle of the green.

Hole 15: 539 Yards- Having the wind at your back makes this par 5 very reachable in two. Fairway bunkers start at 330 yards from the tee but long hitters beware; they are very reachable. 

Hitting out of the fairway bunker on 15. 

Hole 16: 338 Yards- This dogleg par 4 is very reachable off the tee on a windy day. Hit your ball at the gorse patch and let the wind carry it to the green. Lay up to the left side of the fairway for a wedge into the green.

Hole 17: 208 Yards- This long par 3 plays with a crosswind. Anything short and left ends up in the bunker.

Hole 18: 591 Yards- A true three shot hole. This long par 5 is the perfect way to end your round. A fade over the bunker on the left gives you a good second shot.

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort: Old Mac

Old Macdonald

6944 Yards

74.1/133

Old Macdonald is the newest of the courses at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, and arguably the most fun and interesting design of them all. Old Macdonald was designed in tribute to C.B. Macdonald, a golf course architect during the "Golden Age" of golf during the 1920's. He traveled across Britain playing true links courses and had "templates" of holes such as Alps, Redan, and Short that he utilized in his own design. Macdonald is responsible for designing courses with the likes of The National Golf Links of America. Although there really aren't any holes along the ocean, this is a true test of every golfer's skill levels. With wide fairways and wide greens, drivers can be played off the tee no matter the yardage. The greens complexes are the most intriguing you would find anywhere in the world. 

Hole 1: Double Plateau (341 Yards)- A straightforward, short par 4. Hit the ball over the bunker on the right and you are left with an 80-100 yard shot. 

Hole 2: Eden (181 Yards)- Mid length par three. Plays into the prevailing wind, so play an extra club or two.   

Hole 3: Sahara (375 Yards)- Short, downhill par 4. Drawing a driver around the big cedar tree may get you on the green as the fairway severely slopes from left to right. Three wood will leave you an 80-100 yard shot to the green.

 The undulating fairway and green on Sahara.

 Hole 4: Hog's Back (504 Yards)- Don't let the distance fool you... this par four plays 50 yards shorter in the morning and 120 yards shorter in the afternoon. Anything right will fall off the ridge leaving you a 200+ yard shot in. Aim at the center group of trees with a draw will hit the ridge and give you major roll. 

 A view of your approach into the green.

Hole 5: Short (160 Yards)- The name says it all; this is the shortest hole on the golf course with the biggest green. Additionally, this is your first look at the Pacific Ocean. With massive undulation in the green, hitting it close to the pin on this three shotter is necessary.

Hole 6: Long (555 Yards)- Funny that the shortest hole is then followed by the longest. This beast of a par 5 plays directly into the wind. Aiming point is directly at the giant rail road tied bunker.

Hole 7: Ocean (363 Yards)- This medium length par 4 looks easy from the tee. After driving the ball into the wind and over the hill, your second shot is all uphill. Good luck getting a level lie. 

 The view of the Pacific Ocean from this spot is spectacular!

 The snack shack is directly to the right of the seventh green.

Hole 8: Biarritz (181 Yards)- This par 3 plays downhill to a huge green. A giant swale runs through the middle of the green so if the pin is in the back play it to the middle and let it roll. 

 Hole 9: Cape (416 Yards)- What cannot be seen here is the mass of bunkers that stretch down the entire right side of the hole. The best play is towards the gorse patch leaving you a mid-iron into the green. 

 Hole 10: Bottle (465 Yards)- You have now reached one of the toughest three hole stretches in all of golf. This long par 4 plays with the wind at your back but fairway bunkers are hidden from sight at about 270 yards. 

 Hole 11: Road (445 Yards)- This par 4 plays about 100 yards farther in the afternoon, when the wind is directly in your face. You are greeted with a large fairway and a second shot that almost always leaves you 190+ yards to the pin. 

Pot bunker on the Road Hole. 

Hole 12: Redan (237 Yards)- A long par 3 played with the wind at your back. Bunkers on the left and right find the stray ball that doesn't hit the green.

 Hole 13: Leven (346 Yards)- A mid length par 4. A break from the past three holes, until you reach the green. This green slopes severely from left to right so your second shot is key to whether you three putt or not.

Leven green.

 Hole 14: Maiden (370 Yards)- The distance makes this hole look easy, but both of your shots are dead uphill. A massive 35 yard long bunker guards the left side of the fairway.

 Hole 15: Westward Ho (535 Yards)- A mid length par 5. Keep the ball left off the tee and you have the best shot to the green. 

 The bunker in the middle sits about 75 yards out from the green. 

Hole 16: Alps (455 Yards)- All of the options make this hole the most fun on the property. Hit the ball to the right and you leave yourself a longer, open shot to the green. Keep it left close to the dune and you are left with a shorter, blind shot. A barber pole sitting on top of the dune gives you direction to the hole.

Keeping the ball right gives you a shot like this to the green.

Ring the bell when your group is off the green to let the group behind you know they can hit their approach shots!

 Hole 17: Littlestone (546 Yards)- The risk taker will hit the ball down the right side of the fairway, leaving themselves a shorter and clearer shot to the green. Only trouble is the three fairway bunkers waiting to catch anything offline. The safe play is left of the three bunkers. 

Hole 18: Punchbowl (469 Yards)- Punchbowl plays with the wind at your back. bunkers protect the right side of the fairway so the best play is left. A mid to long iron is left for your approach. 

The green slopes severely left to right.