Bandon Dunes was the first golf course at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. The course was designed by rookie architect David McLay Kidd and opened for play in 1999. The three of us loved the course. AT and I felt it was our second favorite, JT said it was his favorite. However after reviewing my photos I would have to say Trails has moved ahead of Bandon Dunes. Not because BD dropped but because I realized how good Trails was. After playing all three courses and walking the fourth I could see how BD was the first course built and even though the architects were different, as each course was built the whole team got a little better doing what they do. Don't get me wrong BD is a great course but I felt BT and Pacific Dunes out did it in many areas.

The tufted puffin. The logo for Bandon Dunes.
Bandon Dunes was the first golf course at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. The course was designed by rookie architect David Mc

Rolling the 18th green. The same roller we use at NCC.
This photo was taken from the deck off our room. We were upgraded to the Golf Suite. It was Suite.

This was the 2nd shot I faced after a really good drive. No view of...
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...the green. Standing above the bunker from the last photo.
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Greenside bunker left of the 1st green.
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The par 3 2nd. Another great par 3. Great 3's on this property.
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Another view of the 2nd.
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Scotch broom. Just one example of the great vegetation seen on the course.
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The 2nd viewed from the approach.
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This photo forms a panorama with the last photo.
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JT follows his drive on the par 5 3rd. Our 4th, Joe from Chicago, looks on.
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A sample of a typical Bandon Dunes bunker. A little more constructed than Trails
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Approach shot to #3.
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A view of the 3rd green.
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Looking back from the 3rd green.
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Looking towards the 8th fairway from the 3rd green.
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Tee shot on the par 4, 4th. A dog leg right with the green set to the ocean.
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Gorse! A spiny, bush/shrub found all over the property.
Gorse removal has become one of the largest projects of the turfgrass staff at Bandon Dunes. The caddies pointed out pla

The view of the 4th green at the dogleg.
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#4 again from a dune left of the fairway.
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JT and his caddy Jeff wait while we look for AT's ball in the gorse left.
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More #4
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#4 from right in front of the green.
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The Pacific. Big storm the night before left a pretty good surf.
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Look back at the fairway from the 4th green.
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Up the coast, again from the 4th green.
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The par 4 5th. One of the top 10 holes on the property!
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The 5th plays down a tunnel of dunes and gorse. Beautiful!
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Scruffy little mound in the middle of the fairway.
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The usual approach to the 5th.
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Looking back at the 5th.
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The 5th again, this time with flag. An oft seen image at the resort.
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The beautiful par 3 6th.
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Closer this time.
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The course on this point is called the Sheep Ranch. It is mysterious.
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JT putting on the 2nd.
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The tightly mowed surrounds are beautiful but make it interesting if you miss
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#6 looking back towards the tee.
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Standing on the 6th green looking at the Pac Dunes 10th tee.
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Looking down the fairway of the par 4 7th. AT looking at some sort of yd device?
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The rolling fwy leads up to a green with closely mowed surrounds all around.
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A better look at the elevation of the 7th green.
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I missed just short and right and ended up here, in a divot minefield.
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Looking back at the beautiful 7th fairway.
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AT hitting his tee ball on the par 4 8th.
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Taking a look. I think he hit a good one.
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JT, "steady Eddie", puts another one down the middle.
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The set up looks good...
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...this position tells the story. Weak and right, my miss for the whole trip.
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The beautiful complex of cross bunkers on the 8th.
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A great pot bunker fronting the left of the green.
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Looking back on the 8th. The pot bunker is in the slope inline w/ the flagstick.
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The tee shot on the par 5 9th.
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Position A off the tee.
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Looking at the green from the right rough.
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The 18th green, taken from the back of 9 green.
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Tee shot on the par 4 10th. Best line is way left of the bunkers.
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Fairway bunkers on 10.
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The angle of my approach.
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No flagstick in sight!
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Great natural contour protecting the front left of the #10 green.
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Deep pot bunker.
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If your 2nd is played from the left this is the angle you come in from.
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Looking back at the clubhouse. The peak in the middle was our room. More later..
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The par 4 11th.
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Fairway bunker on #11.
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From the approach. JT's ball is just short of the bunker. He holed out!
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Looking back at the 11th.
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The par 3 12th. Nothing but beautiful par 3's at this resort!
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Golfers on the 4th green.
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Walking to the 12th. I ripped a 4 iron into the wind, just over the back.
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Some recent work on this pot bunker.
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What I was looking at for my second.
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The Pacific from the back of 12 green.
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Looking toward 4 green from the 12th green.
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The par 5 13th. No bunkers on this hole but great fwy contours!
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Another look at the gorse. If you ball goes into this stuff, forget it!
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13 fairway.
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Some of the great contours.
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When you walked through the valleys the peaks were easily above your head!
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The third shot approach on this par 5.
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How about this side slope!?
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Another view of the fairway. This time looking back.
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The par 4 14th.
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A long tree sitting above the Pacific.
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The 14th green sits at the base of that gorgeous dune.
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The caddies said this dune used to be covered with gorse.
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The 14th green.
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Looking back at the 14th.
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Again but from the top of the dune.
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Bandon Dunes yardage marker. Note the great fescue turf!
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Looking over towards the 13th fairway from the dune behind 14.
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The par 3 15th. By this time you should get the idea...
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The 16th green viewed from 15 tee.
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A better look at the 15th.
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This was an ant trail crossing in front of the 15th tee.
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Another view of the 15th. Don't miss right!
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More 15.
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Of course I missed right. And had to deal with this shot.
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Looking ahead to the 16th from the back of 15 green.
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The "signature" par 4 16th.
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The cliff right of the tee goes down over 100 feet to the beach.
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Be careful!
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AT on the 16th tee.
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We really got tired of looking at this!
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The 16th is awfully close to the cliff.
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A gorge just off the 16th tee.
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This scruffy ridge divides the upper and lower fairway.
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The approach to the 16th.
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Looking back from the approach towards the tee.
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AT's ball after a great drive. My was even better.
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However, from here it took me 4 to get down for a bogey 5.
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Pot bunker on 16.
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JT looks awfully grumpy considering he is standing next to the Pacific.
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16 green
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Looking back on 16.
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The lodge way out in the distance.
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The tee shot on the par 4 17th.
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These fwy bunkers were dug right out of the contours in the sand.
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A closer view.
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Still more fairway bunkers on 17.
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Looking back over a gorge. The approach on 17 needs to skirt this gorge.
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17 green. The biggest on Bandon Dunes.
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AT sizes up a putt as Bomber, JT and Jeff look on.
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The par 5 18th. When we checked in we were upgraded to the golf suite.
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...$1100/night for $240. The peak in the lodge is the golf suite!
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Put my drive in this bunker. Had to just wedge it out.
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Another fairway bunker on 18.
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Beautiful fine fescue fairway turf!
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Just can't get enough of these bunkers.
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18 green.
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The lodge and another view of our suite.
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Looking back on 18.
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The view on the other side of the lodge. JT, clubs in hand, heading to shorty's
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