Bandon Dunes- A Golfing Dream Come True

Three weeks ago while I was in the hot tub with my boys I asked Brody what he dreams about at night. He told me that the night before he had a nightmare that he went to the bathroom and an alligator came out of the toilet and bit him in his private parts and then bit off his head. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard. I would have felt like a bad dad, but he was laughing too. He also said he dreams about baseball. I told I dream about golf. Now I just dream about Bandon Dunes.

For years I have wanted to play Bandon Dunes. After a year of planning and preparing, I made it in the nick of time. While the world panicked about toilet paper, during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, I played golf. The first night I got there I had Corona Sweats. They quickly disappeared for three days as I played four of the top 15 golf courses in the United States. While I was there my kids schools got canceled, restaurants closed, and the world flipped upside down. I just golfed. COVID-19 could wait. It was amazing.

Bandon Dunes Courses by US Rank

For those not familiar with Bandon Dunes it is the top golf destination in the country, if not the world. It is home to five and soon to be six premier golf courses. Tucked away on the Oregon Coast it is not an easy place to travel to, but well worth the effort.

I could not believe when I first read that Bandon Dunes had so many top golf courses. Now I feel like the donkey on Shrek

Here’s the list of where Bandon Dunes Courses Rank on the Top 100 List of Public Golf Courses:

2. Pacific Dunes– Par 71, 6633 yards

7. Bandon Dunes– Par 72, 6732 yards

12. Old Macdonald– Par 71, 6944 yards

14. Bandon Trails– Par 71, 6759 yards

Bandon Preserve is a 13 hole par 3 course on the facility which ranks among the top 10 par 3 courses in the USA.

Sheep Ranch, a new course opening in June of 2020, is largely rumored to overtake Pebble Beach as the number one public golf course in the USA. Judging by how it looks I wouldn’t doubt it.

Prepping for Bandon

It seems like it would be easy. Just take your clubs and go golfing. Think again.

1. Reservations– This is not McDonalds or Dennys. You have to book at least one year in advance to get tee times. Sounds crazy, but regardless what season you go in it is booked. I called last spring to get a tee time for January. Nothing. February? Nothing. March? “There are three days we can squeeze you in”, they said. Lesson #1– Bandon Dunes is the number 1 golf destination in the USA and probably the world. It books quick.

2. Weather– The Oregon Coast is cold, windy, and rainy. It is like that every month of the year. While you may get a few warmer days in the summer the weather is unpredictable. My brother in law goes every December. We went in March. You go knowing that you will probably playing in sun, clouds, rain, and wind. We even got a hail storm while we were playing. Lesson #2– Plan on some windy/rainy days

3. Clothes– I packed more clothes for a three day trip then I have ever packed in my life. I used almost everything I had. Layers are a must. Every other hole it seemed that we were either putting an additional layer on because it was too cold or taking a layer or two off because the sun came out. Most of my time prepping for this trip was finding reasonable golf clothes that kept me warm, but still allowed me to swing. Lesson #3– Pack a lot of Clothes

4. Rain Gear– I had two waterproof jackets. I bought a pair of waterproof pants. I foolishly thought that would be sufficient. Skip the rainproof and water resistance. Lesson #4– If you don’t have Gore-Tex you are toast.

March Madness

When I was at Bandon Dunes March Madness got canceled. Little did we know but March Madness had just begun. People have asked me what my favorite courses were. It has switched many times in my mind in the last few weeks. I think I’ve settled for now. In the next few weeks I’ll release my own Bandon Dunes Bracket. Until then here is a dance video I made while at Bandon Dunes to remember me by:

Coming Home

I came home from Bandon to an endless number of concerns. Coronavirus, respirators, quarantines, and home school. Many people in the last week have sent me a text, email, or have called me expressing their appreciation for what I do at work. I pray for the health care providers of New York, Seattle, and other large cities that carry and undo burden of disease. I pray for people in my own town hoping that we won’t get hit as hard as other areas.

I’m grateful for the appreciation that people have showed me and other health care providers. I recognize as well that many other people have struggles and concerns that far outweigh what I seem to be dealing with. When I go into the trenches of the ER at least I have the memories of Bandon Dunes.

About the Author

I am a husband, father, ER doctor, and an avid golfer.  With a handicap of 2.8 I have a fairly legitimate claim to be among the Top 100 Physician Golfers in the United States.  You can read more about my story on my about page. Feel free to contact me or follow my sites on social media.