Bandon Oregon Dateline: 2010

Why 2010? Simple, really. That’s when Old MacDonald opens for play. I’ve never been a fan of simpleton course names, so the Brookwoods, Brookfields, and Tall Grass of the world leave me numb. Old MacDonald is the homage piece of Bandon Dunes golf resort to Charles Blair MacDonald, architect and caretaker of The National Golf Links on Long Island, NY, USA.

You’ve read a funny opening to a golf piece, but Bandon, Oregon is a funny place to find golf. It’s not located near anywhere metropolitan and couldn’t care less. Bandon is a wild place, accustomed to the occasional devastating fire. The town has burned to the ground twice, and the original course at the golf resort nearly made it a trifecta. During the construction of the second course at Bandon Dunes, a wildfire raged out of control, burning to the edge of ditches dug to protect the initial layout. The ditches held and the fire abated, but what a scare. It is stories of this ilk, beyond anecdotes, that truly season the recipe that is Bandon. Knowing that you might only get there once in a lifetime, I encourage you to wait for 2010. (more…)

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