Representative image Photo: Stuart Logan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Bandon Trails
Bandon, Oregon, United States
18 Holes · Par 71 · Green fees vary by season and resort package; check the resort for current rates · Parkland
— About
About Bandon Trails
Bandon Trails is an 18-hole, par 71 course at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, near the town of Bandon on the southwest coast of Oregon. Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw designed it, and it opened in 2005. From the back tees it measures 6,788 yards. The resort sits in Coos County beside the Pacific, yet this course turns inland, crossing dunes, meadow and forest, so the scenery and the shots it asks for change as the round goes on. It is part of a resort rather than a members' club, which means access runs through the resort's booking system and not through a membership. It is the course to choose when you want to see a different side of Bandon from the ocean holes.
- Two holes in the dunes open the round, woodland takes over through the middle, and the 18th comes back out into the dunes.
- Bandon Trails is the one course at the resort with no holes along the Pacific, giving it a different look and feel.
- The course climbs and drops through the forest, so elevation change is part of the walk as well as the golf.
- Golf carts are prohibited at the resort except where medically necessary, so every round is played on foot.
History of Bandon Trails
Bandon Trails opened in 2005 as a Coore and Crenshaw design at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Coos County, Oregon. The resort's other layouts are routed beside the Pacific, and Trails was the chance to show a different side of the same property, with dunes, meadow and woodland in place of ocean holes. The no-cart policy that governs the resort applies here, so it is played as a walker's course from the first tee to the last green. The architects' names alone explain why the opening drew attention, and the course has stayed part of the resort's line-up since.
Signature holes at Bandon Trails
The 8th is a short par 4 where strategy counts for more than length. The 14th is the hole most often discussed, with a steeply sloped fairway that leads to a demanding green. Between them the course asks for both restraint and nerve, and the forest frames each decision instead of the open ocean.
When to play Bandon Trails
Bandon Trails is a resort course, so the practical route to a tee time is the resort's own booking. Because the round is a walk through woodland with elevation change, choose a date and a tee time when you will be comfortable on foot for the full round, and ask the resort about the conditions on the days you have in mind.
Playing Bandon Trails: tips
Plan for a walk, since carts are barred except for medical need and the course climbs through forest. Wear comfortable shoes, and think about whether a caddie, pull cart or carry bag suits you. Book through the resort rather than through a club, and check the current rate when you book.
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Bandon Trails
Is Bandon Trails a walking-only course?
Yes. Carts are not allowed at the resort unless there is a medical need, so golfers walk every round, including the climbs through the forest.
Does Bandon Trails have ocean views?
No hole is routed along the Pacific. The course runs through dunes, meadow and forest inland, unlike the resort's other layouts.
Who designed Bandon Trails and when did it open?
Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw designed it, and it opened in 2005. It is an 18-hole par 71 course of 6,788 yards from the back tees.