Old Macdonald officially opened for Bandon Dunes golf vacations on June 1 (hole 7 pictured). (Photo by Wood Sabold)
Yesterday was the official opening of Old Macdonald, the fourth course at Oregon’s remote, but wildly successful, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.
The question on everyone’s mind, of course, is: “Now that it’s officially ready for play, how does Old Macdonald compare to the three existing layouts: Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, and Bandon Trails?”
Thanks to my colleagues at Golf Odyssey, we don’t have to wait to find out.
They were able to arrange a special trip for Golf Odyssey subscribers to play all four courses at Bandon Dunes (plus a private, Q&A session with resort owner Mike Keiser and Old Macdonald co-architect Jim Urbina) three weeks ago.
And I was able to get the initial lowdown from interviews with the editors and a peek at their post-trip survey, the results of which are pretty shocking. Read more →
An Exclusive Interview with Bandon Resort Owner Mike Keiser
Old MacDonald opens for Bandon Dunes golf vacations on June 1. (Photo by Wood Sabold)
Old Macdonald, the most highly anticipated golf course in America, is scheduled to open on June 1 at southern Oregon’s Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.
Based upon how much as been written about Old Macdonald, you probably already knew this, and the concept behind the course, i.e., that it’s an homage to “Golden Age” architect C.B. Macdonald.
But I recently read an exclusive interview that the editors of Golf Odyssey conducted with Bandon Dunes Golf Resort owner Mike Keiser, and he revealed a few things about the course (and the new course he’s planning) I haven’t seen published anywhere else. Read more →
While the golf world is atwitter about next summer’s opening of Old MacDonald, the fourth course at Oregon’s Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, there’s a new, $20 million golf resort being developed a mere hour down the coast that’s starting to get some attention, too.
It’s called the Crook Point Resort, and, in addition to oceanfront accommodations and upscale dining, it calls for a spa, an equestrian center, and a fly fishing lake — on-site amenities that Bandon Dunes Golf Resort doesn’t offer.
But here’s the real news: it will have an 18-hole, Dye-designed golf course hugging the shoreline like those at Bandon Dunes — but playable for half the price. Read more →
If you’ve been toying with the idea of taking a Bandon Dunes golf vacation, do yourself a favor and make your reservations sooner rather than later.
Why? Because Golf in the Kingdom recently finished filming there, and when the movie comes out next year, every golfer not already familiar with Bandon Dunes is going to see what we’ve been saying for years: that the only thing keeping these three (soon to be four) courses from being authentic Irish/Scottish links is that they’re located in a little town on the southern coast of Oregon. Read more →
There were three main reactions to last week’s post about Bandon Dunes Golf Resort’s Old Macdonald course opening for 10-hole preview play.
One was frustration, because I left out the part about the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort being located in Oregon (sorry, I forget that not everyone knows this).
One was gratitude, for researching tee times, green/caddie fees, and which 10 holes (and their order) will make up the preview rounds (all largely left out of mainstream reportage).
But by far, the most replies I received concerned the simple request for more photos of what is arguably the most highly anticipated golf course in the United States.
You’re in luck. Read more →
Old Macdonald has lots of charm, E-I-E-I-O.
We’ve always admired how the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon marches to its own beat, and its most recent announcement is just one more example of that.
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort’s fourth, 18-hole course, Old Macdonald, isn’t scheduled to open fully until June 2010, but from April 1 through October 31 of this year, the resort is, on a limited basis, making 10-hole preview rounds available to resort guests. Read more →
The newly opened Inn (rendering by HHA Architecture) is a welcome addition to the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.
If the greatest challenge about taking a Bandon Dunes golf vacation is getting to this remote, Oregon outpost, the second greatest has to be securing a room there, particularly during the May-through-October high season. Happily, we have good news to report on that front.
On August 1, The Inn at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort opened, adding 39 more rooms to what was an inventory of just 225 at this soon-to-be four-course property. Read more →
United now flies non-stop from San Francisco to North Bend for Bandon Dunes Golf Vacations.
Taking a Bandon Dunes golf vacation just got a little easier. United Airlines has announced that, beginning July 7, it will offer non-stop flights from San Francisco International Airport to the North Bend Municipal Airport, the most convenient landing strip for golfers who don’t have room in their budget for private or chartered aircraft. Read more →
