Consider golf en route to the Bandon Dunes Mecca.

Perhaps the toughest thing about taking a Bandon Dunes golf vacation — other than checking out on your last day — is getting to the resort in the first place.

Because Bandon is so remote, it can be a real-life version of Planes, Trains and Automobiles (OK, “trains” may be stretching it). But, there is a way to make the most of the journey, especially if you take one of the common routes through Portland or Eugene, Ore.

Both Colwood National Golf Course and Broadmoor Golf Club are practically located on the tarmac of Portland’s airport and are great for a quick round of basic golf on your way in or out of the area. And, a more upscale facility, Heron Lakes Golf Club, with higher quality Robert Trent Jones, Jr., courses (Great Blue is the better of the two) is only five minutes further away. Of course, we can't leave out Pumpkin Ridge's Ghost Creek course, though it's 30 minutes from baggage claim.

If Eugene Airport is your jumping-off point, a great way to kill time before a flight is to browse the 13,000 square-foot Fiddler’s Green golf course pro shop, billed as the largest of its kind in America. Or, you could take a spin around its fun, 18-hole, executive course.

None of these options should cut in to time spent on your Bandon Dunes golf vacation, but if you have extra time, we can think of few better ways of spending it.

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