Connect with us

Courses

The Bandon Experience

Published

on

Do you ever have one of those memories that jumps up and slaps you in the face? It happened to me the other day. It wasn’t the first time, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. One of those memories that forces you to stop whatever it is that you are doing and reminisce. It’s been just over a year since I made the trip to Bandon, Oregon, and I still think about it often.

I find myself trying to explain the experience to friends and golf buddies back home but it’s nearly impossible to do it justice. My attempts inevitably end with “you just need to take a trip up there and see for yourself. Trust me.”

I have hit more putts from off the green in the last year than I did in 25 years of golf before that. That’s Bandon. I don’t shy away from high winds and cold temperate golf anymore. That’s Bandon. I look forward to walking 18 now and am certainly not too proud to use a pushcart. That’s Bandon. But most of all, I think I better appreciate the beauty of the game. I marvel at how gorgeous each golf course can be in its own way. And I yearn for my next chance to play golf as it was meant to be. That’s Bandon.

Before I headed to the great northwest, I read a book titled “Dream Golf: The Making of Bandon Dunes.” It tells the story of how Mike Keiser created his golf wonderland in Oregon and why he chose the architects he ended up working with. It was a tremendous read and I loved every word. And while it certainly made me more eager to arrive, it did’t prepare me for the few days of golf I had ahead of me.

Three of my best friends and I flew in from all over the country to play these courses. Nashville, Houston, Fort Worth, and San Francisco converged on a little town in Oregon. They say Bandon Dunes is like playing golf in Scotland; only it’s harder to get to. There are several different ways to arrive, but we flew to San Francisco and then took the short flight to North Bend, Oregon. There is a shuttle bus that picks you up from the airport and then takes you the remaining 30-or-so minutes to the main clubhouse.

We planned our trip in February, quite frankly, to save some money. The course fees are much cheaper in the winter months and while there is a higher chance for bad weather, we all knew that bad weather was possible year round in the Pacific Northwest anyway. We were prepared to play in less-than-ideal conditions, so we decided to pay less for it. Also, if you play two rounds a day like we did, the second 18 is priced half off. There are no carts on the property so you’ll be walking, but come on! Half off golf to play some of the best courses in the country! You need to be playing 36 a day. We booked our first 18 holes of the day in advance and then we would make an afternoon tee time the morning of. I recommend doing this if you aren’t sure which of the courses you want to play twice. It is definitely doable to hold off on waiting to make your second tee time of the day until you are on property. At least it was in February.

As incredible as the golf ended up being, I may have been more impressed with how efficiently the well-oiled Bandon machine operates. Our golf clubs, which were shipped in advance to make travel easier, were ready for us as soon as we arrived. The entire trip went this smooth. The folks at Bandon have convenience down to a science. Each clubhouse, course and practice facility is within the friendly confines of the Bandon Dunes gates. Shuttles work on a schedule that is frequent enough to prevent any downtime. Each clubhouse has a restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, all offering a unique menu to fit any taste. More on that a bit later. But imagine Disney Land for the golf nut.

The Preserve

We departed the airport shuttle, changed shoes right there on the spot and immediately headed for The Preserve, a Coore-Crenshaw designed, 13-hole par 3 course. Our luggage was handled by staff and their main priority was to make sure we got some golf in before the end of the day. We only had a couple hours of daylight left after travel, so this dynamite little track was just the right amount of golf to whet our appetite. When you make your trip to Bandon Dunes, do not be tempted to skip this course just because it is a par-3 track. Find time. Make time. Some of the best views on the property are out on The Preserve. The holes range from 63 yards to 150 yards with decision making winds on each tee. We ended up playing it again before we left for the airport at the end of our visit. The perfect bookend.

Food and Lodging

Our favorite spot to take dinner was without a doubt, McKee’s Pub. A lively atmosphere with golf history on the walls, the place is usually full of tired golfers and stories of missed birdie putts. Pro tip: the scotch eggs are a game changer. McKee’s is stocked full of good bar food and local craft brews. The meatloaf is a hefty portion and honestly, it may have saved my life after our first day of 36 holes. Above McKee’s is another bar and banquet style room where you can grab a drink if you need to wait for a table.

Every clubhouse on site has their own restaurant with a unique menu and beverage list. Trails End is within the Bandon Trails and Preserve Clubhouse and provides views of both courses. The menu is asian influenced and the noodle bowl is a legit lunch option. The Pacific Grill provides plenty of seafood dishes and it overlooks the Pacific Dunes finishing holes. It is also steps away from the Punchbowl, a 100,000 square foot putting green/course designed by Tom Doak. The PunchBowl is a fantastic way to kill an hour and practice putting on the undulated greens found on the property. There is also a green-side bar to help make the experience even more memorable. It’s a great spot to gamble a few bucks. We played two man teams and my partner was unconsciously good. So I drank for free. Thanks buddy.

The main lodge has both the Tufted Puffin Lounge and the Bunker Bar. Both spots are casual and affordable. The Bunker is also home to a billiards table, poker table and fantastic selection of spirits.

Bandon Dunes has lodging options to suit all types of guests and budgets. You can stay within the walls of the main lodge or also book from one of many apartment/condo style rooms for larger groups. We stayed in a 2 bedroom apartment with common area near Chrome Lake. The shuttles can pick you up from your room whenever you desire and take you directly to your first tee. I was genuinely shocked at how wonderfully easy it was to get around the property. Never a wasted second. And depending on the month, room rates start as low as $100 a night. But don’t spend too much on rooms. Most of our time was spent on the course.

Old Macdonald

Our first round of 18 was at Old Macdonald, named after famed course architect Charles Blair Macdonald. This was the fourth course built on property and the second track designed by Tom Doak. This time he was assisted by Jim Urbina to create the 6,944 yard (from the tips–it’s so much better from back there) par-71 course. Golf Digest’s most recent Top 100 ranking of United State’s public golf courses have all four of the Bandon tracks listed in the Top 15. Pacific Dunes comes in at number two, followed by Bandon Dunes at seven, then Old MacDonald at 10 and finally Bandon Trails at 14.

The round at Old Mac started with light dew on the ground and clouds in the sky but the temperature was pleasant enough for a light sweater. I didn’t know what to expect but whatever I had in mind, this course was different. It’s a tribute to all the classic designers with template hole after template hole. A true links style course, with the famed “Ghost Tree” visible from many spots around the course. The greens were massive and tricky, but the layout itself played incredibly fair. I think that is one of the best things about the golf at Bandon…it never was too difficult. It’s a place for golfers of all skill level to enjoy.

Old Mac had incredible ocean views, but some of the best moments of my round came from the shots that I couldn’t see at all. The course provided several elevation changes that forced us to fire at tops of flags with no pins in sight. And when we finally made it up the hill with our pushcarts, our balls could’ve been anywhere on those massive greens depending on the slope Doak and Urbina dealt to us. We only played this course one time on the trip, but I feel Old Mac is the best suited of the quartet for a drastic score improvement on the second time around. I look forward to that chance someday.

Pacific Dunes

By the time we teed off on our afternoon round at Pacific Dunes, the infamous Oregon winds had picked up. I genuinely don’t remember the first four holes because my head was down the entire time. Thankfully, we were granted some relief as the winds decided to die down and give way to clear skies. And just in time for some of the most spectacular ocean view holes I have ever played in my life.

Pacific is another Tom Doak design. The course plays to 6,633 yards and is a par 71. It was the second course built on property and a trio of par threes on the back nine were designed to best utilize the ocean frontage for several breathtaking holes.


Two of the fellas in my group decided to share a caddie for this round. The guy was a real gem and he provided us with stories that enhanced our experience a great deal. I would recommend doing this if you have a little extra money to spend. But keep in mind, you’re also going to want to break the bank on merchandise as well…each course has their own logo. One of my friends may have gone a bit overboard on gear. He’s a logo guy. And as long as we are on the subject of logos, my buddy ranks them as follows: Preserve (it really is so good), Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, Punchbowl, Bandon Trails and then Old Mac.

Pacific Dunes probably has the best collection of views on property and they alone might justify the number 2 ranking on the best 100 US public courses. The high winds made it tough to judge just how difficult this course actually plays, but it really didn’t matter. Just being out there and looking around made it an enjoyable round.

As our round progressed, it became apparent that we might struggle to finish before nightfall. We picked up the pace and played ready golf but things weren’t looking good when we reached 17, a beautiful but lengthy par three over a gorge. But then the charm of Bandon showed its face. The group ahead of us, obviously realizing that we were in a race against time, waved us up and stepped aside, allowing us to hit our tee shots before they putted. We all hit and then began a somewhat lengthy walk around the gorge to the green, allowing the group ahead to putt out and proceed to the 18th tee. And we finished our round with just barely enough light to see our final putts roll in the cup. Had it not been for the kindness of those golfers on 17, whom we did not know one bit, we likely wouldn’t have finished our round. But that’s Bandon.

Bandon Trails

I went into our morning round at Bandon Trails with little excitement. I am an ocean-view kind of golfer and I had just been completely spoiled by Pacific Dunes. I knew this Coore-Crenshaw par 71 layout was all internal on the property, away from the ocean and that didn’t have my juices flowing.

By the time I had played the first three holes, all of that had changed. This course was special.


Looking back on it now, the lowest ranked course at Bandon may easily have been the round I enjoyed the most. The third course built on the property, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw somehow found a direct line to my golf heart without distracting me with views of blue water. The routing at Trails lead my foursome through forest and dunes alike, up hills and over water. The greens were challenging but fair and the fairways attainable and inviting.

The coastal forest provided a beautiful backdrop that I had largely ignored in my Bandon preparation. Trails, in my opinion, is the most underrated of the four Bandon courses. The par 4 14th hole stands out in my mind as a hole I’d like to play over and over again. The elevated tee box looks down on a drive-able par 4 begging for an escalated swing speed. I hit driver. Of course. But the target, a hog back green, is small and deadly and full of terrors. Any miss left or right required a savvy short game to salvage a good score. It was a wonderful golf hole and a highlight of the trip. One of my playing partners would like me to mention that he made birdie, I’m sure.

When I think back on my Bandon trip, I first think of those oceans holes on Bandon and Pacific Dunes. But it doesn’t take long for my mind to take me back to Trails. From a pure golf perspective, it is the best course on property.

Bandon Dunes

I had read up more on the original 18 at Bandon Dunes than either of the other three courses. Designed by relatively unknown (at the time) Scottish architect David McLay-Kidd, the course that started it all opened in 1999 and the rest was history. Bandon Dunes plays at 6,732 yards, par 72 and winds along the pacific coast towards a climactic finish that is as good as any in golf.

Weather for our round at Bandon was ideal. Overcast, slight wind but not too cold. It turns out, our decision to play in February worked out great for us. We dealt with rain on the morning of our third day but we were still able to fit in our golf.

Golf rankers tend to rave about Pacific Dunes, but I will take Bandon over Pacific, pound for pound, any day of the week. The bunkers are deep and large and the fairways are pristine condition. And while Pacific Dunes clearly worked hard to maximize its ocean views, the flow of Bandon Dunes seemed more natural while still providing incredible coastal holes.

Hole 16 is a classic risk reward par 4. Reachable off the tee with a typical down wind, the smart play is to poke your spoon out to the raised fairway on the left. But with the pacific ocean crashing ashore to our right and the sun setting behind, we all decided to hit driver. And it worked out for a couple of us. This is arguably the most beautiful hole I’ve ever played in my life and I remember walking off the green, looking back towards the tee box thinking “wow…I am not sure it gets any better than that.”

Until I played the next hole. And then the hole after that. Both 17 and 18 are incredible golf holes in their own right. The closing stretch at Bandon Dunes is truly as good as it gets. And if you time it correctly like we did, your walk down 18 is illuminated by the setting sun bouncing off the windows of the clubhouse. Life is good.

People who visit Bandon love to rank the courses and then ask for your rank as well. Half of the conversations at McKee’s Pub are started with this very topic. And while you certainly can’t go wrong with any selection, for me it starts and ends with the original, Bandon Dunes. I’d rank Bandon Trails second, Pacific Dunes third and Old MacDonald fourth. And you know what…each of my three buddies put those courses in a different order.

There is something for everyone at Bandon Dunes. You just need to take a trip up there and see for yourself. Trust me.

 

Your Reaction?
  • 149
  • LEGIT19
  • WOW15
  • LOL2
  • IDHT2
  • FLOP3
  • OB1
  • SHANK4

Johnny Newbern writes for GolfWRX from Fort Worth, Texas. His loving wife lets him play more golf than is reasonable and his three-year-old son is a tremendous cart partner. He is a Scotty Cameron loyalist and a lover of links-style courses. He believes Coore/Crenshaw can do no wrong, Gil Hanse is the king of renovations, and hole-in-ones are earned, not given. Johnny holds a degree in journalism from Southern Methodist University.

16 Comments

16 Comments

  1. Courtney Connell

    Feb 25, 2019 at 10:12 pm

    Johnny,

    Thank you for sharing your journey. Your story is well done. The photographs motivate me to pack my bags and leave for Bandon ASAP. I look forward with great enthusiasm to reading more stories.

    Best,

    Courtney

    • Johnny Newbern

      Feb 26, 2019 at 2:07 pm

      Thanks so much for the kind words, Courtney. You are a gentleman.

  2. Scott Saunders

    Feb 25, 2019 at 6:25 pm

    Experienced BD for the first time a few weeks back. Huge group from Bellingham, WA that has been going for 20 years. It was transformative. Weather was mostly amazing. Though when it did get bad, I may have had the most fun I had all week.

    As the author noted, Feb. was the perfect time to visit. Many, including caddies, noted that during warmer months the resort can be co-opted by wealthy types that change the feeling on-site. Visiting in the off-season seems to guarantee sharing the property with golf focused folk.

    36 is very do-able during the winter, but you won’t have much time to waste in between rounds. Even in February most courses were pretty busy. While there is some maneuverability with switching courses/teetimes for afternoon rounds, you may get skunked if you don’t prearrange.

    My ranking is:
    1. Old Macdonald – while you only get one real look at the ocean(7 green), the sea still plays a big role. The sound of waves is prominent from 3-15, and fine fescue tee to green gives the impression you’re golfing in UK. The course is a monster moon-scape with holes that offer endless variety of shots. It’s the only course of the four that operates as such tee to green. The greens are >14Kft2 and alone require the analysis that most other holes on property demand from tee-green. You could honestly play that course every day for the rest of your life, and never play a hole the same way twice.

    2. Pacific Dunes – Bandon perhaps has a bit more class as a big brother, but Pacific has a touch more scale on top of the views. Specifically, the green/surrounds are more complex and perilous. The greens here are noticeably firmer, demanding a touch more focus on the ground.

    3. Bandon – holes 15-17 are probably the best 3 hole stretch I’ve ever played. It’s more scorable than PD, and in that regard feels more natural.

    4. Bandon Trails – could be in any other locale in the US and be regarded as the best course in the state. It’s a totally different experience – aside from the first few and last few holes. You’ll have a blast on this course, but Bandon wouldn’t exist as it does if all the courses mirrored BT. Every other course could be the centerpiece of a world class golf resort. I just don’t feel that BT offers that sort of magic.

  3. Daniel

    Feb 25, 2019 at 6:05 pm

    Where I come from we remove our caps indoors

    • Jason

      Feb 26, 2019 at 4:26 pm

      Where I come from we don’t put up with snobbish pricks who get there panties in a wad about stupid sh*t like whether or not somebody wears a hat indoors.

      This guy writes a great, descriptive article about his golf trip to one of U.S. golf’s greatest gems, and all you can think to comment on is that???? Wow…. just, wow….

  4. Gally

    Feb 25, 2019 at 4:45 pm

    Great article. Makes me wanna go back. Had the chance this weekend but the weather was apparently right out of Perfect Storm.

    I’d put Pacific in the top spot (prolly cuz I won four skins in a group of 16) and Bandon #2. That said, you could play Bandon three out of four times and be very happy.

    Bring a set of miura baby blades and a Jones bag — doesn’t get any more pure.

    • Johnny Newbern

      Feb 26, 2019 at 2:12 pm

      Thanks Gally. One of the guys in my group was playing Muira blades out there on the trip! So funny you say that.

  5. Colin Moody

    Feb 25, 2019 at 3:22 pm

    Great feedback guys, and a very helpful article Johnny, as I am planning to play Brandon Dunes in July. The sad thing is I’m only going to get the chance to play one round, as me and the good lady wind our way up by car from SF to Seattle. This golf mad Brit really shouldn’t complain, given my long suffering, non golfing wife, is allowing me to tick off Pebble, Spyglass, Brandon and Chambers Bay from the bucket list on this trip!

  6. TVGolfer

    Feb 25, 2019 at 1:39 pm

    Johnny, one of the guys in your group looks like a member of ours from Dalhousie Golf Club. Is one of your group named Andrew?

    BTW, I did a Bandon trip in 2006 and still recount stories from it to this day. It is an epic place to play and build memories. So much different from midwestern golf. I would go back in a heartbeat!

    • Morety

      Feb 25, 2019 at 1:59 pm

      Yep, it’s me! Andrew from Dalhousie Golf Club.

      • Johnny Newbern

        Feb 25, 2019 at 2:04 pm

        Haha there you go. GolfWRX is where friends meet to greet.

      • TVGolfer

        Feb 25, 2019 at 2:30 pm

        Hey Andrew! This is awesome! I’ll buy you a beer sometime soon and we can swap Bandon stories! Great read!

  7. Andy McNiece

    Feb 25, 2019 at 12:57 pm

    People frequently ask me which one is my favorite. My answer is always “whichever one I am playing at the moment”. It is an experience almost beyond words. Your article is exceptional. The other question I often hear is “which course should I play when I go” and my answer is always “every one of them”. Your article does a really great job of describing the experience but nothing is like being there.

    • Johnny Newbern

      Feb 25, 2019 at 1:12 pm

      Thanks so much, Andy. Glad you enjoyed it! It really is a special place.

  8. ND Hickman

    Feb 23, 2019 at 5:42 pm

    Heard about this place in No Laying Up.

  9. Russell Ziskey

    Feb 22, 2019 at 6:08 pm

    Great review of the experience! Being based in Seattle I get down to Bandon 2 times every year (buddies trip in mid December, a Bandon hosted tournament in May)….the Trails phenomenon is a thing: lowest expectations at 1st, then ends up being ur favorite for many…if I had 10 rounds – 3 ea on Trails & Pac, 2 ea on Mac and Bandon…Bandon is getting a 5th course with acquition of the Sheep Ranch! No official opening date but they’ve already built 11 greens// and prob open for summer 2020…McKees Pub: the lamb stew or the chicken pot pie wil make you forget the 22,000 steps for the day…Trails and Mac are the toughest walks – caddies r invaluable on those courses
    especially if 36 is the plan…Shortys is another 9 hole par3 option right by the range // conditions aren’t as good as Preserve but it’s free and walkon // good for 8somes!!…Bunker bar is usually empty after 11pm due to sheer exhaustion so u can often have the place to yourself…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Courses

The Scottsdale Experience, Part II: Boulders, Troon North, and Camelback

Published

on

It’s been four years since my last desert golf trip in Arizona. For an area so rich in good golf, that’s too long to wait for a return trip.

Our last visit to Scottsdale brought my family to the Fairmont Princess during the Christmas season. We just like to visit this time of year because everything is decorated for the holidays. While there, I was able to play at TPC Scottsdale, Grayhawk, and We Ko Pa–all stunning tracks for every handicap level.

For this trip, now four years removed, we wanted to experience two different types of Scottsdale resorts: The first two nights at Boulders Resort and Spa, about 30 minutes north of town, surrounded by (you guessed it) boulders and nature. For the second two nights, my wife wanted to be a bit closer to the city life so we picked the JW Marriott Camelback Inn, minutes from Old Town Scottsdale.

There are many differences between the two resorts, but both somehow maintained the vibe of being in the Valley.

BOULDERS RESORT AND SPA 

The Boulders Resort and Spa sprawls out across an enormous piece of property, which includes two award-winning, Jay Morrish-designed golf courses that both rank well as playable golf courses in the state. When you check in, they give you a map and a flashlight to help you navigate the grounds at night.  The rooms (or casitas) are villa-esque, complete with your own fireplace and wood to burn on cold nights. The place just smells like fresh air and chimineas.

 

The lodge itself is nestled beneath a small mountain with accessible hiking trails along both sides. Behind the main lobby sits a good-sized pool, which was heated when we visited and allowed for swimming in November. Temperatures this time of year are typically pretty chilly, especially for early morning golf, so to be able to swim in warm water was a nice treat.

The two courses are both on the property, making Boulders Resort a truly ‘never have to leave’ type of resort. There are also multiple restaurants on-site, including Bogey’s Bar near the pro shop and 18th greens for both courses. Boulders is home to about 400 golfing membership families but also remains open for public play as well. The members and public alternate courses each day, which apparently works great and keeps a high-season traffic light on both courses. I played the North Course but also walked the South to get a good feel for each.

View from clubhouse over 18 of South Course

Boulders Pro Shop

Number one tee- Boulders North

The North course tips out at 6,959 yards but can play as short as 4900 from the red tees. There are six tee box options in total, which helps on a desert course like this because between the frequently watered green grass come many different varieties of wasteland carries and sandy ravines. With options on tees and course length, many of the challenging shots can be added or taken out depending on skill level.

You can expect a lot of uneven lies at Boulders, as most of the fairways and playing surfaces undulate to blend right in with the surrounding mountains. Saguaro cacti are in every site line, but the predominant feature of both courses is the elephant-sized boulders on nearly every hole. Some appear to teter on their end, ready to roll down into the bunker where your ball is resting.

Of course, like most desert-style courses, errant shots are findable in the sandy soil, but not without risk of being pricked, poked, or bitten. My general rule is that if I can’t see it from the green grass, I’m better off not wandering too far out in search of what might be painful to find. Drop a ball and take my medicine. That proved to be true at Boulders as well. There are many thick areas just off the fairway where man should not be. And a better golfer than myself would only look in that direction to view the beauty of the Sonoran Desert.

Both courses do have a few splatters of water hazards here and there. Most folks I spoke to on the property noted that the South Course has a couple more breathtaking views and elevation changes than its counterpart North, but the North Course provides a wider array of shot-making options for the more serious golfer. I thought both courses were stunning to the eye, but it wouldn’t shock me if, had I played South, I found it a bit easier and more resort-style friendly.

      

Non-member tee times can be booked online or through the pro shop but if you are staying at the lodge, you’re more than likely going to get a better hotel rate to play. In November, which is almost peak season, mid-week greens fees range from around $100-$200 with dynamic pricing throughout the day. Both courses are incredibly walkable and a caddie or pushcart can be available upon request.

              

After my round, I took my son on a hike up the mountain above the lodge for some pretty stunning views of both courses. My wife escaped to the spa for a 90-minute hot stone massage, which was my way of saying thank you for another golf trip for the family. The least I could do. She said it was incredible and unlike any other massage she has ever had in her life. They even put hot stones between her toes, which I suppose feels good.

We wrapped up our stay at Boulders with a fantastic dinner at Palo Verde, located at the resort headquarters. We were able to sit outside under the stars with the help of a few closely placed heaters. With the golf, the restaurants, and the natural activities available, Boulders proved to be a wonderful spot to relax and get some swings in. If your partner is a fan of spa days and calm settings, this is the golf resort in Scottsdale to stay at. The food, drinks, and lodging are all upscale.  I would say it is a perfect couples’ getaway resort. We didn’t see any other kids so there may be better places to stay if you’re bringing the little ones along, though. With kids, I’d stay closer to town (see below) and head up to Boulders for a round of golf only.

Palo Verde dining room at Boulders

TROON NORTH

The next morning, I took an Uber just a few minutes away to the Troon North campus for a round at the Pinnacle Course. Troon North is home to two tracks, both designed by Tom Weiskopf and both immaculately maintained year round. The Pinnacle course is more links-style than its sister, the Monument Course, which is widely considered the signature course between the two.

The clubhouse is first class, with a well-stocked 2,200 square foot pro shop, and a legitimate locker room for public use. And the logo is fantastic.

Troon North offers a membership plan as well as public play, and daily fees are dynamicly priced. 

    

Pinnacle course plays over 7,000 yards from the back tees but provides seven different tee boxes allowing you to play the course as short as 4831 yards. Though more links style than Monument, the course still provides a very Sonoran desert feel and carries over thorny brush on nearly every hole.

Both courses were ranked in the “Top 10” best courses you can play in Arizona by Golfweek.

I thoroughly enjoyed my round at Troon North. The facility is about 35 minutes north of the Phoenix airport so it’s a bit closer to downtown Scottsdale than Boulders. It is also closely connected to the Four Seasons should you be looking to stay nearby.

The course felt pristine and special. You can tell the place pays attention to detail and takes great pride in the condition of the courses. The layout has some elevation changes so it may not be the easiest to walk. The routing never really brings you back to the clubhouse until the 18th hole, either, but there is a comfort station out there and beverage carts making the rounds.

     

The bunkering is fair and not very deep, but they are strategically placed right where you don’t want them to be. The par 71 has only one par 5 on the front nine but boasts a 609-yarder on the back that plays every bit as long as it reads. The par threes are scenic but lengthy as well, generally playing around 200 yards from the backs except for the short 140-yard 16th.

 

The fairways are bermuda grass and the greens are bent. Overseeding is done in the fall but the schedule is posted online to help avoid any unpleasant rounds. There are valley quail all over the course that walk in front of you on fairways and tee boxes like schools of fish.

The course is just so scenic and first-class. The mountains are in view the entire time and the course provides a wide array of options and shotmaking opportunities. I played early and alone and I genuinely enjoyed my time on the course. It was my favorite round of the trip.

The 18th green is huge and it blends into the practice green near the clubhouse, snaking around a giant rock to protect the practice green from shots gone long. It is a very unique site from both the clubhouse and the 18th hole but adds some character to the facility.

             

CAMELBACK INN RESORT AND GOLF 

The JW Marriott Camelback Inn is an incredible hotel. I am not really sure how else to describe it. Being there feels the way an in-city Scottsdale hotel is supposed to feel. You’re surrounded by Camelback mountain on one side and Mummy Mountain on the other. The adobe buildings feel like they have been there forever and yet are still perfectly maintained. There are sitting areas near fireplaces around every turn and the landscaping is quintessentially desert floral.

We heard from more than one person that the Camelback Inn is Mr. Marriott’s favorite hotel within his entire company and he spends one month there every year. That is saying something!

Our room was standard size but wonderfully located just a hundred yards or so away from the main lodge and restaurants. Between us was a green space with lawn activities for guests of all ages. There is a playground and putting green on site and several pools (some heated) for swimming year-round. And the views are just spectacular. To be only minutes away from Old Town while still being able to hike up multiple mountains of your choosing is one of the most special things about Scottsdale.

We ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Rita’s Cantina and Bar…simply because the menus change for each meal and the outside patio seating is so incredible. Hoppin’ Jacks at the pool is another dining option but the Lincoln Steakhouse and Bar is the upscale dinner spot…and the gem of the dining options.

The Camelback Golf Courses, Ambiente, and Padre, are not on site, but the resort provides you with a free shuttle service for your tee time. The ride is only about five minutes and they start at 7:00 am.

The clubhouse is large with a spacious golf shop. The Camelback logo, while a bit cartoony, is pretty fantastic in a 1960s Bob Hope Classic kind of way.

I played the Ambiente course, which I was told has a bit more character than the Padre. Ambiente goes straight out for 3 miles, following along a gulch on your right the whole way, and then turns around and comes right back to the clubhouse for the back nine. If you are walking, make sure you’re in it for an entire 18-hole round. There’s no stopping after nine if you are on foot and three miles away from the clubhouse.

These courses are more parkland than desert. That’s especially true of the Padre course. But even Ambiente, which translates to ‘environment,’ is not very ‘deserty’ in comparison to Troon North or Boulders. There are a lot more grassy rough areas off the fairway and very little cactus. The gulch, which is seen on nearly every hole, feels more native and marshy than anything I saw in my previous rounds. It’s a gorgeous course, but not what you imagine when you think of Scottsdale golf.

The course itself, with its unique straight-out, straight-back routing, lengthens out to 7,225 yards from the tips and 5,538 from the forward tees. The par 72 Jason Straka design is not an easy course. Many of the holes require precision tee shots and a bit of course knowledge doesn’t hurt as the driver is not always proper. The par threes play long, with the shortest being 185 from the back tees. The 8th hole can stretch back to 241 yards and then number 15 goes even longer to 245. Of course, you don’t have to hit back there unless you’re a glutton for punishment.

    

The bunkering is deep in certain areas, which you realize as early as the greenside on the first hole. Playing this course after the other desert layouts I have played made me wonder if this is the true ‘nature’ of the area and perhaps the other desert courses are a bit more…manufactured. Ambiente feels native. I think I enjoy the other desert style aesthetics of the other courses more, but from a pure golf perspective, Ambiente at Camelback is a real deal course.

  

SCOTTSDALE LIFE

The beauty of Scottsdale as a golf destination is that no matter which courses or resorts you decide to enjoy, you are still always within 30 minutes of a fantastic city center, with great shops and world-class restaurants. Old Town is only one little pocket of what Scottsdale has to offer, but because of the neat stores for our kiddo and walkability, we spent most of our time away from the resort here.

Like any great city, anyone who has visited will be able to give you a list of their favorite places to play, shop, and eat.  For us, we loved going to Popstroke, the Tiger Woods-designed miniature golf course, as well as Mavrix for bowling and laser tag. When you’ve got a five-year-old, you do what makes him happy too. We also went to Isabella’s Kitchen for lunch on one of our days, which overlooks the McDowell Mountains and Grayhawk Golf Course. The food is always delicious and it’s a really fun location for the kiddo to run around while mom and dad can have a margarita.

We went to The Montauk in Old Town for our only dinner outside of the resort and it did not disappoint. It’s a really neat atmosphere and the menu was a mix between The Hamptons and Southwest tastings. They had live music and friendly staff. It doesn’t get much better.

And if you find yourself out and about for breakfast, you need to stop in at the Daily Dose for some Cinamon Roll Pancakes or Breakfast Nachos. We made a quick stop here on our way to the airport and didn’t need to eat for the rest of the day!

Having been traveling for golf for some time now, people always ask my opinion on my favorite courses or favorite city to go to for a golf trip. My answer always starts with “It depends on who you are going with…”

If you are heading out for a golf trip with your family, I don’t think you can pick a better city than Scottsdale. The travel itself (airport, rental car, etc..) is always a breeze. The resort options (and spas) are plentiful and offer a variety of different setups for couples or kid-friendly atmospheres. And there are hundreds of golf courses to choose from. All the while, Scottsdale has one of the best restaurant and entertainment scenes in the United States.

I’m sure I will keep getting the question. But if you are thinking of a golf trip with the family, the answer is Scottsdale.

If you want help planning your next golf experience or just have any questions about some of mine, reach out to me on Twitter or Instagram and shoot me a message. And feel free to check out my other golf experience articles. I look forward to hearing from you!

Your Reaction?
  • 145
  • LEGIT50
  • WOW5
  • LOL2
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP3
  • OB1
  • SHANK5

Continue Reading

Courses

PGA Frisco: A GolfWRX first look with Gil Hanse and Beau Welling

Published

on

PGA Frisco in Frisco, Texas, is the new home of PGA of America. The two courses on-site, Fields Ranch East and West, are original designs by Gil Hanse and Beau Welling, respectfully, but they aren’t set to open for public play until the Spring of 2023. However, GolfWRX was given an opportunity to take an early look, play both courses, tour the facilities, and meet with the course architects ahead of the much-anticipated unveiling for the golf world.

The PGA Frisco location, which also shares the property with a brand new Omni Resort, a short course called The Swing, and a 75,000 square-foot putting course named The Dance Floor, appears to be joining the conversation as one of the country’s best buddy trip and family trip golf destinations.

The Omni resort is going to be complete with 500 luxury guest rooms and suites, 10 private ranch house residences, 13 different dining options, four pools, including an adult-only rooftop infinity pool, and a full-service salon and spa. They are going big with this place. All the facilities are currently under construction, but the plan is for them to be open by the Spring of 2023 as well.

The Swing is a ten-hole, lighted short course that provides a nice nightlife compliment to the larger courses, Fields Ranch East and West. Collaboratively designed by Hanse and Welling, The Swing is just steps from the Omni hotel, The Dance Floor putting courseboth championship courses, and a sports bar with bays for hitting into the driving range. The golf isn’t going to stop when the sun goes down. And no shuttle is needed at PGA Frisco.

“With The Swing, we started off by saying you do five holes and we will do five holes but it turned into a true collaboration,” Hanse said when discussing designing the short course alongside Welling. “When you start to think about designing a golf course with the shot values and how is it going to be perceived, what are the players going to think…then that creeps into your design. But when you are designing something just for unbridled joy, you don’t think about those things and that just makes something super fun.”

As good as the atmosphere and vibes are going to be, people are going to come for the golf. And major championships are coming too.

Fields Ranch East is already set to host the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in 2023, as well as 26 additional championships through 2034, including two PGA Championship events, and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Fields Ranch West Architect Beau Welling, who is probably best known for his work alongside Tiger Woods on the TGR Design projects, was excited about this property and opportunity right from the very beginning. “The original vision of this idea of multiple golf courses and a short course and practice course and all this fun stuff immediately resonated with me,” Welling said. “I remember thinking that this could be the coolest thing ever. It’s the PGA brand around this super accessible thing where people could not only visit to learn the game but also be the place where major championships are to contend.”

The East Course

The East course is the Gil Hanse design that is set to host all these majors. The course itself could either play incredibly long or as short as you’d like it, with huge flowing tee boxes being a feature that stands out immediately. Big fairways also immediately reveal themselves as the scale of this course is big. Very big.

“You have to think about how you are going to design for a major championship but also make it approachable and playable,” Hanse said.  “We worked really hard to create a playing ground where you can accomplish both. The level of precision required to go out and play the golf course should be pretty low. Wide fairways, hit your ball, find your ball, and hit it again. But the level of precision required to score should be off the charts if we are trying to challenge the best players in the world. There are opportunities to tuck pins and lengthen the East course to 7,800 yards. We feel like we have the setup for a major championship course in place.”

After working on the renovation at Southern Hills, Hanse drew from his experience on the Perry Maxwell design to utilize the site’s meandering Pather Creek and natural dry outs throughout the par 72 track. The course features smallish greens to contrast with the large fairways, making it a second-shot course to put a premium on accurate approaches. The fairways and rough use the same grass type to allow for flexible widening and narrowing of hole corridors to adjust for championship play.

The course maintains a prairie-like feel throughout the routing, but the back nine really shines with Texas character. The creek comes into play on many of the closing holes, including a gorgeously long par three thirteenth hole, and an 18th-hole par five that will hopefully provide some incredible major finishes.

“When the stage is set, we would rather see positive outcomes to determine champions as opposed to negative ones,” Hanse said.  “We really enjoy watching golfers make birdies and eagles to win as opposed to some guy making double bogey and the guy who made a bogey barely hangs on to win. So we set up our finishing holes with some tough stretch of holes to start the back nine and then the driveable 15. Then 17 is the shortest par three on the golf course. And then 18 is a reachable par five. So they will have to make decisions and then hopefully positive outcomes will determine how it unfolds.”

There are also rumors of a Ryder Cup coming to PGA Frisco.

“If we ultimately get the Ryder Cup,” Hanse said, “we thought about most matches not making it to 18. So what can we do with holes 14-16, where generally most matches end. So we wanted to set those up for interesting golf and put it in an amphitheater that is set up really nicely for viewers. So whether it is a PGA championship, LPGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship, or Ryder Cup, we feel like that stretch is going to provide a really interesting way to finish a golf course as opposed to just a long slog to the finish.”

The West Course

The West Course, which is the Welling design, is a playable compliment to the East course, providing another glimpse into big golf in Texas. The expansive fairways average 75 yards in width but the green complexes on Fields Ranch West tend to be much larger than its sister course. The size and scale were both something that Welling wanted to provide as a hat tip to its host state.

“Everything is big in Texas,” Welling said. “There are big weather events and big wind. But there is also incredible passion around the game here in Texas. Frisco is going to get famous because of the major championships on the East golf course, but long term it is going to have such an impact on the game as 28,000 members of the PGA come here to Omni and see golf presented in such a fun and modern way.”

The West Course also plays about 500 yards shorter than the East, tipping out at 7319 yards. The greens are larger but much more complex, with lots of undulation and hills to navigate. While the fairways and greens are big, you need to be in the right spot of each if you want to score. Nearly every green has a false front or false side waiting to shoot an errant approach back down the hillside.

Still, the scale allows for any handicapped golfer to play this course with enjoyment.

The course also uses the local terrain and elevation changes to both challenge and support each hole. The shorter par 4’s are often uphill, adding length where it isn’t otherwise there. The marshland and Panther Creek are more prevalent on the West course as well, utilizing the hazard to create more necessary carries.

The end result for Fields Ranch West is an approachable compliment to its companion course. There is an obvious feeling of connection between the two courses, but the style of play required for each is unique.

With the partnership and resources of the PGA of America and Omni Hotels and the design leadership of Gil Hanse and Beau Welling, the PGA Frisco campus is primed to rival the best in the world as a premier golf destination.

 

 

 

Your Reaction?
  • 60
  • LEGIT38
  • WOW18
  • LOL0
  • IDHT2
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK0

Continue Reading

Courses

Inside Pebble Beach’s “The Hay” Short Course (designed by Tiger Woods/TGR)

Published

on

This is my first trip to Pebble Beach since Tiger Woods’ new “The Hay” short course opened up in 2021, so I had to see the new setup for myself. Preferably, I would have actually played it, but the course was closed for maintenance ahead of the 2022 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am festivities.

Luckily, though, I had my camera handy as the fine folks at Pebble Beach’s short course allowed me to walk around and check it out. Below, I’ll take you along my walking tour, but first, some brief backstory and information.

The short course, formerly known as the Peter Hay Golf Course, sits just across the road from Pebble Beach’s driving range, and it’s been a fixture at the resort since 1957. The course was originally named after Peter Hay, the head professional at Pebble Beach and Del Monte. He created the short course to provide a way for junior golfers and families to more easily access the game, regardless of their abilities.

In 2021, Pebble Beach teamed up with Tiger Woods and the TGR Design team to give the course a redesign (without moving any trees or dirt, according to a Pebble Beach representative).

The new 9-hole short course is open to the general public for $65, and juniors under 12 years old play for free. The putting course, which sprawls about 100 yards in length, is open to the public at no cost, as well.

“We know not everyone who comes to Pebble Beach will have a chance to play the U.S. Open course, so we wanted to create the opportunity for all visitors to experience one of its most famous holes,” said Tiger Woods, according to The Hay’s website.

There’s also a restaurant/bar – called “Hay’s Place” – that has views of the entire course, and of Stillwater Cove. It’s not a bad spot to grab a drink before or after the round, and I hear the fish tacos are phenomenal. Just saying.

Enjoy the photos below from Tiger’s new-and-improved Pebble Beach Short Course, called “The Hay.”

The 100-yard putting green course

Hole No. 1: “Hay”

Hole No. 2: “Seven”

Hole No. 3: “Watson”

Hole No. 4: “Bing”

Hole No. 5: “Grace”

Hole No. 6: “Lanny”

Hole No. 7: “Jack”

Hole No. 8: “Kite”

Hole No. 9: “Tiger”

Hay’s Place

Check out more photos from the 2022 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am here.

Your Reaction?
  • 33
  • LEGIT7
  • WOW4
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK5

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending