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My Dream Course – Bandon Dunes

doug — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:53:04 +0000

There are so many courses I would like to play and I’m not even going to get into the many Scottish and Irish ones right now but THE course I most dream about playing in the US is Bandon Dunes.

Yes, I would pick it over Pinehurst #2, Winged Foot, BethPage Black, Sawgrass or even the legendary duo of Spyglass Hills and Pebble Beach. Why, I’m not exactly sure, other than there is just something about this course that calls to me.

I live in Massachusetts so probably part of the allure is that it’s on the West Coast and I have never been to the NorthWest. And the fact that it is a true links course perched along the seaside shoreline of Oregon makes it that much more enticing.

First off, Bandon Dunes is a destination golf resort. It consists of 5 courses, Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Trails, and Old Macdonald. A fifth, Bandon Preserve is scheduled to open May 1, 2012.

Here’s how the website describes them:

At Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, you’ll find four distinctly different courses built on a beautiful stretch of sand dunes perched 100 feet above the Pacific Ocean. Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes feature a dozen holes that run along the bluff overlooking 23 miles of sweeping, undisturbed shoreline. Bandon Trails begins on a massive dune, works its way through open meadows and upland forest, and then finishes in the dunes. Old Macdonald moves through dune to ocean revealing breathtaking views throughout. The courses here weren’t built as much as discovered. Among the coastal forest, dunes and gorse, lie golf holes that yield fresh rewards each time they’re played.

Not sure about you but certainly sounds like a little slice of Heaven to me

One of the most amazing things is the course (Bandon Dunes) was designed by a rookie Scottish architect named David McLay Kidd, son of a noted agronomist at Gleneagles in Scotland. Bandon opened in 1999 to stunning reviews and still has the reputation as one of the finest links courses in the US.

Noted architect, Tom Doak, worked on the next course (just North of Bandon) to create Pacific Dunes. Bandon Trails was added in 2005 wit the help of noted course architects Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore. finally the fourth course, Old MacDonald was opened in 2010 and designed by Tom Doak and Jim Urbina and fashioned after Charles Blair Macdonalds National Golf Links masterpiece.

Almost everything about the resort looks like a 5 star experience. I’m pretty sure you can book your tee times online as well. So there you have it, Bandon is the place for me. And if anyone from the resort is reading this, I would be happy to do a press trip there!

Curious if any of you out there have played and if you have additional information about the courses, dining, lodging, etc. So please share.

PS: GolfClubAtlas (as usual) has a terrific writeup of Bandon Dunes. Check it out here: GolfClubAtlas Review of Bandon Dunes

Golf in Scandinavia

doug — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:52:48 +0000

Golfing in Scandinavia is one of the thrills when I visit Europe – mostly due to the almost 24 hours of light in the land of “the midnight sun.”

We are actually heading to beautiful Sweden, in the heart of the summer (end of July-Beginning of August), to stay at a friends in Västerås, a quaint little town about an hour or so outside of Stockholm.

I actually worked there for a bit (when I worked for ABB) and made a number of friends – including the family we are staying with. Let’s face it – any European vacation that is longer than 2 weeks is welcome for us Americans.

Truth be told, we were not sure where we were heading in Italy but I did want to incorporate at least *some golf. So we talked about a Thailand golf holiday or possibly golfing in Italy or maybe even golf in Dubai (which I would love to do!) but we settled on a trip to Sweden because our Swedish friends have been bugging us to visit and we are also going to incorporate a cruise to St. Petersburg (from Helsinki)

One I am dying to play is the Bro Hof Slott Golf Club located about 30 minutes North of Stockholm (see aerial view of course above). Bro Hof consists of 2 courses the Stadium and the Castle course both created by world-class designer Robert Trent Jones (his first course in Sweden)

As Mr. Jones says about the (stadium) course:

Mother Earth must have created this area for a golf course. All I had to do was to walk around this beautiful landscape and see where the holes would fit in.

Playing the courses doesn’t come cheap, however. It will tag you somewhere in the range of $140-250 to play. The higher fee is for the more mature, Stadium course.

Other noteworthy things about he course: The Scandinavian (Nordea) Masters will be played there during from 2010 – 2017. The course is very eco-friendly, has inclined fairways to prevent water logging and bunkers of crushed marble. Nice!

The other is Falsterbo Golf Clubin Southern Swedenabout 20 miles South of Malmö on the scenic Falsterbo Peninsula.

This is my “nice-to-have” course to play in Sweden but I have heard so many good things that I’m determined to play it. It’s the third oldest golf club in Sweden and the course is consistently ranked as one of the top courses in Sweden and among the Top 50 courses on the European continent.

Here’s how the course is described on the website:

Falsterbo is a classic example of the original Scottish golfing terrain – links. Sand dunes with sparse vegetation intervenes with lower lying areas where under decades a natural and fine turf has come forth. The natural water hazards, many large sand bunkers as well as depressions and the fast running greens are some of the characteristics of the course . . .

Read the excellent: Golf Club Atlas Review of Falsterbo GolfKlubb

Anyway, can’t wait to get to the land of Absolute vodka, the super-fun crayfish parties, have my favorite djungelvrål candy and, who knows, maybe I’ll be lucky enough to run into the Swedish Bikini Team!

Golf in Sweden

Ready for the 2012 Masters?

doug — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 14:58:27 +0000

Ah, the Masters! Nothing quite like it – the blazing azaleas, the majestic pines, the lush, rolling fairways – and all the spectacle, drama and history that has and continues to happen there.

It’s right around the corner (April 5-8, 2012) so I wanted to whet your appetite a little just in the weeks before the fabled tourney begins.

I’m going to do something a little different in this post. John and I have been doing this fun project called GolfDashBlog for close to 4 years now (I think that’s right?!) and, of course, we accumulate more and more content with each post we write and distribute.

So what I did was gather a number of posts we have written about the Masters in previous years. I tried to pick ones that are not so much about the winners but of everything else that surrounds this magical Springtime spectacle.

Just for the record, I have never attended the tournament at Augusta National. Maybe we need to become more famous golf bloggers, not sure, but hopefully one of these years I will get there.

Feel free to peruse the links below. We had fun writing them and it’s sometimes fun to drag a few out of the dusty closet and perhaps see them in a new light.

Oh, and to get you in the mood further, head over to the right rail and click on the video to hear the famous Master theme song as your looking at the posts below.

Have They Designed Away Masters Excitement

Little Known Augusta National Facts

Ode to Augusta

10 Cool Masters Pictures

Shame On Golf Journalists in Augusta

The Masters In HDTV

Masters TV Coverage Is Broken!

The Cool Masters iPhone App

ESPN Masters Coverage is Abominable

Masters – Where’s the beef?

PS: Not sure when I will be getting to Augusta and the Masters but have been thinking about some other all inclusive golf resorts that I will be planning for this year. There’s nothing better than excellent golf at a world-class resort!

A World of Golf

doug — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:45:16 +0000

When people tee off for a game of golf, it’s usually on perfect greens and golden sand dunes with nothing more perilous than bad winter weather to deal with. But have you ever thought of swinging your golf clubs with the mighty Himalayas as your backdrop, or between minefields in the Korean Demilitarisation Zone?

For the more intrepid breed of golfer out there, here are five alternative golf courses around the world that will challenge not only your patience: but your nerves and endurance, too.

Legend Golf and Safari Resort, South Africa

If you head to Entabeni Safari Conservancy for your holidays this summer, don’t miss out on the Legend Golf course. Not only is it a stunning mix of African wildlife and breathtaking scenery, but the Extreme 19th hole requires a helicopter to reach the tee, which is based half a kilometre above the green, near the top of Hanglip Mountain. Watch out for lions.

Joint Security Area, Korean Demilitarized Zone

If laughing in the face of danger is your thing, then heading just south of the most heavily guarded border in the world to hit a ball in your finest golf clothing will definitely be your cup of tea. The one-hole, 192 yard, par-three course was named “The World’s most dangerous golf course” in 1998 due to minefields bordering three sides of the course. Players are advised not to go after stray balls when they enter the course.

North Star Golf Course, Alaska, USA

When you head to America’s most northern golf club, you’ll be given a scorecard that not only documents your round of golf, but the animals you’re likely to spot on your way. Anyone teeing off in the early hours are likely to see moose, hawks, coyotes, eagles and muskrat. If you’re lucky, you could spy a grizzly bear or lynx sleeping on the green – try to avoid hitting them on the nose with a ball though, or you might not be so lucky.

The Himalayan Golf Club, Nepal

This golf course set in the middle of the Himalayas was made to indulge all of your senses from every angle. Think turquoise rivers gushing through a pristine valley, ice-capped peaks at the edge of every horizon and fresh, mountain air invading your lungs. And that’s before you’ve even tasted the food and mixed with the locals. A trip to the Himalayan Golf Club is for the true golfing-culture-vulture in search of something a little more out there.

Nullabor Links, Australia

A golf course of sheer endurance and determination, the Nullabor Links course spreads nearly 850 miles down the Australian coast. The longest golf course in the world has an average distance of 50 miles between holes and links all participating towns along the Eyre Highway from Kalgoorlie in Western Australia to Ceduna in the south.

Photo above: Retief Goosen inspects the 19th hole at the Photo: Legend Golf & Safari Resort.

Costa Blanca Golf in Sunny Spain

doug — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:03:34 +0000

Not long ago my brother and his wife took a holiday to Spain and part of their trip included the Costa Blanca region of Spain.

While there he enjoyed 2 of the many exquisite golf courses that are part of the Costa Blanca region.

Costa Blanca is one area that is truly unique. One major attraction is the spectacular climate. This particular coastline gives more hours of sunshine than almost anywhere in Europe.

And you know what that means – more sunshine equals more golf. I really like the sound of that!

Another major attraction is the number of beaches which attract millions each year and the quaint little towns and villages that populate the seaside. Anyone for a cold beer on a nice little seaside patio?

One course my brother played and really loved on his Costa Blanca golf holiday was the Bonalba Golf Club.

Bonalba Golf & Spa Resort course, despite opening in 1995 already seems a very seasoned course. The course is also situated in the Alicante region.

The course (18 hole Par 72) of almost 7,000 yards offers some excellent views of the coastline and sea (I saw the pictures – so I know!)

The course consists of wide fairways (that always helps) some absolutely undulating and tricky greens which include some strategically placed lakes to deal with.

The final 3 holes, my brother mentioned, were particularly tough as you have to negotiate the coastal sea winds as these holes are much more exposed than the others and demand solid ball striking if you plan on paring out.

The other he played was the Las Colinas Golf & Country Club (top photo) is a beautiful par 71 18 hole championship course located in the province of Alicante and was just awed by the beauty of the course. He shot an 80-something but said he could of cared less because he just loved the layout.

The layout includes a good variety of short and longer holes with five unique par 3′s. The main features of the course are some challenging water hazards and the dramatic bunkering (which is seen hinted at in the above photo on hole #12)

The golf course has been carved out of a dramatic gorge and has breathtaking panoramic views of the nearby coastline which includes a nature reserve.

I have to admit, being from America, that I don’t often think of Spain as a destination to visit but I am really thinking of planning something in the near future, and of course, I already have 2 great golf course recommendations!

We typically visit Europe every other year but for some reason Spain is never on the agenda and I’m not sure why.

I’m a huge art buff and visiting the home of Goya, El Greco and Picasso and seeing some of their amazing art would be reason enough to go.

Now if my wife would only allow me a round or two of golf . . .

Golf at Lake of Isles

doug — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:33:33 +0000

We’ll soon be taking a trip to Foxwoods Resort Casino and I plan on playing some golf at the Lake of Isles while we visit and also hitting some of my favorite casino games like Roulette and Black Jack!

Some things in life seem to go together almost perfectly and with golf this is no different. Golf and wine, golf and cigars, golf and beer, golf and a little friendly wagering. Anyways, I’ll be in the right place.

Not that I’m a huge gambler by any means. I usually take a set amount and once it’s gone it’s gone. I never expect to make much (that might be a problem right there!) but do love the thrill while playing.

One of the courses I do plan to play is the Lake of Isles North Course (see photo above). They also have a South Course but that one is private and members only.

Both are stunning courses set in the beautiful countryside of North Stonington, CT designed around a 90-acre lake by famed golf course architect Rees Jones. The course is a fair challenge with it’s multiple sets of tees making it playable for almost any skill level.

Honestly I don’t know a lot about the course but have heard from a few friends that it is an awesome golf experience.

Rates, however, are not cheap. During summer hours (June through Oct 17) the green fees will set you back in the area of $170-$200. Slightly less ($119) from Oct 18-31 and $99 from November until the end of the year.

The fees include a cart, range balls, yardage card (whoopee!) and bottled water. Might not sound like much but I do appreciate that they package this stuff into one fee. Nothing worse than paying 2 bills for a round then having to pay and extra $20 for range balls!

My reasoning is this: I figure I’m only going to play this course once (in the next few years) so I can somewhat justify the fee. I figure it will also keep me out of the casino and allow me to have a memorable experience (rather than losing $$$)

Anyways, will give a full review on the course once I have played it. Curious, have you played the Lake of Isles North Course (or even the private South)? Love to hear your comments.

East Lake Golf Club

10 Cool Masters Pictures

golfdash — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:14:37 +0000

Here are ten photos of Augusta National that you might enjoy. Do you have any favorites? Please comment if you do.

Best and Worst of Times

John — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 14:52:53 +0000

I just discovered that one of the local semi-private golf courses is offering a new membership deal. At first, when I saw it posted in the clubhouse, I couldn’t understand it because it seemed unbelievable. Here it is in its simplest form: 2 year membership for $198 + tax! This is for a club where summer play is in the $35-$55 range depending on time of play, if you take a cart, etc.

Maybe I’m slow, but I had to go into the pro shop and ask them to ‘explain’. Here’s what I got: pay your 2 year fee (above) up front and then your only cost for a round for the next 2 years is a cart whether you take it or not. That amounts to $9 for 9 holes and $16 for 18 holes.

Sounds like the best of times, right? Not quite so fast. Clubs don’t offer these kinds of deals unless their backs are against the wall. This particular course is in an area of the state away from the large city populations, but where it competes for summer business with 4 other courses that are roughly the same. If times are this tough, how long before some of these clubs have to close their doors. While I like the idea of cheaper golf, I don’t want to lose variety.

This isn’t just a one course phenomenon. A private club in the area is now offering their traditional one year membership (already discounted) good for 18 months. I’m sure there are other similar deals out there.

If courses can’t figure out how to increase play, some are going to have to shut down until the economy turns around. And that could be long enough into the future that many won’t make it. I hope that doesn’t happen. Once a course closes you’ve probably lost that track forever as it’s plowed under for some other purpose.

It’s time course owners got together and figured out more ways to increase play. While that may seem counterintuitive, I think they’re more likely to survive togther than alone. Private courses could certainly let the public play during select weekday periods when they are almost vacant. They’d get some extra dollars and maybe even some new members. Competing just on the price of a round at the public courses will probably mean that some will close in the next couple of years.

Best: Cheap Prices Worst: Fewer Courses

If you’ve got a novel idea on what to do about the problem, please add a comment.

New Member at Crumpin Fox GC

doug — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 13:04:22 +0000

So I just joined my 1st golf club in like 10 years. I am now a member of the Crumpin Fox Golf Club here in Bernardston, MA. Previously I was a member of Hickory Ridge GC in Amherst, MA.

I took advantage of the end-of-the-year special, where you pay so much to play the rest of the year then that fee is subtracted from next year’s membership.

So why did I take the plunge and join? For a number of reasons.

1. The course is just a gem to play. I have played it many, many times and just love the layout and beauty of the course.

2. It’s like 12 minutes from our house.

3. I really want to re-dedicate myself to the game and improve in every area.

4. My “day job” is as a software engineer and after sitting on my butt all day in a corporate environment it is pretty nice to do something physical (like play golf)

5. I have a number of friends who play/are members there.

6. I want to play more competitive golf in tournaments, etc.

6. Got the OK from my wife

Pretty sound reasons, right? Anyway, really looking forward to playing a lot more golf.

If any of you readers are up in the area and would like to play a round, let me know and we can perhaps set something up. Guests of a member also get a discount on greens fees.

Golfing the Fox

Golf at Hickory Ridge CC

doug — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 13:07:40 +0000

So my fellow GolfDashBlog partner, John and I finally got out to play some golf last Friday at Hickory Ridge Country Club in Amherst, MA on about as nice a golf day as is possible.

I was a member of Hickory Ridge about 10 years for 5 years or so and never got tired of playing the course. It was built in 1969 and designed by famed architect Geoffrey Cornish out of a pasture and farm land.

I actually re-did their logo way back then by refining it (it was in desperate need of an update) so it’s still pretty cool to see it on all their apparel, equipment, etc.

There are some great holes at “the Hick” my favorites being #9 (a wicked par 4) #17 a longish par 3 that par is always a good score and the long par 4 #18 – my vote for one of the best finishing holes in Western, MA (and pictured above)

We played on a Friday and the greens fees were $30 each – about as good a deal as you can get for this quality of a course. It goes up slightly on the weekend ($45) but still a very reasonable fee by today’s standards. It is also a very enjoyable course to walk (which we did)

John played some great golf. Laser accurate and long off the tee, he had many chances to probably shoot on the 70′s just his putting was a tad off. Me, on the other hand, had some good holes but am struggling with consistency off the tee. Many times I hit pretty strong shots but a number of times I duffed it trying to kill the ball.

I keep telling myself I need to play more than once every two weeks to get any better but still it’s not easy when your in the heat of the moment trying to string together good shots.

All in all it was great to catch up with John and we plan to play again in the Fall season, one of the best things about Fall is New England golf – which is right around the corner.

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