Ohio Golf Journal June 2020

Sheep Ranch at Bandon Dunes Officially Opens B andon Dunes opened its first course, designed by David McLay Kidd, in 1998. Next came Tom Doak’s Pacific Dunes, which became a must-play for golfers, when it opened in 2001. For the third course, Mike Keiser contracted the team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw to design Bandon Trails, the only course at Bandon that does not come in direct contact with the Pacific Ocean. Doak returned to Bandon in 2010 to create Old Mac, a tip of the cap to America’s first course designer, C.B. MacDonald. Coore/ Crenshaw added the par-3 Preserve in 2012 and Doak created the devilish 100,000 square foot Punchbowl putting course in 2014. These four championship courses, along with the Preserve and the Punchbowl gave golfers a variety of golfing experiences. Along with outstanding accommodations, several dining options and world-class service, Bandon Dunes was at the top of every golfers ‘Bucket List.’ While visitors enjoyed every aspect of the Bandon Dunes experience, there was another golf course immediately north of Old Mac that only a few invited friends ever had the opportunit y to play. It had only six greens situated around its acreage and golfers had the option of choosing various teeing ground to determine their own routing. Finding an ever-expanding need for more golf at Bandon Dunes, Keiser and his longtime partner, Phil Friedman once again hired Coore/Crenshaw to build a course worthy of becoming a part of Bandon Dunes. In yet another success for this design team, Coore/ Crenshaw created a masterpiece. They used one mile of coastline to place nine of the 18 greens in direct contact with the Pacific. The course sits high on a cliff bordering the ocean and jaw-dropping views will make concentrating on your golf game difficult at best. At 6,600 yards, the course is a 34-38=par 72 and officially opened for play on June 1. Watch a short video of the property at: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=c5XVpLuCkbo In the past only certain guests were allowed to step on the grounds of the mysterious Sheep Ranch, but now this new course is open for play to all visitors. The same high standards of maintenance, service and golf value apply, and it will quickly become one of the courses that golfers will fall in love with at Bandon. If you haven’t visited Bandon Dunes yet, what are you waiting for? It is ‘Golf the Way It Was Meant to Be.’