Old Mac is a layout of different distinction on its own. Only hole number 7 has the Ocean view and rest are inland. I like the uniqueness of the course but with the heavy wind, it was practically im... Continue »

Old Mac is a layout of different distinction on its own. Only hole number 7 has the Ocean view and rest are inland. I like the uniqueness of the course but with the heavy wind, it was practically impossible to land the ball on the green and have it stay on. Greens look shaggy but rolls fast and its very hard to read the breaks. We struggled mightily and shot at least 10 strokes higher than our handicap. Some areas of the course has minor burn out issues here and there due to recent lack of rain but still in good shape. If you're looking for finely manicured course, stick with Bandon Trail. If you're looking to play GINORMOUS GREENS and HUGE FAIRWAYS that bounces funny off your tee shots, this is the place to be. Course needs some more maturation but as of now, its a good links style course that you can have lot of fun or suffering depending on the day's wind.

Bandon Dunes Resort Review
Bandon Oregon Golf Course Reviews

Hard to describe my experience at Old Macdonald. Went up there to take advantage of great winter rates ($100 plus a $40 replay fee on any other course if you've got it in you). Had a 9:00 tee time, bu... Continue »

Hard to describe my experience at Old Macdonald. Went up there to take advantage of great winter rates ($100 plus a $40 replay fee on any other course if you've got it in you). Had a 9:00 tee time, but got there around 8:00 to try and get out early and leave myself open to the possibility of playing another round.

Unfortunately, it was f-f-f-f-freezing out there in the morning. They had a frost delay and we didn't tee off until almost 10:00. A lot of standing around and waiting didn't help, but it is what it is in the winter. They actually teed us off on hole number 6 because the conditions were best further out toward the ocean. The course itself was in pretty rough winter shape. Brown and dried out. Part of that is just the links style, but the turf was really firm. It got into my head a bit and I struggled hitting my irons all day because the ground was so hard and unforgiving. But considering the weather there (they have not gotten nearly as much rain as usual and it's been very cold) it was still in solid shape from tee to green.

The course itself is a beast. Pretty forgiving off the tee with wide, sprawling fairways. Some well placed bunkers and slopes can get you into trouble sometimes, so you still have to be careful of where you are hitting, especially since the balls were rolling extra long in these firm conditions.

As you get closer to the greens (which blend seamlessly from the fairways) the challenges get tough. You have a lot of choices to play low runners or high approaches. The greens are the star of this course. The course boasts the largest green complexes in the world, they claim. And I don't doubt that. Although on most holes you can't tell where the fairway ends and the green begins. It's all the same shaved down turf in that old school links style. The green areas are massive. Each one is an evil funhouse of shelves, big undulations and big sweeping breaks. Early on I gave up the notion of posting a decent score here and just had fun with the craziness of the course.

Very challenging course, but also a lot of fun. Having some local knowledge would help (as is true on all of the Bandon Dunes courses). Until you are standing there, it's hard to describe how big these greens are or what playing any of these courses is like. As they say, "you had to be there." So with that in mind, I would just recommend going there and experiencing Bandon for yourself.

Bandon Dunes Resort Old MacDonald Course Review
Bandon Oregon Golf Course Reviews

The newest course at Bandon Dunes Resort has quickly become many people's favorite of all the 4 courses. Built as an homage to famed golf course architect C.B. MacDonald (credited with first introdu... Continue »

The newest course at Bandon Dunes Resort has quickly become many people's favorite of all the 4 courses. Built as an homage to famed golf course architect C.B. MacDonald (credited with first introducing and popularizing the game in the USA), the course highlights his signature holes and features. The "Redan" par 3 has a green that slopes from the front right to the back left. The "Biarritz" par 3 has an enormous green divided by a giant valley running perpendicular to the line of play. The "Alps" hole is a risk/reward par 4 where the second shot is played over or around a giant hillside peak that blocks your view of the green.

I think Old Mac is the most user friendly of all the 4 courses which might be why it's so popular. It has all the hallmarks of a true links course and strikes the perfect balance between challenging and fun. There are always options to play the ball in the air or along the ground as well as options to play conservatively or aggressively. The first 2 and last 2 holes play more "inland" in the sand dunes, while the rest of the course is routed in a valley adjacent to the ocean and a huge ridge of sand dunes. There aren't many ocean views, and there isn't quite as much gorse on Old Mac as on Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes, which adds to the playability.

Overall, Old Mac is a huge success and serves as another prime example of true links golf. It celebrates the history of golf coming to America as it was passed from Great Britain. If you are visiting Bandon Dunes for the first time, I'd suggest playing Old Mac first (after spending a few hours at the practice facility) to hone the skills you'll need to play links golf. Then play the other 3 courses and finish off with one more round at Old Mac. The course serves as a great introduction and celebration of all that is great about links golf.

Bandon Dunes Resort Review
Bandon Oregon Golf Course Reviews