~21~
SANDPINES
GOLF LINKS GOLF LINKS
PAR 5 519 YARDS
Florence, OR
800.917.4653
www.sandpines.com
Designed by the famed "US Open doctor" Rees Jones, Sandpines
Golf Links was declared the best new public course in the country
when it opened in 1993. Sculpted through dunes that are adjacent
to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, Sandpines is not just
a stopover on the way to Bandon Dunes, but a worthy destination of
its own. The front nine is out of North Carolina, boasting tall pines and
small lakes, while the inward nine is out of Scotland, with wind and
holes weaving among massive dunes. It all comes together—sand and
water—for the final three holes, perhaps the best three finishing holes
in the state of Oregon.
As the back nine emerges from the dunes, everything converges
around a large lake viewed from the clubhouse. The 16th hole is a short,
downhill, drivable par 4 that sits next to the lake, setting the stage for a
rugged, into-the-wind and over-the-water par 3. Watching golfers finish
their rounds while taking in the spectacular views from the deck of its
beautiful 9,000-square-foot clubhouse is a Sandpines specialty. But
the real fun is the 18th hole, where all that was lost on the 17th can be
regained with a birdie, or perhaps even an eagle.
Playing downwind, the par 5 can be reached in two if the drive stays dry
left and misses bunkers on the right. And if the second shot can similarly
avoid water left, in most cases it can be drawn into a green that has
bunkers toward the back of the hole. This hole especially is risk/reward,
with the emphasis on reward.
18
Photograph by Patrick Drickey
