The Inspired Intermedia digital book collection
Issue link: https://inspired.uberflip.com/i/1545323
15 BANDON DUNES GOLF RESORT GOLF RESORT PAR 4 363 YARDS BANDON, OR Chicago businessman Mike Keiser went out on a very long and unreliable limb when work began at the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in the mid-1990s. The nearest sizeable city, Portland, was a four-and-a-half-hour drive north. The sand dunes that characterize the coastline were covered in unruly gorse that would take years of arduous clearing before a single hole could be built. There was no guarantee the U.S. was ready for golf on so raw a property and David McLay Kidd, the Scotsman Keiser chose to design the first course, was barely known inside his native land, let alone internationally. Twenty-five years later, however, with the addition of four more 18-hole layouts, three short courses, a vast putting green, numerous highly rated restaurants, and several comfortable lodging options, the once risk-laden development has blossomed into a paradise golfers travel around the world to experience. Some golf holes rely on beauty and exceptional natural surroundings to get your attention. Others use interesting, thought-provoking designs to engage the golfer. You have something genuinely special when you combine the two and get a breathtaking backdrop with a stimulating sequence of shots,where you must judiciously choose your path to the hole. This glorious short-4 on the resort's original course not only brings you to the edge of the continent—providing a mesmerizing panorama of the Pacific Ocean—but it also forces a decision: Carry the diagonal ridge of sand and broken ground to leave a pitch/chip to the green, or reject the risk and lay up with a mid-iron to leave a full, and mostly blind, wedge. Your choice depends on how you're striking it, the position of the flag, and, most importantly, the direction and strength of the wind. There's a lot to see, plenty to think about, and much to enjoy. Architect: David McLay Kidd Photography courtesy of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort Scan to view an aerial flyover showing the strategy of playing this hole H O L E 16 th