The Bandon Dunes Kit

By: Dave Wolfe

Bandon Dunes Is Not Your Local Muni

Odds are that most serious golfers have heard of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort before. If you have not, let me borrow a quote from their site to summarize the resort.

Like you, I’ve heard the stories about Bandon Dunes. Nearly every golfer that I talk to about Bandon gets a little sparkle in his or her eye when I mention that I’m heading to play the Bandon Dunes courses for the first time.”

I’m not being overly dramatic at all here. Playing Bandon Dunes seems to change people, or it at least gives them a set of memories that compels every person that I’ve talked to to say “I’ve got to get back there again.”

So what it is that makes a trip to Bandon Dunes so unique?

First of all, the Bandon Dunes resort complex is all about golf. It’s not a resort where golf is an optional excursion. At Bandon Dunes, golf is the main event, the total focus for the resort, and it’s that unique type of golf that compels golfers to make the pilgrimage to this relatively isolated region on the Oregon coast.

Old school links golf. That’s what you will find at Bandon Dunes. Real links golf. This is not a muni that added “links” to the name because it sounded cool. At Bandon, the coastal dunes, the rolling fairways, and mother nature’s inclination to get a bit nasty make these courses feel more like they should be in Scotland rather than the United States. Playing golf at Bandon Dunes will not be like playing at your home course.

The Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is a truly golf-focused resort. One could simply summarize the available golf by saying that there are four eighteen-hole courses, a par three course, and an unusually large putting green. However, in doing so, you would miss the elements that truly make Bandon Dunes a unique golf destination.

Bandon Dunes does give the American golfer a playing experience unlike any other, and as such, requires a bit of unique planning should one venture there to play. When I was planning my first pilgrimage to this golf oasis, I asked people who’ve been there for recommendations about what to bring.

Here’s what’s in  my kit.

Jones Golf Bag

The vibe that I get from Bandon Dunes is almost historical. This is not a place for space-age polymers, nano-pure forgings, and multi-material constructions. Playing Bandon Dunes feels more like a throwback to golf’s simpler origins, and that’s why I believe that a bag from Oregon-based Jones Sports is perfect to take to Bandon.

For many, the Original Jones Golf Bag evokes memories of playing golf in their youth. Times were simpler. You tossed your clubs in the bag, slung the bag over the shoulder, and walked your home course focused only on the game that you were playing.

The Jones Bag, like Bandon Dunes, instills a sense of nostalgic purity back into the game of golf, with the bag and the course combining to really set the mood for the golf adventure ahead.

Nike Outerwear

Having just waxed poetic about the classic nature of the Jones Golf Bag, it may seem a bit of a harsh transition to move directly into the high-tech textiles of Nike Golf, but for me, Nike clothing is the natural choice for a Bandon Dunes adventure.

Though Nike’s manufacturing does not occur in Oregon, I still view them as an Oregon-based company. Truth be told, I think that this has more to do with the Oregon Ducks than it does the Beaverton, OR address of Nike. Regardless, I like the idea of taking Oregon products to Bandon Dunes. It seems appropriate to keep it local.

The main reason that I’m packing Nike outerwear to Bandon Dunes though is the fact that their clothing is modern and constructed of high-tech materials. As I prepare for my trip, I am basing my packing on the fact that the weather at Bandon Dunes can be unstable. It can be windy, it can be wet, it can get cold, and it can do all of those things over the course of a few holes.

I want wardrobe versatility, and Nike’s outerwear give me that versatility. The Hyperadapt Aerolayer jacket is the perfect versatile shell. It’s warm, blocks the wind, and is water resistant. At the same time, it’s also flexible enough to actually allow me swing a club.

Should the weather turn really wet, I’ll have a pair of Nike’s Hyper Stormfit rain pants at the ready in my bag. Truth be told, I may just be wearing these already as they are pretty comfortable, and non-crunchy like other rain pants can be.

A pair of Nike’s All Weather III rain gloves complete the if-it-rains portion of my preparations. My playing Bandon Dunes will not be stopped by a little water!

Footjoy DNA 2.0 and VersaLuxe Shoes

As I asked people for recommendation about playing Bandon Dunes, almost every person said wear comfortable shoes. Bandon Dunes is a walking golf resort. There are no power carts. I’m planning on playing at least 36 holes a day and I need my feet to hold up to the challenge of walking the coastal dunes.

I’m packing Footjoy DNA 2.0 shoes as my main choice because they fit me better than any other shoe I currently own. I was fortunate enough to have one of the Footjoy reps fit me at a local golf expo last month, learning that the size shoe that I was currently wearing was totally wrong for my feet. I truly believe that only Footjoy has the versatility in both models and sizing to give the golfer the best possible fit.

The VersaLuxe shoes are coming along not for the main rounds of golf, but instead for some of the “bonus golf” available at Bandon Dunes. These will be my choice for The Preserve, a 13-hole par three course, and for the Punch Bowl, a massive putting course. Both of these courses are more for casual play, and the VersaLuxe seems the perfect shoe.

Seamus Headcovers and Copper Flask

Links golf was originated along the Scottish coast. As a homage to that origin, my headcovers of choice for the trip will be black watch tartan, designed by Seamus Golf.

As an Oregon company, Seamus Golf connects with Bandon Dunes geographically, but their plaid designs really connect to the course thematically as well. One could obviously argue that any headcovers would work, but for me, I think that the Seamus headcovers really help me to capture the mindset of what this trip is all about.

The second Seamus item that I’ll be bringing along is their copper flask. Even if your trip isn’t going with a John Daly theme, I think a flask is appropriate and I’ll tell you why….

Akbar Chisti, the president and co-founder of Seamus Golf, passed along a ton of great information about playing Bandon Dunes, and two things stood out: the first is his tradition of taking nips from a flask after a birdie is made. Now that’s a tradition I can get behind, and the copper flask from Seamus is the perfect vessel for housing these birdie pull libations. Sure, you could instead bring a much less expensive flask along with you, but I like the idea of pairing this very special flask with the very special golfing experience at Bandon.

Akbar’s second tip was a warning about about the gorse, a very prickly plant found throughout the Bandon Dunes courses – he suggests that balls in the gorse stay in the gorse. I think we should all be inclined to follow Mr. Chisti’s advice, and for that reason I will not be suggesting a suit of armor for your trip.

Rogue Dead Guy Whiskey

As you might have already guessed, I’ll be packing some swing lube for my trip to Bandon Dunes. I foresee the need for a little nip to fight the wind and cold, a few birdie pulls, and maybe just a little something to calm my nerves when I realize that I’m actually playing golf at Bandon Dunes.

It seems only natural to fill the Seamus flask with a spirit that also has its origins in Oregon. Many beer lovers are already familiar with Rogue Brewing. Rogue has been brewing beer in Oregon since the late 1980’s. Rogue’s distribution is pretty broad, and I’m willing to bet that many of you have seen some of their beers in the store.

My first Rogue beer was Dead Guy Ale, and I likely bought it because of the unique label. However, all subsequent Dead Guy Ale was purchased because the beer is really good. Beer though, no matter how good, is not really the choice to fill a flask. That’s where Rogue’s spirits come in.

While many know that Rogue makes beer, fewer may know that Rogue also runs a distillery for the production of spirits. Rogue actually has a wide range of spirits to choose from, but I’ll be packing their Dead Guy Whiskey in my flask. Dead Guy Whiskey’s coastal aging and award-winning pedigree makes it the perfect spirit to pair with Bandon Dunes.

Wilson Duo Urethane Balls

Another common recommendation from people who have traveled to Bandon Dunes is to bring lots of balls. If you take a little time and look at the course overviews, you can likely pick out some geographic spots where your ball may go missing, and that’s not even including the gorse!

For this trip, I’ll be packing Wilson Staff’s new Duo Urethane golf ball. I’m taking this ball because I really like it. Really like it. I played the two from a free 2-ball sleeve until they were tree-yellow and furry, well beyond the point where another ball would have gone in the shag bag. My low rounds of the year so far were played with the Duo Urethane.

So outside of “liking it”, why is the the ball specifically for Bandon Dunes? First of all, the low compression gives the ball a great feel at impact. Links golf is notorious for hard turf conditions, so a softer ball seems the natural counter to that harshness. The second reason that I’ll be gaming the Duo Urethane at Bandon Dunes is that the Duo Urethane produces a lower trajectory for me, which should help me to stay closer to target should Bandon’s coastal winds start to gust. I also love the feel of the ball on the putter, making the hours in the Punchbowl that much more enjoyable.

To The Dunes

Playing the courses at Bandon Dunes is a unique experience, likely requiring a bit of a change of equipment, and also a change of mindset to truly get the most out of the this golf adventure. This golf outing is not a trip to your local muni. You will be playing courses that many describe as the best in the world.

For those yet to make the trip to Bandon Dunes, hopefully this article gives you some information to use when planning your first Bandon adventure. To the Bandon Dunes veterans, I’d love to hear what you consider the essentials for playing these courses.