Pacific Dunes at the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

In its brief history, the Pacific Dunes course at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort has emerged as one of the most renowned golf courses in the United States.

Set on rugged coastline in southern Oregon, Pacific Dunes has all the makings of a true British Isles links. In fact, most British Isles golf courses would kill for this kind of setting. Gorse is tall, wild and overpowering in spots, like behind the 17th green, and the Pacific Ocean is almost always in view.

Tom Doak moved little earth designing Pacific Dunes. He didn't need to because the land is a near-perfect setting for a wild, classic links course. Playing Pacific Dunes, it's hard to believe the course is less than a decade old.

The course features fescue grasses from tee to green. Greens here are monstrous, often longer than 100 feet front to back. Lag putting is a necessary skill to score well - not to mention a good bump-and-run game. The winds here can get vicious, especially in the winter months. There are numerous oceanfront holes, including the par-4 fourth, the par-3 11th and the par-4 13th, all of which bear the brunt of the elements coming in off the coastline.

Pacific Dunes is one of three (soon to be four) championship golf courses at the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.

Pacific Dunes - No. 11

The par-3 11th hole at Pacific Dunes plays right along the coast, so wind is usually an obstacle.

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Pacific Dunes - No. 2

The par-4 second hole at Pacific Dunes is 368 yards and best approached from the left side.

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Pacific Dunes - No. 3

The par-5 third hole at Pacific Dunes has a wide fairway split with bunkers.

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Pacific Dunes at the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

Pacific Dunes has plenty of gorse littered around its fairways and greens.

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Pacific Dunes at the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

Greens at Pacific Dunes are often very large and yield putts well over 100 feet.

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Pacific Dunes - No. 10

The par-3 10th hole has alternate tee boxes, making it either a short par 3 or well over 200 yards.

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Pacific Dunes - No. 17

The par-3 17th hole at Pacific Dunes features a wall of gorse behind the green.

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Pacific Dunes - 18th hole

Pacific Dunes finishes with a long, snaking par 5.

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Pacific Dunes - No. 13

The par-4 13th hole at Pacific Dunes features a giant sand dune right of the green.

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Pacific Dunes - No. 4

The long, par-4 fourth hole plays right along the water.

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Pacific Dunes - Coastline

The coastline is visible from most points at Pacific Dunes, especially from the par-4 fourth green.

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Pacific Dunes - No. 6

The diabolical, short par-4 sixth hole at Bandon Dunes features an enormous bunker left and a drop-off right of the narrow green.

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