David McLay Kidd was hired to build the course that would share the name of the resort at Bandon Dunes. From what I’ve read, he had little pedigree to justify owner Mike Keiser’s faith in him. What he created at Bandon is little short of miraculous. To begin, there is nothing like walking and playing over a linksland course. The ground feels hollow and firm at the same time, the lies are tight all around, and you see more sand than you ever see soil between blades of grass. In addition, the Bandon area was covered in gorse, imported and planted to be a natural barrier to keep sheep from roaming. It added up to the perfect place to build a few golf courses, and Mike Keiser did just that.

If you want to skip the words and go to the photo tour, by all means go ahead. However, let me say that I hit no chip shots in the traditional sense today. Instead, I “putted” with my three and four metals (depending on my frame of mind) from up to thirty yards off the green. Trust me, it’s the sensible shot.

There are otherworldly holes at Bandon Dunes. Numbers 6 and 16 come to mind immediately, with 13 and 15 close behind. Whether the ocean intrudes on the course, inspires the rolls of the fairway, or calls from the distance, its presence is constantly felt. In the event that Bandon Dunes ever approaches the uncalled-for rate of $500 per round that Pebble charges, I’ll always be able to say that I played over it.

Come to think of it, I played St. Andrews for about $60 back in 1992. I hear that the fee has more than doubled.

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