Editor’s note: Jimmie James is the author of “Playing from the Rough: A Personal
Journey through America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses”
BANDON, OREGON — I first visited Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in August of 2017, during my yearlong quest to play all of Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses. I went alone, hoping to be paired with golfers from across the country who might open doors to venues such as Oakmont Country Club, Chicago Golf Club, Seminole Golf Club and Cypress Point Club.
I succeeded in playing Bandon’s four top-100 courses but fell short on making those connections. Why? Because nearly everyone I encountered on bus rides between the courses, during meals, on the practice range, and elsewhere told me they had arrived as part of a buddy trip — multiple foursomes of lifelong friends who had long dreamed of playing golf’s purest experience. That’s when I realized: Bandon isn’t just a golf destination — it’s the destination for a buddy golf trip. Bandon is self-contained. Once you arrive, it’s all golf, all the time. There is no fluff, no distractions, and no trouble to be had.
This summer, I went back — with 23 buddies in tow.
We took different routes to get there. Some drove up from California. A few flew into nearby North Bend. Many, like me, landed in Portland and made the four-and-a-half-hour drive. About 100 miles from the entrance, the landscape transforms. Flat concrete highways give way to winding asphalt roads flanked by towering pines reaching into a baby-blue sky. When I arrived, I was transported to a place with an unrivaled blend of charm, challenge, and coastal beauty. Five spectacular 18-hole courses, two short courses and a putting course await — all nestled in a laid-back atmosphere that celebrates the spirit of golf in its purest form.
Each course at Bandon Dunes has a distinct identity but shares a devotion to strategy, creativity and the raw elements. Bandon Dunes, the original, rolls along rugged cliffs with sweeping seaside vistas and fairways that demand imagination and precision. Pacific Dunes, a Tom Doak masterpiece, feels like it’s always been there — its dramatic dunes, jagged bunkers and coastal winds make every round unforgettable. Old Macdonald, which I once dismissed as quirky, won me over once I understood the brilliance of C.B. Macdonald’s template holes — classic designs that reward thoughtful play.
Bandon Trails offers a different experience: more inland, with forested corridors, elevation changes, and a rhythm all its own. I have a special relationship with its par-4 13th hole. During my first trip, I found the trees off the tee but carved my approach through a window the size of a strike zone to 2 feet for birdie. This time, I played it clean — a gentle fade from the fairway to 10 feet and another birdie.
The only thing that changed? Eight years and 50 lost yards off the tee. Back then, I had 122 yards in with a wedge. This time, it was a five-iron from 175. Like life, golf reminds you of certain unarguable truths. But Bandon also reminds you that power isn’t everything. These courses reward wisdom, shot-making and joy in the game — proof that, as the saying goes, “old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill every time.”
The newest course, Sheep Ranch, opened in 2020 and delivers in every way. With nine holes perched along the cliffs, its wild, windswept landscape dares you to take bold lines. The fairways are wide and forgiving, encouraging you to swing freely and create. I shot my best round there — an exhilarating 76, capped by an eagle on the short par-5 13th. There’s something about the 13th holes at Bandon. They bring out the best in me.
This trip wasn’t just about birdies, eagles or scorecards. It was about camaraderie — the laughter, ribbing, late-night stories, and shared awe of playing golf the way it was meant to be.
Among the tales of near birdies, drives that don’t go as far, and lost balls, we caught up on life – kids, spouses, and careers – and toasted to friends who couldn’t make it, including a few we’d lost along the way. There were some tears and a lot of memories made.
I came home with a deeper appreciation for Bandon Dunes, not just as a bucket-list destination, but as a place where friendships are strengthened and memories are made along the windswept coast of Oregon.