The introductory paragraph of the book Dream Golf sums it best:
“Ever since it opened in 1999, Bandon Dunes has been one of the stories in golf, an improbable tale that got better with each telling. On a remote stretch of the Pacific Coast, at the edge of beyond, a golf course had appeared and not just an ordinary golf course, but a seaside course of great drama, purity, and beauty.”
In the beginning, there were many doubters, but Mike Keiser had a dream, a vision, and it has come to be a huge success, with a loyal following and consistently top ratings, achieving iconic status in a very short period of time.
The Atlanta Journal: “… a new creation of golf by the sea has quietly and quickly ascended to the top of the golf world’s must-play destinations. Its remote location and word-of mouth reputation has elevated Bandon Dunes to almost mythical status among those most devoted to the sport. While others claim it to be the ‘Pebble Beach of the South’ or the ‘Poor Man’s Pebble Beach,’ some of those who have visited golf’s latest holy grail contend that Bandon Dunes is better than Pebble Beach.”
Links Magazine: “Golf’s fastest growing cult: the Bandonistas, that fraternity of fanatics conjoined and consumed by the conviction that true golf Nirvana can be achieved only [at Bandon Dunes] …. As an idyllic place to stay and play golf it has only two peers—the Monterrey Peninsula and the town of St. Andrews.”
Golf World: “In recent media, Bandon Dunes Resort has outshone Pinehurst, Whistling Straits, even Pebble Beach.”
USA Today: “The site’s Scottish accent rings true. Mist rises from the dunes. Shore pines have been wind-sculpted into burnished skeletons. Sitka spruce drip ghostly lichens.”
The Boston Globe: “Bandon Dunes offers an experience unlike anything you’ll find anywhere else in the country. From the look and playability of the links courses to the (optional, but excellent) caddies, to the attention to detail at every turn, there’s little that those behind the resort haven’t thought of when it comes to creating and adding to their guests’ enjoyment from the minute they arrive.”
There are many more articles and quotes, but you get the idea.
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is special, and it is one more reason that Bandon Oregon is so special.