Jeff Simonds, Director of Golf at Bandon Dunes shares his thoughts on holes 15 through 17, one of the best stretches on the property.
Simonds, shared the following, "The 15th hole is a terrific par three that can play from a number of different yardages. Golfers hit to a slightly elevated green that appears to be perched on the edge of the coast. The dilemma player's face is what club to hit. If you go long, you may lose your ball onto the beach. If you leave it short, there is a bunker that sits below the green, which requires a high soft lob to save par.
The 16th hole is a short par 4 that is all about risk and reward. During the summer months you are hitting a tee shot with the wind blowing at your back. The hole is 321 yards and very reachable with a good tee shot. The hole is visually intimidating however and the usual miss is a ball that is fading left to right, ending up down on the beach and leaving the player out of position for a drop. In match play, this hole can be your turning point or your downfall.
The 17th hole is another great par four. Standing on the tee you have panoramic views up and down the coast. You can see out onto Bandon Dunes and now you have the best view of our 5th golf course, Bandon Preserve. The hole itself is very straightforward but requires a solid drive to the fairway. Most players leave driver in the bag because of Cut Creek and its natural surround protects the green. Once in the fairway you must now hit a mid to short iron approximately 140 yards to the hole location. If you are unsure you can bale out left and try to get up and down. Club selection is very important as the green is 60 yards deep."
