Thirteen par 3s on high ground between the ocean and the forest. Net proceeds go to charity.
Bandon Preserve occupies a stretch of high ground between Pacific Dunes and Bandon Trails, with ocean views from all thirteen holes. Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw designed it in 2012 as a par-3 course with holes ranging from 109 to 185 yards and a total yardage of approximately 1,609.
The course plays in roughly two hours and serves as an ideal complement to a full 18-hole round earlier in the day. The terrain shares the coastal character of the main courses: firm turf, ocean wind, and natural dune contours that shape each green site. The holes are short enough that no caddie is needed, but they are long enough to require genuine shotmaking. A 185-yard par 3 into a crosswind on firm linksland is not a casual proposition.
Net proceeds from Bandon Preserve benefit the Wild Rivers Coast Alliance and the Bandon Dunes Charitable Foundation. This charitable model, shared with Shorty's, means that the green fee directly supports the local community. Fees range from $60 to $125 depending on season.
The Preserve functions as more than a warm-up facility or a consolation prize for golfers short on time. The green complexes are full-scale, the design intent is serious, and the setting, perched above the Pacific with the resort's main courses visible in the distance, is as compelling as any par-3 course in the country. Groups with an open afternoon slot should not hesitate. It is the most efficient way to add another round to a Bandon visit without the commitment of a five-hour walk.
The original. The course that proved links golf could work in America.
The inland outlier that may be the most interesting walk on the property.
A tribute to the father of American golf architecture, built with greens large enough to land a small aircraft.
Eleven holes with ocean views, all of them earned on foot.
No bunkers. Every hole with an ocean view. The wind does the rest.
Nineteen par 3s from 60 to 160 yards. The resort's seventh course and newest reason to stay an extra day.
Two acres of putting contours inspired by the Himalayas at St. Andrews. Free for resort guests.