Bandon
Five walking-only links courses on a remote stretch of the Oregon coast, built for the golfer who values design over convenience.
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State
Oregon
Courses
8
Green Fees
Up to $420
Best Months
May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Airport
Southwest Oregon Regional (OTH) (30 miles, 35 minutes)
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort sits on a remote stretch of the southern Oregon coastline, roughly four hours south of Portland and two and a half hours west of Eugene by winding two-lane highway. There is no nearby city of consequence. The town of Bandon has a population of around 3,200. The nearest commercial airport, Southwest Oregon Regional in North Bend, receives a handful of United Express flights from San Francisco and seasonal service from Denver. Getting here requires intention. That...
Read our full editorial guide →Quick Facts
- Best months
- May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
- Courses
- 8
- Green fee range
- Up to $420
- Nearest airport
- Southwest Oregon Regional (OTH) (30 miles, 35 minutes)
- Rental car
- Essential
Courses Worth the Trip
8 courses across Bandon
Bucket List
Bandon Dunes
Bandon, Oregon
The original. The course that proved links golf could work in America.
USD 120–420ResortDavid McLay Kidd (1999)
PartnerBook tee time
Bucket List
Pacific Dunes
Bandon, Oregon
Eleven holes with ocean views, all of them earned on foot.
USD 120–420ResortTom Doak (2001)
PartnerBook tee time
Bucket List
Sheep Ranch
Bandon, Oregon
No bunkers. Every hole with an ocean view. The wind does the rest.
USD 120–420ResortBill Coore & Ben Crenshaw (2020)
PartnerBook tee time
Premium
Bandon Trails
Bandon, Oregon
The inland outlier that may be the most interesting walk on the property.
USD 120–420ResortBill Coore & Ben Crenshaw (2005)
PartnerBook tee time
Premium
Old Macdonald
Bandon, Oregon
A tribute to the father of American golf architecture, built with greens large enough to land a small aircraft.
USD 120–420ResortTom Doak & Jim Urbina (2010)
PartnerBook tee time
Hidden Value
Bandon Preserve
Bandon, Oregon
Thirteen par 3s on high ground between the ocean and the forest. Net proceeds go to charity.
USD 60–125ResortBill Coore & Ben Crenshaw (2012)
PartnerBook tee time
Hidden Value
Shorty's
Bandon, Oregon
Nineteen par 3s from 60 to 160 yards. The resort's seventh course and newest reason to stay an extra day.
USD 60–125ResortRod Whitman, Dave Axland & Keith Cutten (2024)
PartnerBook tee time
Hidden Value
The Punchbowl
Bandon, Oregon
Two acres of putting contours inspired by the Himalayas at St. Andrews. Free for resort guests.
ResortTom Doak & Jim Urbina (2014)
PartnerBook tee time
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Where to Stay
6 options near the courses
Vacation Rental
Chrome Lake Cottages
Bandon, Oregon
Lakeside seclusion and extra space for groups who prefer quiet over the Lodge's central bustle.
From $170/nightOn-site golf
PartnerCheck availability
Lodge
The Lodge at Bandon Dunes
Bandon, Oregon
The resort's original lodging and its social center, with walk-to-tee access and six dining options on site.
From $100/nightOn-site golf
PartnerCheck availability
Vacation Rental
Grove Cottages
Bandon, Oregon
Four-bedroom cottages built for the group trip, where the living room becomes the nineteenth hole.
From $300/nightOn-site golf
PartnerCheck availability
Inn
Bandon Inn
Bandon, Oregon
A bluff-top perch over Old Town Bandon at the lowest nightly rate that still delivers a sense of place.
From $106/nightBandon Dunes Golf Resort (~10 min drive)
PartnerCheck availability
Inn
Best Western Inn at Face Rock
Bandon, Oregon
The strongest mid-range option near the resort, with beach access and savings that compound over a multi-night stay.
From $135/nightBandon Dunes Golf Resort (~10 min drive, ~6 miles)
ExpediaCheck availability
Hotel
Sunset Oceanfront Lodging
Bandon, Oregon
Economy rooms from $80 a night make this the floor price for a Bandon Dunes trip.
From $80/nightBandon Dunes Golf Resort (~15 min drive, ~8 miles)
ExpediaCheck availability
Off the Fairway
Non-golf activities and companion experiences
Scenic
1-2 hours
Bandon Beach Loop Drive
Bandon, Oregon
Five miles of sea stacks, tide pools, and some of the best sunset light on the Oregon coast.
Free
PartnerBook activity
Cultural
2-3 hours
Cape Blanco Lighthouse & State Park
Bandon, Oregon
Oregon's oldest operating lighthouse at the westernmost point in the contiguous United States.
$5 parking; $2 lighthouse tour (adults)
PartnerBook activity
Cultural
1-2 hours
Coquille River Lighthouse
Bandon, Oregon
An 1896 lighthouse on a sandy spit where the Coquille River meets the Pacific.
Free (state park, free parking)
PartnerBook activity
Dining
30-60 minutes
Face Rock Creamery
Bandon, Oregon
Free tastings of award-winning artisan cheese on the road between the resort and town.
Free tasting
PartnerBook activity
Adventure
1-1.5 hours
Horseback Riding on Bandon Beach
Bandon, Oregon
Guided beach rides past sea stacks at sunset, operating on this coastline since 1979.
$60 (1 hour) / $80 (1.5 hour sunset ride); cash only
PartnerBook activity
Cultural
3-8 hours (depending on route)
Rogue River Jet Boat Tour
Bandon, Oregon
Jet boats into genuine wilderness on the Wild and Scenic Rogue River, 55 miles south in Gold Beach.
$50-$95+ per adult (varies by route; meals $8-$16 extra)
ViatorBook activity
Cultural
2-3 hours
Shore Acres State Park
Bandon, Oregon
A timber baron's cliff-top gardens, still tended after a century, with the Pacific crashing below.
$10 parking fee
PartnerBook activity
Cultural
1-2 hours
Whale Watching (Shore-Based)
Bandon, Oregon
Twenty-five thousand gray whales pass these headlands each year, roughly thirty per hour at peak migration.
Free
PartnerBook activity
Bandon Old Town & Boardwalk
Dining
2-3 hours
Bandon Old Town & Boardwalk
Bandon, Oregon
Independent shops, a public crabbing dock, and the best off-resort dining within twenty minutes of the first tee.
Free (dining/shopping extra)
PartnerBook activity
Circles in the Sand
Cultural
1-2 hours
Circles in the Sand
Bandon, Oregon
Massive sand labyrinths drawn at low tide and erased by the ocean two hours later.
Free
PartnerBook activity
Plan Your Trip
Pre-planned itineraries for Bandon
Long Weekend
The Add-On: Two Nights on the Oregon Coast
Two nights and two rounds to determine whether the full pilgrimage belongs on the calendar.
3 daysUSD 800–1500/person
Bucket List Trip
The Full Experience: Five Courses in Five Nights
Five courses, five nights, and the full measure of what Bandon has built over a quarter century.
6 daysUSD 2800–4500/person
Best Value Trip
The Highlights: Three Nights, Three Courses
Three nights and the three courses that define the resort, with enough room to breathe between rounds.
4 daysUSD 1500–2500/person
Planning Your Trip
Airports, rental cars, seasonal pricing, and local knowledge for Bandon.
From the Editorial
Articles covering Bandon
Opinion
Pacific Dunes vs Sheep Ranch: Bandon's Best Course
Comparing Bandon Dunes Resort's two most celebrated coastal courses: Pacific Dunes' clifftop drama and Sheep Ranch's bunkerless freedom.
Opinion
Bandon Dunes vs Pebble Beach: Worth the Green Fee?
Comparing America's two premier bucket-list golf destinations on course quality, value, and the overall trip experience.
Opinion
Bandon Dunes vs Sand Valley: America's Walking Golf Destinations
Comparing America's two premier walking-only golf resorts across courses, remoteness, design philosophy, and the pilgrimage experience.
Trip Planning
Course Guide
Course Guide
Streamsong vs Bandon Dunes: Remote Golf Resort Showdown
Opinion
Course Guide
Destination Guide
Whistling Straits vs Bandon Dunes: Great American Links Courses
Opinion
Course Guide
Course Guide
Destination Guide
Destination Guide