Bandon Dunes resort still adding to collection

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is 15 years old and still growing.

The four 18-hole links courses opened in 1999, 2001, 2005 and 2010. The newest additions are Brandon Preserve, a 13-hole par-3 course, and the Punchbowl, an 18-hole putting course that sits near the first tee at Pacific Dunes. There are also plans for a 27-hole links course about 10 miles south of the existing courses.

Brandon Preserve and the Punchbowl are wise choices if a 4-hour round isn’t an option.

Brandon Preserve, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, debuted in 2012. Holes range from 63-150 yards from the back tees (1,609 total yards) and 40-119 from the front tees (1,121).

Net proceeds from Brandon Preserve benefit Wild Rivers Coast Alliance, which supports projects on Oregon’s southern coast that are committed to conservation, community and economy.

“It fits anyone’s schedule,” director of golf Jeff Simonds said. “It’s a great way to warm up and get an introduction to links golf. You get to experience the firm conditions, fescue greens and how it looks and putts.

“And you get a feel for the wind. It might be a 130-yard hole but it’s blowing 20 mph and you realize you could hit a 5-iron or a 7. There are a lot of ways to get the ball close to the hole.”

The Punchbowl spans 2.3 acres, slightly larger than two football fields. Old Macdonald designers Tom Doak and Jim Urbina mapped out the putting course, which is free to resort guests.

“You can’t always play 36 holes and you might need something to do in between,” Simonds said. “There are 100s of different hole locations.”

There is no timetable set for the 27-hole course. Gil Hanse, who designed the 2016 Olympic Games course in Rio de Janeiro, will be the architect.