What It’s Really Like To Play The Bandon Dunes "Easy Course" [BANDON DUNES - SHEEP RANCH]

[@MrUnfragged]

Love your perspective on life Adam and your brutal honesty. Golf should be fun and not taken so seriously. I am a 5 handicap and struggle with my emotions but you remind me that golf is a game and that there is more important things in life. Thank you for being you!

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thanks for the kind words. I wish more golfers took this message to heart!

[@cbr8206]

​@@NotAScratchGolferfor years and years I was a serious hack at golf, not even realizing how bad I was (apologies to my match mates). In recent years, I have had more time to devote to the game and have improved vastly. My current goal is to break 90, and I am getting closer every week. In all the time I've played, from the hackiest of hack rounds to my best, I am thankful that I have been able to hold onto my joyful love of the game. Being outdoors. Enjoying the company of my fellow players. Being able to still chuckle at the less than planned for shot. And rising to the ever present challenge of the next shot. Golf is just a game and games are supposed to be fun. I appreciate the fact that I still have fun playing golf and look forward to every round...even every swing.

[@jaqobie8250]

Easily one of my favorite golf creators and I only found you yesterday!

[@jfaw87]

Just watching your approach to the game has made me a much better golfer. I appreciate you sharing your rounds and your perspective. Thank you.

[@strokerAce411]

wow did you luck out with the weather! as an Oregonian I can assure you those sunny days at the coast are not common.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Haha yeah the caddies told us this was the calmest day of the entire season there!

[@ianschwartz2496]

A pleasure as always to watch you walk these amazing tracks Adam, hope you enjoyed it - weather looked amazing!

[@lindsaynewell6319]

perfect weather and spectacular scenery. Definitely top of my golf roadtrip bucket list.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

True links golf without having to fly home, Lindsay :p

[@Paul-bo9vw]

My favorite channel on KZbin. Thanks for the great videos!

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thanks!

[@hjm33]

Love the video!! What a wonderful course…congrats Adam on the score…the flat stick wasn’t cooperating today but still manage a +10. The important part of this is that you had fun!!

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thanks as always, Huascar!

[@AVDFI1961]

Living the dream! All power to you.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thank you!

[@gordonwright996]

I don't know that I've ever seen a more beautiful course. Glad to see you out there, Adam!

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thanks, Gordon! Indeed, I'd place this at the top of the list of best golf settings I've visited, along with the Monterey Peninsula.

[@funkyavocado-wd1tb]

What a beautiful course! Loved this video.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thank you!

[@haydenredl2919]

Looks like a beautiful course! Looking forward to your commentary on your career round. I just had my second best round ever last week and know the feeling of nerves that comes with it. Best to just enjoy the moment and not fixate on what could be

[@yungpierre6627]

Bandon Dunes is the best

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thanks! Indeed, I'd never felt pressure like I did during that round.

[@dontpanic716]

Love watching your videos. Im off to Kelowna in a day for hopefully a lot of rounds of golf.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Enjoy it! What courses are on your radar?

[@dontpanic716]

@@NotAScratchGolfer black mountain. Shannon lake Kelowna springs. I'd like to play Gallaghers canyon but they don't book singles online so we will see. Tower ranch is too long for me.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

@@dontpanic716 I love those two tracks. Hope you have a great time there!

[@spoonc]

Absolutely love the content and your philosophy on how to approach this wonderful game. Just shot my lowest round with an 80 and I had a 6ft putt for the 79 but it wasn't meant to be. The golf gods already gifted me a 1 over back 9 that round lol

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thanks for the kind words and congrats on the PB, Spencer! I'm sure the sub-80 round will come soon.

[@hungry_arch]

Woooo baby! Two over on the back is a sick score!!

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thank you!

[@TheOverlandGolfer]

Anther great story told. I may fashion my videos this way. Thank you for the inspiration.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@lens7859]

What a spectacular course! Thanks

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ZaxDrumsGolfandMore]

Always like your course vlogs Adam!! The course looks great!!🏌‍♂⛳

[@loubenii]

the quack on the 18th birdie put was so good lmao

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

haha glad you enjoyed it

[@73ocampo]

Hello from Eugene, I'm no one to talk, but take every putt as a true. Your a good golfer, I have been watching you. Someday I hope to afford Bandon. Thank you for the video.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thanks for the kind words! You lost me, though. "take every putt as a true?"

[@73ocampo]

@@NotAScratchGolfer I hear ya, just meaning, commit to every putt. The one's where we three putt within 2-3 feet from the hole LOL. By the way, I check out your videos on our 65' OLED TV! Pretty awesome, thank you for getting back.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

@@73ocampo Gotcha. And you're bang on. And wow, how does my iPhone footage look on a 65" OLED?!

[@73ocampo]

@@NotAScratchGolfer Actually really good, I even had my girlfriend check it out too! Heading to Vegas tomorrow, going to hit Top Golf !!⛳⛳It's going to be hot🥵

[@12kwallace]

Great round and what a beautiful course, keep it up Adam!

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thanks!

[@bubbajones1035]

You just keep getting better and better.

[@theCycleReport]

I played their small 9h course as I passed through Oregon on a motorcycle trip about 8y ago. It was just the most spectacular course I've ever seen.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Is that the course that once sat where Sheep Ranch is now located?

[@theCycleReport]

@NotAScratchGolfer I don't think so, both are on the website currently- called Bandon Preserve. It's a par 3. Nothing major (it was kind of a whim thing. We rode past, pulled in and on no notice that was the course we could walk on- we parked our motorcycles, rented clubs and changed clothes in the locker room haha. BTW, as a new golfer last year, I love your channel. Keep up the good work.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

@@theCycleReport Ah yes, it's 13 holes, actually! And thanks for the kind words!

[@danielbright9835]

Hey Adam! Just played there on Saturday (7/8). Looks like you had a beautiful day for golf. Putting was tough for me too on the front nine - 20 putts in total. Tough to get it to the hole especially with the Poa transition.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Nice, Daniel!! I can't wait to get back, myself! Were the greens at Sheep running better than they appeared in this video (this was shot last August)?

[@frmacleod]

I just got to play Shaughnessy. I used some of your earlier videos as recon. Fast greens.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Hope you enjoyed the Shag! Sounds like you appreciated my videos there more than they did :P

[@BrandonCooper-j8s]

The most BRO caddies I've ever seen. VIBES!

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Great guys. I managed to keep Shane on the bag for all of my rounds there save for one.

[@AlohaMilton]

You should play Soule Park, the greens are wicked and the course is beautiful.

[@johnmay9598]

Great video as usual. Did you already post one from Bandon Trails? Did I miss that or still to come? I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on the different courses there, favourite holes, and so on. I'd love to get to Bandon someday, maybe with my dad... but there are just so many courses in interior BC that I haven't done, feels like that's first before spending a bunch of money traveling to the States.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thanks, John! Here's the video from Trails: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmS0c3ypgt9kmbM Every single course at Bandon could be in the discussion for the best course I've ever played. But I think what's more accurate to say is that the experience at Bandon Dunes is unarguably the best golf experience I've ever had. Nothing but golf + the necessary comforts (and no more) on the most spectacular coastline imaginable. Those things stick out more than particular holes in my mind, although virtually every oceanside hole at Bandon is also breathtaking. The Sheep Ranch, Bandon Dunes, and Pacific Dunes in particular had many memorable ones. Even Trails (off the water) is spectacular, albeit for different reasons. I compare it favorably with Poppy Hills.

[@Gingerstashgolf]

get this guy to 50K today nice grind out there

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thanks!! 50k soon!

[@michaeljensen4095]

Sheep Ranch is set up “easy” for a reason. I have played there in 30-50mph winds where we were basically chipping with 5irons to get around the course (couldn’t even take a backswing with driver). That looks like the calmest day of the year for your round!

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

I wish we could have experienced one round in these conditions during our trip. Indeed, our caddies mentioned during this round that it was the calmest day of the season.

[@michaeljensen4095]

@@NotAScratchGolfer well, that day was obscene. I usually play Bandon in December and January, so we get wind all the time. My second round at Sheep on that trip it was blowing about 15-20, so you had to factor it into your shots but everything was playable with normal-ish shots. I actually would like to play Pacific Dunes in the conditions you had at Sheep Ranch!

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

@@michaeljensen4095 I'd like to visit at that time of year! I mentioned this in the video, but we came directly from Pacific to Sheep, so my upcoming video at Pacific indeed features weather just like we had at Sheep. Probably no surprise I was able to card a PB in those conditions :p

[@michaeljensen4095]

@@NotAScratchGolfer oh, it is awesome. Only serious golfers and the value is nuts, especially if you play 36 each day. And most every day you get weather which is playable for those of us accustomed to wind and some rain… really makes it feel more like playing in Ireland and Scotland. Regarding your PB at Pacific which I look forward to seeing: Pacific is NEVER easy so full props for posting that score regardless of the weather!

[@josephwirtz8352]

Thank you Adam!

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@thomasngo138]

Bandon is an amazing place. Must go for every golf fan. The 90+ score must be on Old Mac!

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Agreed! And good deductive skills there!!

[@suecobandito8954]

Oregon is a very interesting state. Read about Gorse and what happened in Roseburg a hundred years ago. There’s a book A Roadside History of Oregon or close to that. Good video.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thanks. What's the short story of the gorse origin?

[@johncorman8715]

The founder of the town of Bandon, Irishman George Bennett, introduced gorse to the area in the 1870's. In 1936, a fire fueled by gorse burned the entire business district killing 11 individuals.@@NotAScratchGolfer

[@Db-usernamebob]

Not the first comment 😃 Thanks for the channel!

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Glad you're enjoying the vids, Darren!

[@joshpeterson7241]

Love seeing you play the Bandon courses. How does Bandon compare to other nice courses along the Pacific (Pebble, Spyglass, for example)? The courses look fantastic and I've heard nothing but good things about them.

[@fredericperrin3279]

One thing that strikes me on this otherwise beautiful video is that the greens look awful and very slow. Definitely, Pebble Beach and Spyglass will be in a different league on that front.

[@jackkendrickgolf]

@@fredericperrin3279it’s coastal links golf. the greens aren’t gonna be as well manicured generally

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

@@jackkendrickgolf Yeah. Difficult to compare Bandon to courses on the Monterey Peninsula. The property at Bandon is so extraordinary it almost defies words. The layout of each course there is also fantastic. Conditioning is good but not in the stratosphere of a place like Spyglass, nor should it be as a collection of links courses. The greens at the Sheep Ranch (and Bandon Trails) during our visit weren't great. With that said, the Sheep Ranch hadn't been open for two years when we visited, and I'm sure it's gotten better!

[@joshpeterson7241]

​@@NotAScratchGolfergood description! I think the Bandon courses are more about the area and about links style golf. This is on my bucket list of places to go if I decide to do a golf trip. It's actually close enough to where I could drive there (about a 5 ish hour drive, but still doable and the Oregon coast is so beautiful! My game is not at a high enough level yet to really want to play any nice courses, but someday I will make the trip there.

[@ALBellGolf]

This course is the best. Good round

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thanks!

[@Kysprtsmn]

This was the last course on my trip to Bandon last month as well. My personal favorite of the 5… and my worst score too.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Good stuff! What's your full ranking of the courses?

[@Kysprtsmn]

@@NotAScratchGolfer 1. SR 2. Old Mac 3. Bandon Dunes 4. Trails. Suspending judgment on Pac Dunes. It was so windy when we played it was basically unplayable. Also the Preserve was incredible.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

@@Kysprtsmn That's a shame, because Pac Dunes is a lot of peoples' favorite! I honestly can't choose between them. I love them all.

[@Kysprtsmn]

@@NotAScratchGolfer agreed! Near impossible to rank them.

[@codger60]

Adam - love the channel. Question - I just booked a trip to Bandon. All 6 course over 3 days. I'm a little concerned about walking that much. What was your experience?

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Hey Abraham! Hope you have an awesome trip. We played 36 holes per day, 3 days in a row (plus 18 holes on the date of arrival and date of departure). Three consecutive 36 hole days was a lot and in hindsight I would have alternated 18 & 36 hole days. The biggest piece of advice I’d give is to bring some extra golf shoes and change them between rounds. That helped me immensely. Have a great trip!

[@dabs7448]

On the second hole tee shot. Are you able to pull it out for a penalty stroke of 1 because it’s the hazard??? Or even if it’s not the hazard, and you lose your ball in thick grass/bush you can still pull it out for 1 stroke??

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

If you can't locate your ball, you'd be forced to take a penalty of stroke + distance (i.e. re-tee playing your third shot). If you find your ball and deem it unplayable, you can take two club lengths of relief (no closer to the hole) for a one-stroke penalty. If your ball crosses into a penalty area, you can drop on the line of entry for a one stroke penalty. I actually played this round last August and can't recall what happened here. I might have found my ball in the gorse and taken relief for an unplayable lie, or maybe my ball crossed into the gorse and the gorse is considered a penalty area there? I can't recall.

[@dabs7448]

@@NotAScratchGolfer Thank you for the clarification!!!

[@GolfBusters]

Lol that son in law comment

[@brendansailer6413]

On hole 2 where you lost your drive, don't you have to re-tee? Or was that area red staked?

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

This round last August and I honestly don't recall what happened here. I might have found my ball in the gorse and taken an unplayable lie, or maybe my ball crossed into the gorse and the gorse is considered a penalty area there? I can't recall.

[@brendansailer6413]

Ah got it thank you! I'm a new golfer and am trying to keep score accurately so I can see improvement so I thought I'd ask. Love your videos :D

[@witnac2k15]

playing 36 holes and going +10 only is crazy good

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thanks!

[@gregoryedwards8781]

This video got it right !

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thank you!

[@patrickscribner]

Do you think that the previous 18 led to you being tired (mentally and physically) leading to some additional poor shots on the front nine?

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Absolutely. I don't like making excuses, but walking to the tee of Sheep Ranch I was ready to collapse. I was surprised by how much mental energy I exerted down the stretch of the previous round. I was still happy to tee it up at Sheep, but when the guys mentioned matches on the first hole I felt awful (I knew whoever I was paired with was going to lose money). It actually weighed on me during the round until the final few holes, as I mentioned in the video.

[@digs-]

I can’t wait for this guy to fix his swing

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Don't hold your breath :p

[@somerealaveragegaming5380]

A NNEEEEWWWWWWWWW VVIIDDDEEOOOOOOO

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

And more to come!

[@nate-qj1ib]

nice

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Thanks!

[@Dippindott]

It’s crazy how anything over 170 yard is 5 wood territory for you

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

My club distances are very short but not quite this short. Maybe there was an instance of wind/elevation in a shot you're referencing? For reference: Driver: Up to 250 5 Wood: Up to 220 3 Hybrid: 200 4 Hybrid: 190 5 Iron: 175 6 Iron: 165 7 Iron: 150 8 Iron: 140 9 Iron: 130 PW: 115 GW: 100 SW/LW: Don't take full swings with them EDIT: And while wind/elevation change are the biggest factors, it's also worth noting that the numbers on-screen are distances to the flag, and often I'm playing deliberately short approaching a back pin, or playing past the number of a front pin, etc.

[@viggodak7539]

Hello my friend

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Hi

[@pickle2549]

“Career best 71” What about your 66?

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Good catch! So, the 66 was my lowest score, but from a differential standpoint the 71 was better.

[@pickle2549]

@@NotAScratchGolfer got it, thanks. By the way I absolutely love your vids. Keep it up

[@AmryHjSeman]

82 is a good score for me 😂😂😂

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

I don't complain with that score, either!

[@paulthomson2288]

Just about every tap in is an illegal stroke which would be penalized if playing a competition. Can not use a croquet style swing either away or towards own feet

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Good pedantic point. Fortunately none of my friends enforce competitive rules in friendly matches with regards to tapping in 1 footers.

[@paulthomson2288]

@@NotAScratchGolfer Yeah sorry I don't want to become one of those grumpy old dudes sucking out the fun. Superb content as always. Beautiful courses and helpful insights.

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

@@paulthomson2288 Thanks, Paul!

[@DanielSong39]

Short course

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Yeah, none of the courses at Bandon are particularly long.

[@Akgolf1234]

He need to hit the ball harder on putts

[@timpoos4635]

The greens don’t look too good

[@NotAScratchGolfer]

Yeah the greens at Sheep Ranch were still a little rough. It had only opened ~18 months prior, I believe.