Old Macdonald
Bandon, OR • Public

Stephen Szurlej

Stephen Szurlej

Stephen Szurlej

Stephen Szurlej

Stephen Szurlej

Stephen Szurlej
Overview
Old Mike Keiser had a course. Name of Bandon Dunes. Hugged the cliffs of Oregon gorse. It made golfers swoon. So he added one more, then a third next door. Here a lodge, there a hut, even built a pitch & putt. Now it's America's top resort. Name of Bandon Dunes. But Old Mike Keiser wanted more. Down at Bandon Dunes. An ode to an architect he adored. Cut from heather and broom. So Old Macdonald came to be. In spite of a bad economy. Here it's big, there it's bold. Everywhere it looks real old. A Road Hole here, a Cape Hole there. Bottle Hole, Biarritz, ocean winds that'll give you fits. Short and Eden fit the scenes. Especially with enormous greens. Old Macdonald is part of the lore. Now at Bandon Dunes.
About
Awards



Ranking history:
100 Greatest: Ranked since 2013.
2023-'24 ranking: 72nd.
Previous ranking: 56th.
Highest ranking: 47th, 2017-'18.
100 Greatest Public: Ranked since 2013.
2023-'24 ranking: 13th.
Previous ranking: 12th.
Highest ranking: 10th, 2017-'18.
Best in State: Ranked third, 2013 to current.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“Template holes next to the pacific ocean! What's not to love! An absolute gem of a routing, some of the most fun you will have 4 putting greens. A well struck shot is not a "good shot" until the ball is finally at rest on the ground, as it will roll for a while!"
Read More2024
Review
“What a great tribute to one of the greatest architects, Charles Blair Macdonald. Multiple holes where angles of play to large greens over or around intimidating bunkers make this a very fun and challenging layout. Some blind shots leave the player with question of “how is my lie and do I have a next shot?” With great design these shots, if not too far offline leave the player pleasantly surprised as one comes over the hill in search of the last shot. A beautiful Biarritz green on hole 8 is a great historical experience and adds to the joy of this great game. Another hole, 12, has an amazing Redan green sloping from front right to black left. If you appreciate the historical aspects of golf, this course will likely be among your favorites."
Read More2024
Review
“Old Macdonald is many people's least favorite course at Bandon Dunes, but for me was the 2nd or 3rd best course at the Resort. It doesn't have the views of Pacific Dunes or Sheep Ranch and doesn't have the serene ambiance of Trails, but Old Mac is a tremendous golf course that reminded me quite a bit of the Lido in Wisconsin. Like the Lido, one-time golfers and those who haven't been fortunate to play many Seth Raynor/MacDonald courses may not "get it", but this is a golf course with tremendous variety that gets better each and every time you play it. It is the truest links at the Resort, with plenty of ground options and firm, fast conditions and it is a challenge as well as the longest course on property at nearly 7000 yards from the Tips. These greens are wildly fun, and there are some tremendous individual holes here such as the one-of-a kind 7th with its unreal reveal, wild Sahara 3rd, tough Road Hole 11th, and memorable 16th the Alps. It is well-worth a play, probably twice when at Bandon."
Read More2024
Review
“Old MacDonald is many people's least favorite course at Bandon Dunes, but for me was the 2nd or 3rd best course at the Resort. It doesn't have the views of Pacific Dunes or Sheep Ranch and doesn't have the serene ambiance of Trails, but Old Mac is a tremendous golf course that reminded me quite a bit of the Lido in Wisconsin. Like the Lido, one-time golfers and those who haven't been fortunate to play many Seth Raynor/MacDonald courses may not "get it", but this is a golf course with tremendous variety that gets better each and every time you play it. It is the truest links at the Resort, with plenty of ground options and firm, fast conditions and it is a challenge as well as the longest course on property at nearly 7000 yards from the Tips. These greens are wildly fun, and there are some tremendous individual holes here such as the one-of-a kind 7th with its unreal reveal, wild Sahara 3rd, tough Road Hole 11th, and memorable 16th the Alps. It is well-worth a play, probably twice when at Bandon."
Read More2024
Review
“Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is located on the western coast of Oregon, 2.5 hours south of Eugene, Oregon and 45 min south of North Bend. There are currently 5 championship courses and two short courses (The Preserve-a 13 hole par 3 course ) and Shorties (a 19 hole par 3 course). The Old Macdonald course was designed by Tom Doak(2010)and mimics the template holes of C.B .Macdonald ."
Read More2024
Review
“In my top ten favorite courses and I have played everywhere. Doak's best design!"
Read More2023
Review
“Old Mac is an imensely fun course which is made even more intriguing considering the referenced holes used to re imagine some of golfs most notable template holes on varied and unique ocean-adjacent land. The strategy of each hole is intact from the intention of the initial designers of each template and what CB MacDonald recognized. The course traverses over a few main pieces of land, first off a relatively flat area on the east side of the prodominent ridge which contains the first and second holes. The third drive then takes you over the huge ridge and down into the prodominent area of the course between the ridge and the oceanside dunes. Although this land is arguably the less interesting, it makes for a great setting for a number of the most notable template holes including short, the redan, the cape, the road hole among others. The course also approaches the ocean on a newly created hole named "Ocean" which serves as the courses visual climax. The holes coming home back over the ridge and back to the clubhouse are extremely well thought out and offer shot options and risk-reward opportunities until the end. The course features two incredible reveals that leave a lasting impression, the first coming as you climb the ridge next to the imposing "Ghost Tree" and as you crest the top of the ridge, the rest of the course all becomes visible and your mind can't help but be distracted from the hole at hand and think about what is to come. The other reveal comes on the Ocean as you approach the green to find your ball. You are hit in the face with the beauty of the coast along which the resort sits as well as the endless views into the abyss of the Pacific Ocean. The courses utilizes the varied land forms and matches them extremely well each template interpretation. The course is fun and only becomes more so with each subsequent playing."
Read More2023
Review
“Old Mac, in my opinion, is the second most "fun" course on property (behind Bandon Dunes). It has an outside shot for first once the greens fully mature and run as pure as the original three courses. That said, this course delights from start to finish. Hole one greets you with a souped-up reimagining of CB MacDonald's Double Plateau template. Quickly following the famed "Ghost Tree" comes into the sight lines (and sometimes into the driving line!) behind hole 2 and on the tee shot of 3. Walking off the 3rd tee box and up to the fairway, golfers are treated to one of the best reveals in all of golf -- as you reach the cusp the entire course comes into view -- each hole as good as the last. The course is fun for all levels, offering different risk reward options on each hole, and beautiful views off of many (hole 6 walking up to the green is about as stunning a view as you'll get). One tip: leave time for the pro-shop, because the merch with the Ghost Tree logo is only sold there, and its quite nice."
Read More2023
Review
“A great walk back in time. Exceptional layout borrowing concepts from C B MacDonald and incorporating them into a great piece of Oregon coastline. You start slow and then play over a mammoth dune past the ghost tree to a paradise of links golf holes with wind, weather and spectacular views."
Read More2022
Review
“Unfortunately most people will only place this course once. If I could, I'd play this course daily. The course can play so different day to day with the large greens and amount of different pin positions. Add the weather and wind into it and I'd never get bored or tired of this course."
Read More2022
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