Two rounds today and pretty terrible golf. The time off has had a discernible impact on my game and these courses are not very forgiving. That said, the weather was perfect and the scenery, as always, profoundly beautiful. With an 8:00 tee time I was at the practice range literally at the crack of dawn.  What a start to the day, eh!

I couldn’t resist the fabulous weather forecast for Bandon, even though it’s going to be nice in North Bend too. So I was off early this morning, listening to audio books, rocketing south on I-5. As usual, the sunset at Bandon Beach was lovely, even with a mostly overcast sky.

I had originally planned to drive home last night but the weather forecast changed a bit making today look good for another round before trekking back north into the cold snap.

Sunrise at practice range

Back at the Bandon Dunes course, I repeated the pattern of the previous two days with a dreadful start but saved pars on three of the final six holes to record a 92, the fourth time I’ve shot that score here. Although I played pretty mediocre golf it was still a very pleasant two and a half days in perfect weather and fabulous views in every direction all day.

Here are a dozen photos from the trip.

Bandon Dunes; approach to the 4th green

Like yesterday, I struggled through the morning round on Bandon Dunes with a just awful 98: no “blow up” holes but an endless string of bogey, double bogey. The afternoon on Old Macdonald was much better starting off with a six-over-par 40 on the front nine.  I was kind of worn out mid way through the last nine holes but managed a par on the 18th to get in at 89, my best score at Old Mac.

Following a warm-up session under a beautiful sunrise I flailed through the first seven holes at a miserable 15 over par at Pacific Dunes. Fortunately, things settled down after that and I knocked in three consecutive pars and finished the back none with a not-too-embarrassing 44.

Pacific Dunes 11th Tee. Not the most intimidating tee shot at Bandon, but right up there.

After a short session on the range and a quick peanut butter sandwich I was off to Bandon Trails, the course that has most baffled me in the past. Although I still didn’t play well, I managed my best score there at 91…. and finished the round in just over 2 hours 30 minutes!

With so many gloomy days this fall and so many more in the future, I watched the forecast for a window of good weather and zipped down to Bandon Dunes again (for the third time this year). It was drizzly and gray the entire 430 miles, including when I arrived at the resort.  But I had this lovely view from my room to get me fired up for golf tomorrow.

Bandon Dunes 18th green; Bandon Dunes Lodge

I played Bandon and Pacific Dunes today and despite being inconsistent off the tee I pared the final two holes to shoot my best score yet on Bandon Dunes –89– and hung in there with a 92 on Pacific Dunes despite two triple-bogey holes.  I also got around with just 33 and 30 putts for the two rounds. I never get tired of the view from the 16th tee at Bandon Dunes: