Bandon Trails

I absolutely loved this golf course. Even though there are no views of the ocean I think this was one of my personal favorites. The course layout was unreal and everyone who played in my group loved it. I personally loved the walk on the trails in between holes. Truly walking on a trail through the forest which is amazing. Must play on your Bandon Trip!!

This course is a gem. I suppose most might ignore it since it isn't on the coastline, but don't let it fool you, it has every type hole you could want.

When you birdie here you feel great joy, a triple bogey comes from simply a bad shot. It feels like an available Augusta, with tons of scenic shots.

I loved this course.

Our foursome made the pilgrimage to Bandon with much anticipation. If you are a serious golfer you know about Bandon but until you go there, you don’t know Bandon. Having been fortunate to play any of the top 100 golf courses in America I can without hesitation say that collectively Bandon is the Best! Each one of us had a favorite course and each one being different. If you can do it!!! JUST DO IT! Lastly, the 13 hole Preserve just might be the best golf course in the world!

Bandon sets a high bar with their slogan. This course did not disappoint! A caddy is a BIG help. Use one.

My favorite of the 4 courses. Did 36. take a caddie.

My round at Bandon Trails was one of the wettest rounds of my life, but I still had a blast. The course was challenging if you didn't hit your ball in a good spot off the tee. There was a lot of strategic bunkering to collect the better player's ball and more generous landing areas for lesser players. The greens were challenging, but were receptive to bump and runs. The change in scenery and wide variety of holes made this one of the best courses I've ever played. It's a tough walk, but it's well worth it!

I was waiting to play this course last and had heard varied reviews but I’m fan of Coore & Crenshaw courses. Teed off with my dad just the two of us and it was an amazing stroll through the forest. The par 3s are very strong, the start & finish coming back to the dunes felt natural. We asked every staff member we could what course was their favourite and at least 90% said Trails. (And many without hesitation). I had my best round of the trip so I’m sure that probably biases me a bit. Don’t snooze on this course, it’s great to play in the afternoon when the wind is up as it’s sheltered.

We played all four of the courses, as well as the wonderful par three. A Bucket List Experience, for sure!

Maybe the most "divisive" course at Bandon Dunes Resort. When people rank 1-4 the courses at the resort, I'd say this is usually either #1 or #4 with a few exceptions.

One reason for that is the shear variety of golf holes on this course and it's lack of coastal vistas. What this C&C track lacks in ocean views it makes up for in elevation changes and variety.

Bandon Trails is aptly named as it begins close enough to the water where you can smell it and as it goes along you go deeper and deeper into the woods on a golfing journey that lands you back where you started.

Whatever your opinion, it's sure to be an enjoyable walk in the woods.

First, get to the course early and try the breakfast sandwiches -- I ordered a chicken and rice breakfast wrap that was unbeatable. The next day a different breakfast sandwich but just as winning. And they make them to go! Just what you need before walking 18 on Bandon's hilliest walk. Loved the core-Crenshaw layout, particularly the picturesque par 3s. If it's a windy day at Bandon, your best bet is sheltered Trails. You'll run into caddies playing Trails-- it's many of their favorites, too.

Yeah, the 11th hole is funky and unfair in that no matter where you drive the ball it is near impossible to hold the green but it's a fun conversation except when you walk off with an unwelcome 5 or 6. Take a mental snapshot at 14.... looks like a lakeside hole in the mountains.

Bandon Trails doesn't have the ocean that Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes offer, but boy is it a stellar routing from Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. I had the most fun playing this course of any at the resort. It's not as hard as the others, and it's scenic in its own right. The first two holes romp through the dunes like you're at Enniscrone in Ireland. From there, until the last hole back through the dunes to the clubhouse, the forest setting is pure Pacific Northwest.
The collection of par 3s rule the day - the 166-yard (green tees) second hole in the dunes, the biarritz green at no. 5, the driver/wood tee shot at the 235-yard 12th and the downhill 17th.
Be sure to stop at the plaque behind the elevated 14th tee, a demanding but short par 4. This is the view that prompted Mike Keiser to buy the land and eventually develop the resort. It's ground zero for all things Bandon Dunes.

A disclaimer: I had no expectations whatsoever for Trails. All I'd heard was that it "wasn't on the water" and that it was "different". After playing here for the first time, all I can say is this: If you're planning a trip to this area, make sure Trails is on your list. I loved it. All of it. Every hole. The par 3s, in particular, are terrific, a fun collection of short and long holes, even the brutish 12th, which was stretched out to 235 yards for us. (Made par!) What makes Trails such a treat is that it still plays like a links course, with plenty of bounce and roll and undulation, but it also winds through the forest. Visually, it is stunning. I can't imagine how beautiful it'd be to play here in the fall, with all of the leaves changing colors. We played this on the back-end of a 36-hole day and it was a hike -- there are several steep climbs and hills -- but it was well worth it once you got to the green. I would rank this as my second favorite course at Bandon, behind only the marvelous Pacific Dunes.

I played it for the first time three years ago and liked it, but didn't love it. In fact, it was my least favorite of the four at Bandon. That no longer is the fact. It'd moved up a spot and I really, truly enjoyed this round.

The last time I played it after a long cross-country trip and was all out of sorts. This time, I wasn't rushed and had time to take in all the sights and sounds.

Now, it's still extremely difficult. Probably the most difficult of all the courses there. And it plays really long. But it's a great change of pace from the others.

At first I was frustrated that we were playing so near the Ocean but could not see it anywhere from the course. But I understand it's place in the rotation and really had a chance to appreciate it more the second time around.

I know a lot of groups who leave Trails off their rotation at Bandon in favor of an extra round at Pacific Dunes or Bandon Dunes. That is a huge mistake!!!!

To me Trails is the most complete golf course at the Bandon resort, yes it isnt on the ocean, but everything else at Trails is exceptional and the ocean is still in view on plenty of holes. No course at the resort is as tough and exacting a test of every part of your game as Trails is. It puts pressure on every club in your bag during the round and requires a plethora of different shots to truly score well. You cant beat it with two types of shots like, say Old Mac can be. The beauty of the walk is second to none perfectly combining dunes, rolling meadows and hill side golf.

We caught it on particularly windy afternoon, playing from the back tees and its as tough of test of golf as there is in Bandon.

I recommend playing aggressive on #8 and try to drive the green if you have the range! This course is different than the other 3 courses as its not a links style but more traditional. I prefer playing these courses because you are not fighting 3 feet high wasteland rough. In my opinion, golfers will either love or hate this course layout.

How can you get people away from the clifftops at both Dunes' courses? Build something like Bandon Trails-that is how. Although set inland, I highly recommend a round at the Trails. This is probably the most difficult of the four courses, yet still enjoyable for all handicaps. As part of the resort, you have access to all that the resort offers.
The routing takes you through dunes, forest and a meadow and returns in the dunes. The holes look like they were already there waiting for somebody to just play them. This course does have the most holes with elevation change. Many holes are uphill in nature. If here during the summer, the last three holes are uphill and into a wind-definitely a challenge to keep one's score at par for this set. Despite being set inland, the course still plays like a links with firm and fast conditions. Ground game options and using the contouring of the greens and ground come into play or at least you should use them-they are there for a reason. Hard to pick out a signature hole as all of them are top notch. The 14th is probably the easiest to remember. Despite being a driveable par 4, the strategy of risk reward comes into play. If you are not on the left side, you have a blind uphill approach to a narrow target. If on the left side, all opens up to you. Many, if not all, of the holes have this type of strategy. In other words, the fairways are wide, but you need to hit the correct side of them to score well. Bunkering is abundant, yet perfectly placed. Dare to flirt with them and you are rewarded with an easier approach. The greens are excellent with contours that provide challenge but not of the clown's mouth variety. They are also divided into sections and hitting the proper section is key to avoiding a three putt. Bring your lag putting. The course has par 3s and 5s that run in different directions and lengths. Great sets of both. The par 4s are enjoyable and you never see the same thing twice-all are unique.
If at the resort for multiple days, do spend a round here. Can't say that it is my favorite of the four courses, but Trails is not to be missed. It does offer something different and unique. Do it as a second round of a 36 hole day.

First off, as a test of golf, Bandon Trails is as good as it gets, and that includes the other three championship courses at Bandon Dunes. It's not on the ocean, but you can hear the ocean. And it's also very linksy, with a lot of up and down holes, some elevated tees, and some difficult elevated greens. Fairways are more than generous, but it's the approach shots to these well protected greens over cavernous bunkers that help make this such a tough test, It's not exactly easy to putt either. With all that said, Trails is plenty scenic, even without the seaside holes, and it's never boring.

As Mscheelar said below, Bandon Trails is unique from the other 3 courses. Routed through the giant pines and with much more of a North Carolina feel (at least for this Southerner), this is a great choice on windy days but shouldn't be missed regardless. The 2 driveable par 4's are a blast and the views and contours are special. I found this to be the most difficult of the 4 courses, although my ballstriking that day would've made any course difficult. Many greens have false fronts so short shots roll back off the green. All 4 courses at BD are fantastic, and this one, like the other 3, is a must play while at the resort. This was the most challenging course to walk for our group (elevation changes and tees farther from greens than the others). This course also gives you the least amount of room off the tee, BUT, it's not a narrow course by any means.

I was able to finally play Bandon Trails this week, not only was it a stark difference from the rest of the courses on property, it was a ton of fun and very difficult.

For the majority of your time on Trails, you forget you are at the ocean. There is plenty of solitude, but the course itself still has that links feel to it. It can be a wild ride at times, but very fun.

There were some very quirky and unique holes, plenty of monstrous bunkers and tough shots, I would say Trails is the toughest of the 4 courses.

We were incredibly lucky with the weather, 70 degrees and perfection, that also led to a bit of a slow round, nearly 5 hours.

Overall Trails is a must play, although I did miss the ocean at times, and I would probably rank Trails as my 3rd or 4th favorite course at Bandon.

This course has really grown on me over the years. When it opened I thought it a cut below Dunes and Pacific. This was possibly because I'd come to expect the spectacular ocean views and classic links play. Trails in many ways reminded me of some of our classic Canadian mountain courses with the forests, ponds and elevation change.

But when you start to realize that there are NO weak or boring holes and that there are a bunch of unique and really fun holes one concludes that this is a great golf course in its own right. It includes ( for a medium hitter) a drivable par 4 followed soon after by a par 3 where you might hit driver depending on the wind. Then there is the notorious 14th; a par 4 with a table top green just about impossible to hit. With our group there is always a bet of some kind for anyone who can hit the green or make a par....and we are all single digit players.

The conditioning is always great. The greens are usually a little faster than the others at Bandon and quite sloped. The walk is a bit tougher than the other 3 courses and the pace a bit slower . We always prefer to play it in the morning when the legs are fresher when playing 36.