In case you need another reason to visit Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, on May 2 there will be one more. Shorty’s is a 19-hole short course that has been carefully routed through magnificent dunes just south of Bandon Trails’ first hole and the Bandon Preserve. This undeveloped part of the resort was transformed by the architectural firm Whitman, Axland & Cutten. Rod Whitman, Dave Axland and Keith Cutten worked hard to make these unique holes fit seamlessly into the towering dunes. A surprisingly easy walk with “putter tees” on each hole will cater to golfers at every skill level. The fun layout is named after Shorty Dow, the first caretaker of Bandon Dunes.
As has been the standard operating procedure for every course at Bandon Dunes, Shorty’s was seeded with a fine fescue blend. These grasses have worked well for each course during their infancy. However, as one would imagine – in this part of the world, Poa annua eventually wins on the greens. All the other greens at the resort have succumbed to the king of competitive turf. In time, Shorty’s will be no different.
Shorty’s and Bandon Preserve, the other short course at the resort, are considered “courses with a mission.” All net proceeds directly fund the Bandon Dunes Charitable Foundation. This charitable arm of the resort invests heavily in the local community where they are doing some great work.
Behind the scenes, yet again, is director of agronomy Ken Nice. Having been part of six of the seven grow-ins at the resort, Nice has become a bit of a construction savant. His institutional knowledge of this glorious strip of Oregon coastline is vast and invaluable. As an accomplished high school basketball coach, he knows how to get the most out of his teams on and off the court. At the resort, he relies heavily on a strong and seasoned crew of mostly Oregon locals.
With well over 100 maintenance staff and nearly as many staff dogs, it takes seven superintendents and their assistants to figure out where everyone needs to be on a daily basis. Preparing 122 golf holes, practice putting greens, and an expansive practice facility every day is no small feat. This hard-working group of people are under constant pressure to deliver a bucket list golf experience for the countless numbers of golfers that make the pilgrimage to Bandon. Kudos to them.
During a recent trip to the resort, Nice and his rambunctious sidekick Rio walked me through Shorty’s. Afterward, as we stood at the picturesque clubhouse site with the entire course and coastline in front of us, all I could think to say was, “Nice grow-in… again.”
West Region Agronomists:
Brian Whitlark, regional director – bwhitlark@usga.org
Cory Isom, senior consulting agronomist – cisom@usga.org