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Travel

10 Things to Know About Booking a Trip to Bandon Dunes

By Brendon Elliott, PGA
Published on

My brother Graham recently visited Bandon Dunes, the iconic Oregon golf destination, for a guy's trip. We knew it would be special.
What we didn't know, however, is how it would reignite his love for golf and helped us reconnect as brothers through the game.
Graham got into golf later than I did. He played on our high school team and was pretty competitive. After finishing college at St. Bonaventure University, where he studied Journalism, he also ended up working in the golf industry at Golfweek where he used his journalism skills before becoming an elementary school teacher.
I asked him to share his experience at Bandon and his rekindled passion for golf by dusting off his writing skills, and giving some helpful tips for anyone traveling there soon. Enjoy!
Just do it! That’s my advice for anyone who is on the fence about visiting Bandon Dunes. I had all the reasons not to go … cost, weather in December (pro tip – better than a good summer day if you get lucky), flights, hip replacement, bad knees and, really, I just don’t play enough to justify going.
Boy I was wrong. The trip was worth every penny, and I ended up playing some of my best golf.
The brainchild was put into action about a year prior while I was a guest at my buddy’s golf club. At the time, I only played a handful of rounds a year. It sounded cool, but it wasn’t for me. My life had taken a new direction 20 years ago when I left the golf industry (I was a writer/editor for Golfweek) and turned into an elementary school teacher.
In fifth grade, the students have a unit about space, and after taking several class trips to Kennedy Space Center to listen to astronauts talk about how they train for their mission and what space really looks like, I could finally relate. The research, time, effort and dedication to finally make that journey into space is worth every second they’ll often say. I now truly understand where they are coming from because Bandon Dunes is also worth it.
Like I said, the prep work and anticipation are part of the fun. How many times will you be looking at pictures prior to your trip? At least 1,000. How many minutes will you watch strangers play from the live feed? At least 2 hours.
Landing in Eugene, Oregon, after a cross-country flight, we still had a nice two-and-a-half-hour car ride. At one point I joked in the car about this really being a pilgrimage and when you finally see it, you get to feel like Alan Shepard landing and playing golf on the moon.
As much as I would like to get into every part of the trip, I really don’t want to spoil it. Instead, here is a top-10 list of things that stood out.
  1. Play as much as you physically can (at one point I didn’t think my body would hold up, but that is when I started playing my best; the golf gods knew).
  2. Go with friends because the photo ops are priceless.
  3. Enjoy the food, it’s all good, especially the breakfast sandwiches at Sheep Ranch.
  4. Use the practice facility, you are there to play as much golf as you can so just do it.
  5. The Punch Bowl is a must, get creative and hit the longest putts of your life.
  6. Talk it up with your caddies, the more you engage the better the experience. Nick gave me a perfect line on my eagle putt that I nailed.
  7. Talk to Shoe. He wasn’t there when we were there, but he is an amazing part of the Bandon experience. Follow him on X where he gives each day a rating.
  8. Consider renting clubs (only if you are a higher handicapper). You will be hitting the latest clubs and it's a good test run if you are getting new ones. Plus, you get six balls each day too.
  9. Eat at the Ghost Tree Grill for dinner. Splurge because you came this far.
  10. Don’t worry about over packing, even if you don’t wear it. The weather is very unpredictable. The shoe warmers in the room are spectacular.
If you are on the fence, say yes to Bandon. If you are returning, well, you already know.
Brendon R. Elliott, PGA

Sorrento, FL

Brendon Elliott

Director of Instruction, Freelance Golf Writer

[Brendon Elliott, PGA](https://brendonelliott.com/), is an award-winning PGA Professional, player-development coach and nationally recognized golf writer with three decades of experience in the golf industry. As of 2026, he has been a PGA Professional for 17 years and has earned more than 25 PGA Section and Chapter honors for his work in coaching, education and player development. In 2017, he received the PGA of America National Youth Player Development Award. ## Coaching Competitive Teenage Golfers Through [BE A GOLFER](https://beagolfer.golf/home), Brendon specializes in working with competitive teenage golfers who want to improve their performance, better understand their games and prepare for the demands of high school, junior tournament and college golf. His primary focus is [Remote Coaching](https://beagolfer.golf/remote-coaching), which allows him to remain actively involved in a player’s development regardless of location. Rather than relying on occasional lessons or isolated swing fixes, Brendon works with players throughout their competitive journey. His coaching covers much more than the golf swing. Players receive ongoing guidance in structured practice, short-game development, putting, course management, tournament preparation, performance analysis, goal setting and the mental and physical habits required to improve over time. Using video analysis, virtual coaching sessions, performance data and regular communication, Brendon helps each player understand what to work on, why it matters and how to make meaningful progress between practices and tournaments. Brendon accepts only a limited number of in-person students in Central Florida. His priority is building long-term [Remote Coaching](https://beagolfer.golf/remote-coaching) relationships with competitive teenage golfers and their families. The goal is not simply to help a young player hit better shots. It is to help that player become more prepared, more accountable and more capable of navigating everything competitive golf demands. Brendon’s career has included serving as a head golf professional, general manager, college golf educator, career development director, academy owner and longtime junior golf leader. He founded Little Linksters Golf Academy in 2008 and led the organization for more than 16 years before selling the academy in late 2024 and launching [BE A GOLFER](https://beagolfer.golf/home). ## Golf Writing and Media Brendon is also a nationally recognized and prolific golf writer and storyteller. He is the Senior Golf Writer for [Athlon Sports](https://athlonsports.com/author/brendon-elliott) and has written extensively about professional golf, instruction, player development, equipment, golf history and the people shaping the game. His work has also appeared with PGA.com, GolfWRX, PGA Magazine, MyGolfSpy and several other prominent golf media outlets. Through [One More Roll Golf Media](https://onemorerollgolf.com/), Brendon provides editorial content, feature writing, consulting and media services throughout the golf industry. His background as a coach and educator shapes the way he writes, while his work as a writer strengthens the way he coaches. He understands how to explain complicated ideas clearly, ask better questions and connect the technical, strategic and personal sides of golf.

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