These may have been the surprise of the trip for me. They’re like what I wish Clif Bars would be. So good.
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Yeah also me, usually.
The two that stick out for me we’re back to back 5 irons into 10 and 11 on Trails. One to 7 ft for birdie and one that trundled down the hill to about 12 ft (par) respectively.
11 on trails is the quietest golf hole on the planet. Serene and Surreal.
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For anyone who likes the protein balls, you might want to try this recipe. I was making these when I was on a bulk a few years ago, they are very, very similar to the ones at Bandon. I was making them on Sundays to snack on during the week.
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About to go wild with this today:
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Protein balls were great. I ended up getting addicted to the cookies and getting a couple every single round. @ajsHTX had the first caddie I saw not take up an offer on a drink and go for two cookies. Haha. Funniest caddie of the trip for me.
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The peanut butter cookie was 
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Loudest wrappers west of the Mississippi
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when we talked about it, i had not yet had one. but got one at sheep before the round started and was legitimately shocked. had to ditch it and grab a napkin immediately
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I was lucky enough to see the prototype, p sick!
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Almost driving the #16 green at Bandon Dunes and hitting it to 15ft on #17 at Pac. Gosh, when are we going back?
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I feel like its a sick tease to hint at something but not deliver the goods.
Details, you bass turd. 
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Logo hot take: Trails logo = Tramp Stamp
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Not a hot take
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First off, I want to thank the NLU crew for putting on a spectacular bucket list trip to one of the world’s finest golf destinations.
Overall, the golf was top notch and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to see Bandon the way it was presented, with the wonderful hospitality, excellent accommodations, and fantastic weather.
This trip also showed me my limits as a golfer and a traveler.
This could will be a very controversial opinion on the Refuge but I found Cabot to be more my speed than Bandon for future trips.
Please note that I am not saying Cabot is better than Bandon overall. From a golf perspective, Bandon wins.
I think the two resorts are for different types of golfers; Bandon is for true sickos who want to go 36 holes each day and hit the McKee’s Pub and close down the Bunker Bar while Cabot is more suitable for a trip with a spouse where a morning round on one of the courses is followed by some hiking or a visit to the Glenora Distillery.
Breaking it down, it’s easier for me to get to Cabot since I’m on the east coast, there are only two full golf courses and a short course (the Nest!) so I don’t feel bad about playing four rounds and calling it a trip, the walks aren’t as grueling, and it’s somewhere I can take my wife with me where she wouldn’t be bored out of her mind.
I didn’t go with caddies at Bandon because I’m not really into having someone give me reads and I hate it when caddies double bag because it ends up being less efficient than me just pushing my own clubs. The caddies at Cabot were cheap and I could get a solo B caddie there who I could tell to just show up, keep up, and shut up 
I played a total of 121 holes in a four day stretch between the Preserve, Pac Dunes twice, Sheep, Old Mac, Bandon, and Trails. That’s too much golf for me. My body, especially my back, still hurts.
Between the two resorts, my raking of the courses would be:
- Cabot Cliffs - very playable, scorable, and has the grand views
1A. Bandon Dunes - an absolute gem that’s gorgeous, clever and playable with a couple of really mean holes if you’re all the way back
1B. Bandon Trails - a different look that is more reminiscent of the type of courses I like to play, just cranked up to 11 - Cabot Links - a fine seaside course with subtlety and challenges
- Pacific Dunes - lots of “Wow!” moments but very bounce dependent. Too many collection areas and greenside bunkers were too penal
- The Preserve - tons of fun; a par 3 course
- Sheep Ranch - also fun and kind of formless. A little too “free jazz” for me, a Florida golfer who feels weird without danger / OB surrounding every hole
- Old Mac - Silly greens and bunkers that are basically unplayable due to the oatmeal-with-syrup sand
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This is really useful info for someone who hasn’t ever been to Cabot, I hadn’t thought about that being a place my wife would also enjoy. It seems more likely that a place like that would be my next destination. As a DC guy, also a much easier trip.
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If you want to keep going on these bucket list golf trips you have to think on many levels.
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Cabot is also as north as at gets
very short golf season`
the ocean actually freezes there
give me the PNW al day every day LOL
love the wife idea, but after 25+ years, she is over it hahaha
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Funny thing about the daily update handicap system…
Arrived in Oregon as a 13.9, left 6 rounds later as an 11.5!
I got hit with the USGA Exceptional Score Handicap Index Safeguard: https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/handicapping/world-handicap-system/world-handicap-system-usga-golf-faqs/faqs---what-is-an-exceptional-score-.html
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Much to this idea, I jumped at the opportunity to help plan a trip this summer to Cape Breton when the in-laws said they wanted to find the old, old, old family homestead. Golf was not on my mind whatsoever…
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