BANDON, OREGON | Standing on the opening tee of Pacific Dunes here last week, I took a moment to savor my good fortune, for I was about to play one of the most scenic and best-designed courses of the modern era as part of the first group off that day.
There is something enthralling about being in that position, starting with the chance to enjoy the emptiness of the heaving fairways and rugged dunes. I also like the freshness of the layout that time of day, thanks to the early-morning light that the sun casts across the turf and the way it causes the dewy grass to glisten.
To me, breaking four hours in a round at Bandon is about as satisfying as breaking 80.
Maybe it is my German lineage, but I relish the sense of control I have at being able to set the pace as a lead golfer as well as the ability to walk briskly between shots while still taking time to admire the ocean views, the sounds of waves crashing on the beaches and the calls of the brant geese flying overhead. For some reason, conversations with caddies and playing companions seem to flow more smoothly at that clip as well.
I always hope to score in a game and maybe make a birdie or two. But I also take pride in going low in another way, and that concerns the time it takes to complete 18 holes. To me, breaking four hours in a round at Bandon is about as satisfying as breaking 80.
Years ago, I was first off in a twosome on the Old Course in St. Andrews on a crisp and clear October morn, and for much of that round, it felt as if we had the most hallowed 18 holes in golf to ourselves. It took us just less than three hours to complete our loop. When my playing partner and I walked off the 18th green, we laughed when we considered how quickly we had played the Old and wondered, given the still-early hour, whether we should have a coffee afterwards or a pint.
That’s a golf day I will never forget. Same with my round on Pacific, which was played under partly sunny skies, including plenty of banter as well as shots good and bad and took 3 hours and 40 minutes to finish.
There is nothing quite like being first.
John Steinbreder
E-MAIL JOHN
Top: Sunrise at Bandon Dunes (Andrev Popov, Getty Images)