Bandon's Barber Goes First
- By Matt Ginella
- March 2, 2021
“I just couldn’t believe that I was going to be first one on a fantastic course like Bandon Dunes.” So says Mick Peters, who, in his own words, is “a pretty average guy.”
In the process of building and developing Bandon Dunes, Mike Keiser has propelled a wide variety of obscure people and simple things into legendary status. Or is it simple people and obscure things? In the end, and in the case of this special place, it works both ways.
There are the architects: David McLay Kidd, Tom Doak, Jim Urbina, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. He didn’t just help make their architectural careers, he made them rock stars of the industry. He transformed a gorse-chocked coastline into one big gift to the avid American amateur. One course at a time and over two decades, “we” now have an overwhelming hub of pure links golf in this country. He took the idea of a putting and a par-3 course and not only made them cool, but they’ve become essential watering holes of a buddies-trip destination and key ingredients to the priceless camaraderie we all chase and crave.
Keiser used the best land for golf, proved 6,200 yards is enough, that lodging could be spartan, and that a guy named Shoe was the perfect fit for a position known as the Director of Outside Happiness, which he takes very seriously.
Which brings us back to Mick Peters, who hasn’t gone on to build other courses, has never signed an autograph, isn’t asked to do speaking engagements, doesn’t have Twitter or Instagram and is the furthest thing from going viral.
And yet, because of Keiser, all of the architects, Shoe and a damn cool set of circumstances, the local barber is one of Bandon’s best stories.
The complete story appears in the latest issue of Dream Golf and on dreamgolf.com
–Matt Ginella
You can reach me on Twitter or comment below.
Matt Ginella has been covering golf for 25 years. First at Sports Illustrated, then Golf Digest and Golf World magazines and most recently for Golf Channel, where he appeared as the Travel Insider for “Morning Drive” and wrote for Golf Advisor.com.
6 thoughts on “Bandon’s Barber Goes First”
Pingback: The life and weakness of Bandon Dune’s ‘Ghost Tree’ | Golf News and Tour Information – toikn.com
Pingback: The life and lean of Bandon Dune’s ‘Ghost Tree’ - Golf News Group
Pingback: The life and lean of Bandon Dune’s ‘Ghost Tree’ - Golf Attention
Pingback: The life and lean of Bandon Dune’s ‘Ghost Tree’ - FitGolfEveryDay.com
Pingback: The life and lean of Bandon Dune’s ‘Ghost Tree’ - Gone to Play Golf
Pingback: The life and lean of Bandon Dune’s ‘Ghost Tree’ - Golf News