bandon building

Building Bandon Dunes

Against all odds, Mike Keiser buys remote Oregon dunesland and hires a pair of rookies to help him build and manage a golf course.

In part 1 of this 2-part podcast, you’ll hear from Mike Keiser, the owner, David McLay Kidd and his father, Jimmy, the architects, and Josh Lesnik and his father, Steve, who won the bid to manage it. Bandon Dunes, the original course at what is now the best pure golf destination in America, and arguably the world, was an outlier that opened in 1999. Like Sand Hills in Mullen, Nebraska, which opened in 1995, to build a golf course in a remote location using a minimalist architect or architects was anything but what was being built in America in the 90s.

Part 2 picks up on May 1st, 1999 on the eve of Bandon Dunes opening for business. I’m not even sure Mike Keiser could’ve dreamed something as big as what Bandon has become. We hear from Bandon’s original caddy master, Shoe, and the local barber, Mick Peters, who has hit the first tee shot on every course at Bandon, as well as reflections from Mike Keiser, David Kidd, Josh Lesnik, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw as we also celebrate the opening of the Sheep Ranch, their third course on property.

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1 thought on “Building Bandon Dunes”

  1. I’ve got an idea for naming the new course at new river. A couple miles down the coast is an area of outstanding natural beauty called Blacklock Point. ( google it) I know mr Kaiser is a man who thinks out of the box, why not Blacklock Dunes? There is a sandstone arch at that location, possibly part of the logo? Additionally, there are several new rivers around the country, but no other Blacklocks that I’m aware of. Just an idea.

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