By Fred Altvater
As COVID restrictions eased golfers flocked to Bandon Dunes and the existing five courses have been filled to capacity. Due to the immense popularity, the owner Mike Keiser decided a greater supply of courses were necessary, to satisfy Golfaholics.
The last addition to the resort, the Sheep Ranch has been open for less than two years and Keiser recently announced a new course will be added on a separate ocean-side property just south of the town of Bandon, plus a new par-3 short course will be added to the existing Bandon Dunes Resort. 
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Bandon Dunes already offers Golfaholics five memorable 18-hole tracts, Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, Old MacDonald, Bandon Trails and the Sheep Ranch. For a little variety there is also the par-3 Bandon Preserve, the Punch Bowl putting course and Shorty’s Practice Range.
Back 9 Report visited Bandon Dunes in 2019 and Director of Operations Jeff Simonds talked about the history of Bandon Dunes: https://youtu.be/swxK3-22PNE
The new 18-hole course named, New River Dunes, will be designed by David McLay Kidd and will reside on a separate piece of property south of Bandon. Keiser has been in negotiations with government officials for ten years to get the project started.
A new par-3 course will be created by Tom Doak and sit adjacent to the existing Bandon Preserve.
Both Doak and Kidd have history at Bandon. McLay Kidd designed the first course at Bandon, Bandon Dunes. Doak is responsible for Pacific Dunes, Old MacDonald and the Punch Bowl.
The award-winning team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw designed Bandon Trails, the Sheep Ranch, as well as, the 13-hole par-3 Bandon Preserve.
Obtaining the necessary Federal permits before construction can begin makes it impossible to predict an opening date.
“The bureaucratic ball is beginning to roll,” said Keiser, “We’ve just begun the process of getting approvals on both of the new courses. You never know whether they will be forthcoming or whether they will demand changes, or who knows what.”
Another reason more courses will be needed at Bandon Dunes Resort is that the USGA will hold 13 national championships on Bandon Dunes’ courses through 2045. The resort has already hosted a very successful USGA Four-Ball Championship and the 2020 U.S. Amateur.
Mike Keiser has set the standard for how new golf resorts are conceived. He along with his two sons, Mike and Chris are involved in all aspects of the courses. The Keisers also own Sand Valley in Wisconsin, Cabot Cape Breton, in Nova Scotia, as well as, Cabot Saint Lucia, which is currently under construction in the Caribbean.
