Ben_Howell34

Sand Valley is about as good as it gets.  I'm heading north for the 5th time in the last 4 years in 11 days - not that I'm counting.  Was lucky enough to go 2x last year - once in the spring to play the regular rota at SV + the courses at Lake Arrowhead and again in late summer for a 24 hour trip to play Lido & MD.  Lido was better than expected, and I'm a nerd who know enough about the history of the place well before it came into existence for a second time.  In a few years when everything grows in that place is going to be unbelievable.  

Our 2024 Trip is with 2 first timers, but one went to Bandon last fall, so he's got an idea what he's in for. I love bringing newbies up and watching them walk thru the tunnel at Mammoth.  It's a great experience to share. 

We're not staying on property for the first time ever, which made Lido inaccessible, even with the contacts I've made over the years.  BUT we did luck out and score some solid tee times including preview play @ Sedge Valley a week before it opens to the public.  Had Stevens Point Country Club in that slot, but the opportunity to play Sedge bumped it.  

Day 1 - Sandbox AM / Sand Valley PM
Day 2 - Mammoth AM / Lake Arrowhead - Lakes Course PM
Day 3 - Sedge Valley AM / Bullseye Golf Club PM
Day 4 - Lawsonia Links AM / Lake Arrowhead - Pines Couse PM

Pics to follow.  

Today is day 1 for my trip to Oregon to visit family and play Bandon Dunes. My itinerary?
Day 1: Drive to Cheyenne and have a beer or three with @Erin B
Day 2: Drive to Ontario, OR for the night
Day 3: Drive to Bandon and take in the beach before going to bed
Day 4: Play Bandon Crossings. Played here in high school back in the early 90s when it first opened. First links style course in OR that I know of. Not on par with Bandon Dunes courses but a grear warm up nonetheless.
Day 5: Play Bandon Dunes in the morning and Bandon Trails in the afternoon. Caddy for both rounds and tip money is already set aside. Plan to hit a brewry and wood-fired pizza for dinner that night
Day 6: Drive to Albany to visit an friend from college and play a round together at his club then drive to Bend to visit my parents for a couple days
Day 7: Playing at Tetherow with my dad then hit a brewery or two in Bend
Day 8: Hang out in Bend for a day and visit with my parents for another day before making the trek home
Day 9: Drive to Salt Lake for the night.
Day 10: Drive to Gothenburg, NE and if time permits, sneak in 9 holes with Erin B on the way back home
Day 11: Play a 7:30am round at Wild Horse before driving home to Omaha
It's an action packed vacation that I will likely need a vacation from when it's all over, lol.

Sand Hollow is a gem. And if you're driving up from Nevada, Utah is in a different time zone. It could cause someone to be parking and playing if one is not careful... 😝

As an extreme photo nerd and hobbyist (just bought my first drone - arrives momentarily, in fact, for the outing to Kingsmill coming up later this month), I'm floored by the images your friends were able to get.  I think this is an INCREDIBLY undervalued aspect of "boys trips", is someone there dedicated to capturing the moments.  Yes, the golf will always be incredible, but remembering to stop and pick up a camera mid-round can often be forgotten.  I went to Palm Springs this January for my first "boys trip", and managed to capture a LOT of, what I'd call, beautiful images and video, but it still took me out of the golfing, and the only people really featured in the pictures are my buddies (as I was the one taking all the photos).  
Kudos to having the forethought to bringing your (incredibly talented) friends along.  How did that work - were they allowed to walk the courses with you and you just paid for their lodging? Or did they have to pay for rounds as well, even if not playing?  (I'm in the process of planning a Bandon outing for 2026, is why I ask).
Thanks so much for posting this - not sure how I'm only just seeing it now, but WOW.  I'm so jealous I can barely type 🙂

wow - what an experience.
I played Pacific Dunes last year and it was amazing. Every hole is stunning. 
I was born and raised in OR and used to go to Bandon before any of these courses were built and remember the charm of the small town there. The Oregon coast is something to behold.

I made this thread for the group to share their favorite, funniest, or most memorable golf photo’s. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.
 
I don’t take many pictures of anything but scenery, and sometimes I forget to even do that much. Mother’s Day 2023 I was away for a work trip and I played Cocoa Beach Country Club in Florida by myself. Playing as a single was actually my first time and it was one of my most enjoyable rounds. The views were great. 

I saw dolphins playing along the bay. 

and I caught the culprit who kept stealing my balls during the entire round..

On my last day in Melbourne, FL. I chose to take the first tee time of the day and play with the sunrise. It was a great view. I played Baytree National and it looked great with the dew and sun.

 
One of my funnier rounds came on Saint Patrick’s Day a few years back where the course didn’t have any fog delay. The first 6 holes were interesting to say the least. This is my 7:40am 1st hole view from the tee box. 
Excited to see what you guys have in the camera roll.

Went 2 years ago. Playing all courses is a great idea. You will love it. Eat at Osage Restaurant. One of the best steaks I have ever eaten!

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Boarding my flight back from Sand Valley and Lawsonia Links. I travel for golf a lot, and I can tell you this is undoubtedly on par or better than any other golf resort in the world. 
 
We arrived on Thursday and immediately looped the Lido course, which is the newest Sand Valley course (although they’re about to open Tom Doak’s Sedge Valley this July). The Lido is a rebuilt course that’s a carbon copy of a 1920’s Long Island Club whose course was lost during WW2. The course is littered with blind tee shots, deceptive bunkering, and MASSIVE greens, the 18th green is over 22,000 sq ft. After that 18, we bounced over to the Sandbox, the Coore & Crenshaw designed 17 hole short course. Following a dinner at the new Italian restaurant, we packed it in early cause Friday was set up to be a marathon.
With a 7:40 tee time on Sand Valley, the original 18, we set out on what can only be described as a golf sickos perfect day. 18 holes at Sand Valley then 5 $1 tacos and 3 $2 beers then a sprint back to the short course sandbox to play 17 holes barefoot. Once we finished at the Sandbox, we all sat down for another beer and a 30 min break before we finished our day at Mammoth Dunes, the David Mclay Kidd designed course and the most fun golf you’ll ever play. After a quick thunderstorm that blew through while we were on 15 tee, we finished the last 4 holes in absolutely perfect weather that you can see in photos below. Somehow after 53 holes of just pure golf our day got better when Friday night we got to sit outside our room and watch the northern lights dance over our heads  
 



 
After Friday, we played 18 more at mammoth dunes in the morning in extremely windy and tough conditions then drove over to Green Lake, Wi to play a local muni, White Lake Golf Course and Sunday morning woke up to play Lawsonia Links, another outstanding track. 
 
159 holes of golf later, I’m beatdown and tired but couldn’t be much happier. 

 

Just got back. Trip exceeded expectations! Most beauty I’ve ever seen on golf courses. Played Coral Canyon, Conestoga, Sand Hollow, The Ledges, and Wolf Creek. House we stayed at was awesome too and very affordable (through the ledges). And I had 2 eagles at wolf creek on the front 9!!

Just got back. Trip exceeded expectations! Most beauty I’ve ever seen on golf courses. Played Coral Canyon, Conestoga, Sand Hollow, The Ledges, and Wolf Creek. House we stayed at was awesome too and very affordable (through the ledges). And I had 2 eagles at wolf creek on the front 9!!

Just got back. Trip exceeded expectations! Most beauty I’ve ever seen on golf courses. Played Coral Canyon, Conestoga, Sand Hollow, The Ledges, and Wolf Creek. House we stayed at was awesome too and very affordable (through the ledges). And I had 2 eagles at wolf creek on the front 9!!

Played here on April 20th and I 100% agree. Played Wolf Creek too and liked this course better!

I also found a ball marker in the parking lot of Wolf Creek with this logo on it. Looks cool to me. 

My favorite logo of courses I have played is Ozarks National in Missouri: 
Another one I like is Old Edwards, but it is for the whole resort, not just golf. 
 

My favorite logo of courses I have played is Ozarks National in Missouri: 
Another one I like is Old Edwards, but it is for the whole resort, not just golf. 
 

I also found a ball marker in the parking lot of Wolf Creek with this logo on it. Looks cool to me. 

My favorite logo of courses I have played is Ozarks National in Missouri: 
Another one I like is Old Edwards, but it is for the whole resort, not just golf. 
 

My favorite logo of courses I have played is Ozarks National in Missouri: 
Another one I like is Old Edwards, but it is for the whole resort, not just golf. 
 

I also found a ball marker in the parking lot of Wolf Creek with this logo on it. Looks cool to me. 

My favorite logo of courses I have played is Ozarks National in Missouri: 
Another one I like is Old Edwards, but it is for the whole resort, not just golf.