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Dream Golf: The Making of Bandon Dunes, Revised and Expanded
"Mike Keiser followed his instincts to build courses that speak to golf as a rugged adventure. Steve Goodwin's spirited book will speak to the golfing soul in you." —Lorne Rubenstein, columnist for The Globe and Mail (Canada) and author of A Season in Dornoch
On a wild, windblown bluff high above the Pacific sits one of America’s premier golfing destinations, Bandon Dunes. Golf enthusiast Mike Keiser had the dream of building this British-style "links" course on a stretch of Oregon's rugged coast, and Dream Golf is the first all-inclusive account of how he turned his passion into a reality.
Now, in this updated and expanded edition, golf writer Stephen Goodwin revisits Bandon Dunes and introduces readers to Keiser's latest effort there, a new course named Old Macdonald that will present golfers with a more rugged, untamed version of the game. This "new" approach to the sport is, in fact, a return to the game's origins, with a very deep bow to Charles Blair Macdonald (1856 –1939), the father of American golf course architecture and one of the founders of the U.S. Golf Association. This highly anticipated fourth course, designed by renowned golf course architect Tom Doak along with Jim Urbina — as detailed in Dream Golf — will further enhance Bandon Dunes' reputation as a place where golf really does seem to capture the ancient magic of the game.
On a wild, windblown bluff high above the Pacific sits one of America’s premier golfing destinations, Bandon Dunes. Golf enthusiast Mike Keiser had the dream of building this British-style "links" course on a stretch of Oregon's rugged coast, and Dream Golf is the first all-inclusive account of how he turned his passion into a reality.
Now, in this updated and expanded edition, golf writer Stephen Goodwin revisits Bandon Dunes and introduces readers to Keiser's latest effort there, a new course named Old Macdonald that will present golfers with a more rugged, untamed version of the game. This "new" approach to the sport is, in fact, a return to the game's origins, with a very deep bow to Charles Blair Macdonald (1856 –1939), the father of American golf course architecture and one of the founders of the U.S. Golf Association. This highly anticipated fourth course, designed by renowned golf course architect Tom Doak along with Jim Urbina — as detailed in Dream Golf — will further enhance Bandon Dunes' reputation as a place where golf really does seem to capture the ancient magic of the game.
377 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 19, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
September 20, 2013
I absolutely loved this book. Of course it must be mentioned that I read it in the afterglow of my first trip to Bandon Dunes. Bandon Dunes is every bit as fantastic, mystical, awesome, breathtaking, pure, natural, etc. etc. etc. as I was led to believe and I devoured this book upon my return. The story read like a novel and the side stories and back stories behind Mike Keiser, the various architects and the resort itself were fascinating. If you have played Bandon, you have to read this book. If you love links golf and want to play Bandon, you should read this book. If you simply want to read the story about the making of a treasure, then you should read this book.
April 14, 2026
Great book for avid golf fans... even if they are not very good.
This book is the story of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in isolated SW Oregon. This course is a two hour drive from Eugene, OR and four and a half from Portland, OR but is booked solid for more than a year with a lottery if you are a first-timer to stay at the resort.
At its core is the story of Mike Keizer. Mike made his millions as owner of Recycled Paper Greetings in Chicago. He loved golf and thought that the course designs in the 1980s were too sterile and had a vision for what I call "Links on Steroids". The five courses in the Resort are all incredibly beautiful (Pacific Ocean views, rolling sand dunes, and lots of gorse) and are challenging *and* very playable. I'm a high handicapper and lost only two balls over four rounds. And, oh yeah, the courses do not allow golf carts (except for medical reasons) and require golfers to walk.
This book tells the story of Mike's version of Dream Golf and is well worth the read if you are headed out to Bandon Dunes.
This book is the story of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in isolated SW Oregon. This course is a two hour drive from Eugene, OR and four and a half from Portland, OR but is booked solid for more than a year with a lottery if you are a first-timer to stay at the resort.
At its core is the story of Mike Keizer. Mike made his millions as owner of Recycled Paper Greetings in Chicago. He loved golf and thought that the course designs in the 1980s were too sterile and had a vision for what I call "Links on Steroids". The five courses in the Resort are all incredibly beautiful (Pacific Ocean views, rolling sand dunes, and lots of gorse) and are challenging *and* very playable. I'm a high handicapper and lost only two balls over four rounds. And, oh yeah, the courses do not allow golf carts (except for medical reasons) and require golfers to walk.
This book tells the story of Mike's version of Dream Golf and is well worth the read if you are headed out to Bandon Dunes.
January 10, 2008
This is only for golf addicts. This book is a nonfiction account of the creation of Bandon Dunes Golf Course (and to a lesser degree, its sister courses Pacific Dunes and Bandon Trails), a course located on the Oregon shore in a remote part of the West Coast. The course was opened about eight years ago, and is considered one of the top golf courses in the world. The book is part character portrait of Mike Keiser (a multimillionaire and golf fan who wanted to build a links-style golf course), and part documentary of the course creation. The book describes how Keiser went against conventional wisdom by buying property in the middle of nowhere (instead of by a touristy, populated area), choosing an unknown architect, and making a non-contemporary course (no man-made waterfalls, sand traps, cart paths, etc.). And by making these choices against the grain and sticking to a centuries-old vision of what a golf course should look like, Keiser ends up building a course that is more beautiful than most. Like Moneyball, the book often tends toward hero worship of the main characters. Also, unless you share a similar perspective of what makes a golf course wonderful to spend a day on, this book tends toward the dull side. For golfers, however, this is a fascinating account of the building of a course you will long to play after finishing the book. Non-golfers should skip this read altogether.
May 29, 2023
Great book about the awesome Brandon Dunes Golf Resort. Mike Keiser had developed some awesome properties including sand valley here in Wisconsin. Would love to make it out to bandon one day!
April 17, 2025
See you tomorrow, Bandon my love
November 20, 2025
Great way to learn about Bandon Dunes and golf architecture. I am excited to be scheduled to play there in less than two months.
I wish there were scorecards for each course and drawings for each hole.
p. 24: Mike Koldyke and Marva Collins
p. 27: Variety is not only the "spice of life" but it is the very foundation of golfing architecture. Diversity in nature is universal. Let your golfing architecture mirror it. An ideal or classical course demands variety, personality, and above all, the charm of romance." -- Charles Blair MacDonald, Scotland's Gift, Golf: Reminiscences by Charles Blair Macdonald, 1928
p. 34: Golf Architecture in America; Its Strategy and Construction
p. 35: In the story of the 1951 U.S. Open, three of the major themes of modern golf architecture are present. First, there is the recognition by the powers that be, in this case the USGA and RTJ, that older courses would have to be retooled to defend them against the improvements in golf equipment. Second, the players no longer felt that they were matched against nature, as had previously been the case; they felt that they were pitted against the architect. Third, the architect had no compunction about dictating to the players exactly how the golf course should be played.
p. 36: Robert Trent Jones declared that golf holes were either heroic, strategic or penal in nature and that a good architect mixed these three types of holes according to his site, blending them into one harmonious composition.
p. 36: On most of his courses, Jones made liberal use of water hazards (while classic courses have few water hazards, modern courses have water, water, everywhere).
p. 39: The Architects of Golf: A Survey of Golf Course Design from Its Beginnings to the Present, With an Encyclopedic Listing of Golf Architects and Their Courses
p. 40: TPC Sawgrass is quintessentially American course in the sense that it is artificial through and through. Everything on the course was manufactured; not one single feature had been there before the golf course.
p. 94: Golf Architecture: A Worldwide Perspective Volume 4
p. 104: James W. Finegan
p. 119: No forced carries
p. 139: In the most specific ways, this emphasis on the retail golfer had far-reaching consequences on the design of the golf course. It meant, for instance, that the fairways would be wide and greens would be huge.
p. 139: Mike and David agreed that they wanted a golfer to be able to finish the round with the same ball he started with.
p. 140: There were no water hazards on the course, but David's bunkers were carved into the greens and fairways, not set back at a comfortable distance.
p. 174: It was all about the golf.
p. 190-191: Doak, I speculated, seemed to be a lot like MacKenzie in placing a premium on putting, but David often talked about strategy from the tee and the sheer joy of belting the ball.
p. 197: Some people have said that Bandon is more Scottish, and Pacific is more Irish--well, laddy, that's as it should be.
p. 206: World Atlas of Golf: The Greatest Courses and How They are Played
p. 209: One cardinal principle was that a golf course must be interesting for all classes of player.
p. 210: A second principle--that the natural features of a landscape should be preserved, not obliterated-- was equally at odds with modern course design.
p. 211: The Anatomy of a Golf Course: The Art of Golf Architecture
p. 213: To Tom, steeped in the virtues of classic courses, most of the new courses coming on-line, whether or not they were described as Scottish, seemed predictable, unimaginative, ticky-tacky, homogenized. They seemed always to be arranged in two loops of nine holes, the holes were the prescribed length; they played to a par of 72, always with the same balance of par-3, par-4, and par-5 holes; they seemed to follow a set of "rules" about how holes should be shaped, how hazards should be placed, and so on. They were soulless creations, and they made him cringe.
p. 216: The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses
p. 217: Tom Doak is not a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects
p. 218: High Pointe - Tom Doak design
The Bear -- Jack Nicklaus design
p. 219: Heathland in Myrtle Beach
p. 265: In the Coore-Crenshaw theology, the cardinal sin of golf course architecture is anything that appears to be forced or contrived or "thought-out."
p. 279: "Width is good," Mike said. "We like width."
P. 288: The Evangelist of Golf
P. 308: discovering Donald Ross
Rough Meditations
P. 311: Golf in the Kingdom
P. 321: Robert Trent Jones
P. 325: Tom Doak on minimalism
P. 328: CBM on variety
p. 188-202: 18 holes at Bandon Dunes
p. 245-254: 18 holes at Pacific Dunes
p. 340-344: 18 holes at Old Macdonald
I wish there were scorecards for each course and drawings for each hole.
p. 24: Mike Koldyke and Marva Collins
p. 27: Variety is not only the "spice of life" but it is the very foundation of golfing architecture. Diversity in nature is universal. Let your golfing architecture mirror it. An ideal or classical course demands variety, personality, and above all, the charm of romance." -- Charles Blair MacDonald, Scotland's Gift, Golf: Reminiscences by Charles Blair Macdonald, 1928
p. 34: Golf Architecture in America; Its Strategy and Construction
p. 35: In the story of the 1951 U.S. Open, three of the major themes of modern golf architecture are present. First, there is the recognition by the powers that be, in this case the USGA and RTJ, that older courses would have to be retooled to defend them against the improvements in golf equipment. Second, the players no longer felt that they were matched against nature, as had previously been the case; they felt that they were pitted against the architect. Third, the architect had no compunction about dictating to the players exactly how the golf course should be played.
p. 36: Robert Trent Jones declared that golf holes were either heroic, strategic or penal in nature and that a good architect mixed these three types of holes according to his site, blending them into one harmonious composition.
p. 36: On most of his courses, Jones made liberal use of water hazards (while classic courses have few water hazards, modern courses have water, water, everywhere).
p. 39: The Architects of Golf: A Survey of Golf Course Design from Its Beginnings to the Present, With an Encyclopedic Listing of Golf Architects and Their Courses
p. 40: TPC Sawgrass is quintessentially American course in the sense that it is artificial through and through. Everything on the course was manufactured; not one single feature had been there before the golf course.
p. 94: Golf Architecture: A Worldwide Perspective Volume 4
p. 104: James W. Finegan
p. 119: No forced carries
p. 139: In the most specific ways, this emphasis on the retail golfer had far-reaching consequences on the design of the golf course. It meant, for instance, that the fairways would be wide and greens would be huge.
p. 139: Mike and David agreed that they wanted a golfer to be able to finish the round with the same ball he started with.
p. 140: There were no water hazards on the course, but David's bunkers were carved into the greens and fairways, not set back at a comfortable distance.
p. 174: It was all about the golf.
p. 190-191: Doak, I speculated, seemed to be a lot like MacKenzie in placing a premium on putting, but David often talked about strategy from the tee and the sheer joy of belting the ball.
p. 197: Some people have said that Bandon is more Scottish, and Pacific is more Irish--well, laddy, that's as it should be.
p. 206: World Atlas of Golf: The Greatest Courses and How They are Played
p. 209: One cardinal principle was that a golf course must be interesting for all classes of player.
p. 210: A second principle--that the natural features of a landscape should be preserved, not obliterated-- was equally at odds with modern course design.
p. 211: The Anatomy of a Golf Course: The Art of Golf Architecture
p. 213: To Tom, steeped in the virtues of classic courses, most of the new courses coming on-line, whether or not they were described as Scottish, seemed predictable, unimaginative, ticky-tacky, homogenized. They seemed always to be arranged in two loops of nine holes, the holes were the prescribed length; they played to a par of 72, always with the same balance of par-3, par-4, and par-5 holes; they seemed to follow a set of "rules" about how holes should be shaped, how hazards should be placed, and so on. They were soulless creations, and they made him cringe.
p. 216: The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses
p. 217: Tom Doak is not a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects
p. 218: High Pointe - Tom Doak design
The Bear -- Jack Nicklaus design
p. 219: Heathland in Myrtle Beach
p. 265: In the Coore-Crenshaw theology, the cardinal sin of golf course architecture is anything that appears to be forced or contrived or "thought-out."
p. 279: "Width is good," Mike said. "We like width."
P. 288: The Evangelist of Golf
P. 308: discovering Donald Ross
Rough Meditations
P. 311: Golf in the Kingdom
P. 321: Robert Trent Jones
P. 325: Tom Doak on minimalism
P. 328: CBM on variety
p. 188-202: 18 holes at Bandon Dunes
p. 245-254: 18 holes at Pacific Dunes
p. 340-344: 18 holes at Old Macdonald
August 18, 2012
I read this while playing golf at Bandon Dunes in Oregon, the construction of which the book chronicles. If you're a golfer and are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to play here, this read adds to the experience. If not, I'd pass on this. It is a testament to one man's dogged determination to accomplish something with his life; something lasting. And he (Mike Keiser) has done it. Bandon Dunes is the type of golf resort that divides one's life golfing experience: before and after Bandon Dunes. Amazing!
September 30, 2014
anyone who loves golf needs to visit bandon Dunes...but read this book before you go
September 8, 2020
One ought to be interested in golf course architecture (and happy to read a story about a bunch of rich white guys) to really enjoy this book, but if that's you, you will likely find that Goodwin does a good job of bringing to life the process of creating Bandon Dunes. Goodwin does a good job painting portraits of Mike Keiser, Howard McKee and David McLay Kidd. There's a rose tint there, despite the occasional dings and disagreements, but it's still evocative and readable.
Tom Doak is enigmatic as ever, and if I have a criticism of the book, it's that Goodwin has softened everyone's rough edges. Occasionally he lets a little seam open and some of that tension makes it to the page, and those are the book's best moments. There is a movie — really! — to be made out of the subtext of this novel. And when that's the case, one naturally wishes that some of the implied stories — like Doak's crew twice setting fire to the gorse (???) — were more than implied.
Tom Doak is enigmatic as ever, and if I have a criticism of the book, it's that Goodwin has softened everyone's rough edges. Occasionally he lets a little seam open and some of that tension makes it to the page, and those are the book's best moments. There is a movie — really! — to be made out of the subtext of this novel. And when that's the case, one naturally wishes that some of the implied stories — like Doak's crew twice setting fire to the gorse (???) — were more than implied.
November 12, 2020
Full disclosure - I've never been to Bandon Dunes (but definitely plan to visit in the future).
Stephen Goodwin gets behind the curtain access to many of the major players involved in creating Oregon's famous Bandon Dunes resort. I enjoyed the story and background detailing the obstacles and triumphs that turned this plot of land into the sought after golf destination it is today.
Unfortunately the book comes across as more of a 350 page public relations document. I felt like something was missing from the narrative - there was so much adulation that I found the overall arguments to be less believable, even if Goodwin was indeed telling the truth.
Perhaps once I see for myself in person what others have proclaimed to be hallowed ground, I might need to amend the above statement.
Stephen Goodwin gets behind the curtain access to many of the major players involved in creating Oregon's famous Bandon Dunes resort. I enjoyed the story and background detailing the obstacles and triumphs that turned this plot of land into the sought after golf destination it is today.
Unfortunately the book comes across as more of a 350 page public relations document. I felt like something was missing from the narrative - there was so much adulation that I found the overall arguments to be less believable, even if Goodwin was indeed telling the truth.
Perhaps once I see for myself in person what others have proclaimed to be hallowed ground, I might need to amend the above statement.
August 9, 2024
I was blessed with being able to play Bandon Dunes this summer, and this is a must read for anyone who is about to. The brief history of golf, and the longer examination of golf course architecture here really made my experience at the course (and as a golfer) so much more rich and compelling. Bandon is of course beautiful and it doesn’t need a book to make it more special, my golf game on the other hand…
The writing isn’t Shakespeare, and I could do without multiple hole-by-hole breakdowns (the first one was enough), but otherwise this was enjoyable and a great companion to a wonderful golf trip.
The writing isn’t Shakespeare, and I could do without multiple hole-by-hole breakdowns (the first one was enough), but otherwise this was enjoyable and a great companion to a wonderful golf trip.
March 23, 2026
I've had the privilege of playing golf at Bandon Dunes three times. Bandon truly is "dream golf". The story of creating this golfing paradise is remarkable with many twists and turns. I played there both before and after Old Macdonald was completed. Getting to experience all of it again through this book was wonderful. Understanding the approach used to create each course was fascinating. I appreciate all four courses even more after reading this book. Goodwin should update the Bandon story to cover the 3 additional courses added since Old Macdonald. I've been hoping to return to Bandon and this book makes me want to go back even more.
July 27, 2025
I’m letting myself say I read this because Jase won’t stop listening to it when we’re in the car together, and the couple of chapters I missed I got basically a line by line recap.
Also, how did I marry someone who listens to audiobooks at 1x speed and not the 2.5x that I listen to?!?!
3 ⭐️ because the accent on the reader was nice.
Also, how did I marry someone who listens to audiobooks at 1x speed and not the 2.5x that I listen to?!?!
3 ⭐️ because the accent on the reader was nice.
February 4, 2019
A bit long and a bit redundant – and definitely written for golf aficionados more than ordinary human beings – this is nevertheless a vividly told and inspiring story of perseverance, vision, and the power of a guiding ideal.
January 16, 2022
Really good. Probably 100 pages too long, but written very well and researched tremendously. It gave me a greater appreciation for golf course architecture (which was a goal) and a greater desire to go to Bandon.
July 12, 2024
I got the recommendation to read this from a list of how to prepare for a Bandon Dunes trip. After reading it, I think it should be a requirement for everyone who is planning on visiting. It has great insight into how the resort came into existence. Well written and a quick read.
December 26, 2024
Pumped! I’m heading to Bandon in 6 months and already was excited. Reading Dream Golf increased that feeling 20-fold! The commitment, team-concept, ecological awareness & drive to create an unforgettable experience…special read…will be a special trip
October 8, 2017
Golf lovers only I’d say
February 3, 2020
Must read if you’re planning a Bandon trip. Golf architecture aficionados will also enjoy. Fantastic read for the golf enthusiast.
September 20, 2020
If you’re traveling to bandon dunes then this is a great read to learn the history of the courses and how it all came together.
November 26, 2020
Really good. Very interesting book.
Really fun and easy read about the makings of a golf resort that changed american golf. Perfect for any golfer.
Really fun and easy read about the makings of a golf resort that changed american golf. Perfect for any golfer.
April 16, 2021
Seeing is believing.
May 17, 2021
A must read before your pilgrimage to Bandon. If you love golf, and especially golf architecture, then you will enjoy the book.
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April 8, 2022Great story of how Bandon came to be, must read ahead of a trip
December 21, 2022
Really enjoyable story of an incredible place (Bandon Dunes).
June 28, 2023
Great story about the making of Bandon dunes courses/resorts, but the last half of the book got very redundant.
May 8, 2024
Enthralling. Mike Keiser is the GOAT
May 19, 2024
Insightful backstory about the making of one of the greatest golf destinations and the beginnings of more sensible golf operations in America.
June 2, 2025
Getting me excited to go play!!
April 3, 2026
Bandon Dunes
If you are making your first pilgrimage to Bandon, read this first! It will change your perspective of the property, courses, and potential company.
If you are making your first pilgrimage to Bandon, read this first! It will change your perspective of the property, courses, and potential company.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews