Featured Interns: The Scotsmen / Rory Campbell And Fraser Johnston

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Rory Campbell has a simple way of crystallizing the differences between golf in the United States and his native Scotland. 

“It’s all match play and public golf,” Campbell, 20, describes golf in his home country. 

Admittedly, Rory and his friend Fraser Johnston are just learning the intricacies of American golf, which is the very point of why they are at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in the first place. Campbell and Johnston — who are both studying professional golf management at University of the Highlands and Islands near famed Royal Dornoch — arrived together in May as interns in Bandon Dunes’ professional golf management internship program.

It has been a whirlwind: Beginning when they received their visas in May and four days later boarded a flight from Glasgow to Eugene, Ore. — via Philadelphia and San Francisco, and then rerouted thanks to a delay, through Seattle. But the experience has been as enriching as it has been eye-opening, they both say. 

One thing, though, has truly baffled them — Americans’ preference for stroke play. 

“Match play is just far more inclusive,” explains the 21-year-old Johnston. “If you have a buddy who is just taking up golf, you can play against him in a competitive match. In stroke play, it wouldn’t be competitive at all. Match play is HUGE for keeping interested in the game. I don’t want to go out and shoot 120.”

“More people here go out and have to take a ‘9’ and actually have to hit all the shots,” Campbell adds. “But if I lose a hole in match play, I just go on to the next hole. Even when I play with my dad on a weekend game, we play match play. It was always more competitive and inclusive that way.”

As competitive golfers at their university — which in Scotland is more akin to a college club program than the more formal NCAA-sanctioned athletic programs in the U.S. — Campbell and Johnston know their way around a match. But neither are at Bandon Dunes or university to sharpen their playing skills.

Both are preparing for a career in golf — Rory as a club professional and Fraser with an eye toward golf course design. And they are at Bandon Dunes to soak up everything they can about resort golf in the United States at a place much larger in scale than anything they would find back home. 

“I realized I wasn’t a good enough player to play professionally, so I went to Royal Dornoch and joined the golf management program,” Campbell says.

The seed of golf was planted early. Johnston grew up in the small inland town of Paisley, not far from Glasgow. Campbell was raised in the self-described “wee village of Inveraray,” about 60 miles northwest of Paisley. 

Their introduction to golf as young children might not be what Americans would envision for a young Scotsman. Both grew up playing tiny parkland-style courses that would often be bogged down by the moisture of the climate. 

It wouldn’t be until they began to compete as they got older that they began to immerse themselves in the links game that was born in the cradle of golf. 

“Even growing up it was links golf over parkland. I always hit a low ball flight and I loved the chance,” Johnston says. “The ball is never dead until it stops. You can hit a good shot and it ends up in a bunker. I like that feel game instead of just hitting a 152 yard shot and it lands 152. I enjoy the guesswork.”

As their roots grew deeper, they became more intrigued by the golf business as a career. Those interests would become easier to pursue when the university in Dornoch launched the first PGM program in Scotland. 

The golf industry in Scotland is different than the U.S. Golf tends to be public and easily accessible, the resorts that are there tend to be smaller than their U.S. counterparts.

They had already come to know Bandon Dunes by reputation. Then they became more familiar through the process of Mr. Keiser and his partners in trying to open Coul Links, a proposed links course designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw in the northern section of Scotland. Impressed with a Coul Links presentation by Coore, Campbell, and Johnston also became intrigued by Bandon Dunes. 

Still, the Oregon Coast was an ocean and a continent away. 

“We talked about Bandon Dunes in class as an example of one of the top resorts,” Campbell says. “Then our lecturers went to the PGA Merchandise Show in Florida and met a contact at Penn State’s PGM program who told them about Bandon Dunes’ internship program. That helped open the door to the idea.”

Though they had worked at Royal Dornoch, for two budding golf professionals the opportunity to work at a golf resort the size of Bandon Dunes was irresistible.

“I’ve never worked anywhere with the scale of this,” Johnston says. “Clubs back home you have your golf pro, you have your secretary. You don’t even have a caddy master. But here you have a caddy department. You have a management department. You have golf professionals and a retail department. It’s just a massive, massive operation, and something that I hadn’t experienced ever.”

They were eventually awarded positions in Bandon Dunes’ internship program, which typically includes a little more than a dozen interns at a given time. Even a laborious visa process couldn’t stop them.

They arrived in May and the experience so far has been a combination of hard work, rigorous education, and a fair amount of fun on the course, usually playing once or twice a week. (Though not much travel, since neither has a car).

“The golf and people have been great,” Johnston says. “There are different quarks in the culture, but I’m sure people think we have different quarks in our culture. We drive on the wrong side of the road … things like that.”

What other quarks?

“Anything from language, to food, to driving,” he adds. “There are different ways to say things, different ways to do things.”

The pace of play in the U.S. seems a bit less a priority, too.

“Back home you get your foursome, you go out and play in less than four hours, you pick up if you’re making double bogey, you’d get around … then drink after and talk about it,” says Johnston.

“And you’d play match play,” Campbell interjects.

The golf business is different, too. 

Rotating every three months, Campbell got his start in the ever-busy Bandon Dunes golf shop before moving to Bandon Trails. Johnston started at Old Macdonald and is now in the Bandon Dunes shop.

And a few things have struck them, including how Bandon Dunes treats its guests and the service Bandonistas have come to expect.

I have in-depth conversations with guests multiple times a day," Campbell says. "Conversations about links golf, what it is like working here. Bandon's guests seem really excited to know more about the resort and a lot of Americans are really interested in what it’s like compared to back home.”

They also find familiarity in the links golf. Bandon Dunes, the favorite of Campbell, is exhilarating, he says. Old Macdonald, the favorite of Johnston, plays particularly close to the Scottish links he finds at home.

“I’ve not been bored on it yet,” he says of Old Mac. “I’ve not played the same round yet, and I don’t think I will. I don’t lose balls. And I’m usually good at keeping the ball on the ground rather than the air. Yeah, I like Old Mac.”

Campbell's parents visited recently, which afforded them both a chance to see more of Oregon and beyond. So far the experience has been rewarding enough that they are both considering the possibilities of extending their stays in the U.S., or if not, returning someday soon.

“So far it’s been great,” Johnston says. “We're lucky to be here learning and I don’t have a bad word to say.”

FEATURED INTERN: The Magic Man | Lucas Beaudoin

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Lucas Beaudoin can be a tough man to reach. As one of 14 interns currently in Bandon Dunes Golf Resort’s six-month professional golf management internship program, Beaudoin’s days are busy.

Beaudoin, a junior in Ferris State University’s PGA Golf Management program, is receiving a crash course in all that goes into running the operations of a public golf resort. From learning the business of merchandising to tournament operations, instruction, and problem-solving.

But that’s not all that keeps Beaudoin’s calendar filled. On this day in late August, the 20-year-old from Lawton, Michigan, is anxious to get out and go play yet another round. By the time he rolls in his final putt this day it will mark a staggering 100th round at Bandon Dunes since beginning his internship in mid-May.

“At one point I played 77 rounds and I had only been here 76 days,” says Beaudoin, who has an easy-going charm. “I always wanted to play links golf, so it’s been fun out here.”

Despite his time on course, Beaudoin is all about the golf business. The PGM program, a PGA of America-accredited program at 19 universities across the country, is no charm school. It’s an intensive golf-specific program that educates the industry’s future head golf professionals, golf sales professionals, clothing designers, and more.

Beaudoin hopes to one day be a head golf pro at a public golf resort, so “I’d say I have a pretty good setup here,” he says with a laugh.

What got you started in the game?
I didn’t start playing until my freshman year of high school. I hadn’t done any kind of sports and heard that my high school had a golf team. So I wanted to try that. I got hooked, and by sophomore year I pretty much knew I wanted to be in golf (professionally). I heard about all the PGM programs, and I applied to a couple and ended up going to Ferris.

What compelled you to apply for an internship at Bandon Dunes?
I talked to two other Ferris guys, who are actually out here with me right now, and said to them ‘This place looks pretty frickin’ sweet.’ I had known about it for a couple of years by then, so we all applied, went through a few interviews, and got it.

What has working at a resort like Bandon Dunes taught you?
I really needed to get in the shop with this internship and learn more merchandising and retail. It’s been EXACTLY what I’ve been able to do. There have been a lot more responsibilities on this internship than some of the others. Bandon Dunes gives interns the opportunity to close down the shops at all of the courses here.… There is a lot of responsibility and a lot of stuff to learn in order to be able to close a shop down.

Working at Trails I was able to do a lot of kid's clinics with Scott Millhouser, something I had never done. There are also many things this resort does that I want to take back to the PGM program. For example, we keep track of pace of play for every group on every course, every day. That is something that could be useful for our PGM tournaments in order to keep things moving. No future pro wants to be known as a slow player.

100 rounds of golf in a little over three months is pretty incredible. Do you ever tire of playing? 100 rounds is quite a bit, but it's funny, it doesn't feel like it's been that much. I have yet to be burned out on golf. People say it might happen to me, but so far in my life, I have always been itching to get on the course.

What are your impressions of links golf, now that you are so familiar with it after never playing it before?
Links golf is a totally different ball game. I didn't think it would be so different coming out here. My favorite tournament to watch has always been The Open (Championship), but watching them on TV I would often see them hitting similar shots to what I'm used to in Michigan. When I got out here I played terribly the first month. I was not expecting links style to be so much more difficult.

Now that I'm used to it, though, it is so much fun. The wind and firm ground make it so there are many more shots you can pull off. I’m definitely a more well-rounded player because of these golf courses. My weakness coming out here was ball-striking. Being able to constantly practice off super tight lies has done wonders and helped me pass my PAT (the PGA Playing Ability Test, a requirement to become a PGA pro, which he recently passed).

What do you like best about working at Bandon Dunes?
Access to the courses is probably the biggest perk out here. But one of the things I enjoy the most is all the guests who come out here. It is all about the golf, and there are a lot of die-hard golf fans. It’s really fun to talk to them.

Do you have a best day?
One day, (Director of Communications) Michael Chupka had me playing with one of his media guys and I had been playing really, really poorly. I started with a three-putt bogey and I topped a 9-iron in the fairway, and I thought I was going to die in front of these guys. But I ended up shooting my best round at Pacific Dunes that day.

Do you have a favorite course?
Bandon Trails. Each hole looks like a signature hole to me. I've always been a fan of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, and they certainly did a great job with Bandon Trails. In terms of views, though, it's tough to beat holes 10 through 13 at Pacific Dunes. That is an unreal stretch of holes.

You’re also a magician. How did you get started and does it help your golf game?
In third grade, I was out of school for nearly two months due to sickness and my birthday happened to be in that time frame. One of my uncles bought me a magic kit and I had nothing else to do but sit at home and practice card tricks. I got hooked pretty easily and haven't stopped since. I do somewhere between 15 to 30 shows a year when I'm back home. Magic for me is all about the reactions I get from the spectators. No matter what mood someone is in or what’s going on around them, good magic, for at least a brief moment, is able to wipe away a person’s thoughts. They are stunned at what they just saw.

Magic relates to golf in a few strange ways. The one that sticks out to me is how you have to practice. Both take an immense amount of practice to get good at, but you also have to practice in the right way.

Overall, what would you say about your experience at Bandon Dunes?
Overall my experience at Bandon so far has been a blast. I will be sad to leave this place come November. There are so many great people here that make Bandon Dunes a special place.

CADDIE FEATURE: Ray B

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Count yourself lucky if Ray Bursey — or Ray B as he is best known here at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort — has ever been on your bag. There may be no better caddie anywhere than the easygoing and friendly 73-year-old from Texarkana, Texas.

Ray B earned his first loop at age 11 and became a professional caddie in 1981, really by accident. His career includes loops on the PGA, LPGA, and developmental pro tours in addition to stops at famed country clubs such as Bel Air and Riviera.

Ray B arrived at Bandon Dunes in 2002, when he left the pro tours for what he initially thought would be a couple of weeks. It turned out Ray B would never leave Bandon Dunes again. The father of three and grandfather of five has spent most days during the last 15 years playing his trade on what he calls “God’s green acres.” Along the way, he has become one of Bandon Dunes most beloved figures.

So Ray, what was your first loop as a kid like?
I could only do it once a week on Saturday at Texarkana Country Club. … The first time I went out on the course I was maybe 11 years old. The bag was bigger than I was. It was almost dragging on the ground I was so small. But every Saturday I would go out and make that $1.25. That was a lot of money to me back then.

How did you get into caddying professionally, and what has kept you doing it all these years?
I was working for the FAA during the (1981 air-traffic controller) strike, and I was playing out at Rancho Park (Golf Course) there in LA. And one of the guys made the statement, “They need caddies tomorrow at Brentwood Country Club.” They were having a big tournament. As a kid, I made $1.25 to caddie, and I said, “Man, I’m going to go out there and chase that little white ball for a dollar-and-something?’” He told me that I would caddie for a foursome and make a good salary. So I did it. … When I finished, the caddie master said, “The guys were really impressed with you and I could use you on the weekends.”

I started going on Saturdays and Sundays, and (the caddie master) said, “I could use you full time.” I saw that I could make a living doing it and I have been doing it ever since. I love it.

Do you have a most memorable person you caddied for?
John Candy (the famed late comedy star) at Bel-Air and Riviera. He used to have a Monday game at Riviera and he was a member out at Bel-Air. It was always memorable with him because he was always joking. He was just a funny loop to have.

When did you first hear about Bandon Dunes and decide to caddie there?
I had heard from some guys about this place called “Bandon Dunes,” that it was great and it was links golf. I had never worked links golf. I had never been to Europe to caddie or anything like that. And so my pro (Brad Fabel, who was then on the Nationwide Tour) was going to be out three or four months with a hurt wrist. I thought I would go and get another bag (on tour), but then I decided to to go to Bandon and see what they were talking about.

I really had intended to come for only two weeks. And the first time I saw around the corner on No. 4 at Bandon Dunes and that ocean hit me, I was hooked. Matter of fact, at the time Matt Allen was the Assistant General Manager and in the group that day. He said, “you’re not going anywhere, now.” He was right. I haven’t been anywhere else since.

What is the toughest challenge caddying at Bandon?
Bandon is unlike country clubs or even the Tour. You are constantly changing personalities. Each individual has his own agenda, his own way of doing things, and his own personality. Some guys want you to be talkative. While other guys want you to be as mum as possible. You have to figure that out the first couple of holes. You learn that fast. And if you learn that, you’ll never have any problems.

You say you had never caddied at a links course before arriving at Bandon. Have you gained an appreciation for Mr. Keiser’s vision?
I thank him every day of my life now. It’s just great golf. It’s kind of corny to say, “It’s golf as it was meant to to be.” But it’s right. It’s just GREAT golf.

Six or seven years ago we had a caddie who left to go out on Tour. He’s doing well. And I tell the young guys that if you can caddie here you can caddie anywhere in the world, on any tour, for anybody. You can’t memorize these greens. You’ve got to look from both sides, front and back if you have the time, to really get the proper read. You can move the cup a half inch from one day to the next and it will change the whole complexion of the read.

Do you have a favorite course at Bandon Dunes?
Pacific. I think Pacific is one of the greatest courses that I’ve been on and No. 1 in the world. I’m very fortunate.

Do you have a favorite regular you caddie for?
Uncle Tony (Kielhofer) and the Ginella group (who host the annual Uncle Tony Invitational), that’s the highlight of my year. Those guys are just great. Just really great. Uncle Tony has been ill (he is battling cancer), but I’ve talked to him a couple times in the last two months, and he says he is going to make it this year. He says he’ll be here.

You’re known throughout the resort as an avid sports fan. Do you have a favorite?
I like it all. Football is my favorite, and I like whoever I bet on that week.

You were the honorary starter when The Punchbowl opened and designed the first 18 hole layout. What are your memories of that day?
That was a great experience, man. Before opening day, I spent like seven hours with Mr. (Tom) Doak. Just to hear him talk about the grasses at Bandon and the Trails and Pacific, it was just a wonderful experience.

What qualities make a great caddie?
First of all, I would say they might not start out loving it. But they have to acquire a love for it. Just loving the job, it shows. You can feel it yourself. If you love the job, you’re going to do the best you can possibly do.

Your thoughts on the Chick Evans Caddie Scholarship (which offers full tuition and housing college scholarship for golf caddies)?
It’s a great thing. It gives kids work experience and we’ve had some good Evans Scholars each year come out here. They’ll never forget the experience.

What advice would you offer a junior caddie on his/her first loop at Bandon Dunes?
Be honest. A golfer will help teach you if you explain to him that you’re new. Golfers as a group always want to be helpful to another golfer or to a new caddie… they will teach you. Instead of trying to go in there not knowing and trying to guess, it’s best to say, “I’m new at this and I’m learning.” 

If you could give one piece of advice to a first timer who visits Bandon Dunes what would it be?
I tell most of the people, you give up distance for accuracy on these courses. The more you can stay out of trouble, the better you can score. If you think a driver will bring trouble into play, it’s better for you to hit 3-wood or 4-iron and keep it in play and putt for par. Bogey is sometimes good in all this wind. And you will enjoy it much better than spraying it all over the gorse and hitting out of these crazy bunkers.

UPDATE: We are saddened to share that one of our great ambassadors and caddies, Ray B, passed away on the evening of Tuesday, October 3rd. The outpouring love and support that has come in from Ray B's family, caddies, staff, guests, and community members has been amazing to witness.

The feature above of the legend himself will live on forever to memorialize his impact on our family. We hope those who knew him share their stories in the comments section below and those who didn't, discover a friend they had yet to meet. Rest easy Ray B. Your wisdom, positivity, and smile will be greatly missed around what you often called, "God's green acres." Enjoy your heavenly loop in the sky.

STAFF FEATURE: INTERVIEW WITH SCOTT MILLHOUSER

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The cool morning air hits you in the face as you step out of the shuttle. You rub the sleep out of your eyes. The driver grabs your clubs out of the back of the shuttle, sets them down, shakes your hand and gives you and your three best buddies a quick piece of golf advice, "Enjoy the morning walk, gents!"

You make your way towards the Bandon Trails clubhouse to check in and gear up for the busy day of golf. As you walk into the golf shop, there is a tall, wide-smiled golf professional waiting there who greets you with a "Good morning, sir! Anything I may help you with today?" He answers all your questions, and you make your way to the first tee feeling prepared for the day.

What you might not have found out during the haze of an early morning is that staffer who helped in the shop is not only enhancing your daily golf experience but is also making big moves in our local community to help bring the game of golf closer to our next generation!

Known around the resort as our junior golf guru, Scott Millhouser is not only the Head Golf Professional at Bandon Trails, but he's also the Head Golf Coach for Bandon High School and helps teach the Southwestern Oregon Community College men and women's golf teams.

We sat down with Scott between clinics to talk to him about his involvement with coaching young golfers, embodying the Bandon Dunes golf experience and balancing all of that with family life and two young kids at home.

Hey Scottie, thanks for all you do to ensure our guests and local juniors have the best golf experience possible. Let's start out with some history, where are you originally from, how long have you lived in Bandon and worked at the resort?
Thanks! I am originally from Dallas, Oregon. I have lived on the South Coast of Oregon for just over 11 years while working at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.

Wow, the time sure does fly around here. Tell us, how do you balance work, play, coaching, and family life at home?
First, I have a wonderful wife who understands I am living my dream job. The culture at Bandon Dunes makes us feel like part of a larger family. My family enjoys playing golf, so we play where I work. Occasionally my young son will come to high school golf practice with me so we can spend more time together and the kids on the team have been great to him. We also enjoy the resort’s walking trails, and we do our best to get to the beach whenever we can.

A balanced life for sure! How long have you been coaching high school and junior golf around Bandon?
I started volunteering as the boy's Assistant Coach for Bandon High School nine years ago. I officially became the boy's Head Coach in 2012 and just finished my fifth season. This year I also took over as the girl's coach and have really enjoyed coaching both boys and girls golf. I've been involved with our junior golf programs at the resort since 2005. A couple of seasons later I realized that I wanted to follow through with the progress we had in our summer junior golf programs into the high school golf season.

How did your teams finish up this year?
We had our best turn out with sixteen boys and six girls this year! Both teams had a lot of fun and made solid progress in their games throughout the season. We had our top ranked girl win a few tournaments along with our top ranked boy winning a handful as well. Both kids have been participants in our summer junior golf programs over the past five years, and it has been incredibly fulfilling to see the progress they have made since they first attended our junior golf programs. Looking forward, we are excited to start building on the successes of this year and are lucky to have a number of returning players.

That is great stuff! Expand more on teaching golf to youngsters. What's rewarding about it? How do you ensure that your students balance fun and competition out on the course to keep them coming back for more?
Teaching golf to kids is extremely enjoyable. We try to provide a safe learning environment that cultivates confidence and character. This level of confidence allows them to have fun and be themselves. Their excitement for life, golf, and anything fun is contagious. It’s rewarding to see their reaction when they make their first putt or hit their first drive in the air and is longer than they expected. They smile, laugh, and cheer, and instantly you know they are hooked on golf. Once they hit a good shot, they cannot wait to show off what they have learned. We provide them with instruction followed by a brief competition. By keeping the competition short, they are left wanting more, and it helps bring them back week after week!

What is the best way to get kids excited about golf?
The best way to get kids excited about golf is to let them be themselves. Only focus on what they are doing right, because nobody likes being told what they are doing wrong. If you provide them with fun games and encouragement, they will remember that they had a great experience on the golf course and crave more.

Speaking of great experiences, when you take them out on our courses what is their reaction to the scenery? Does it remind you of the excitement we see in our adult guests?
Absolutely! Both our juniors and adult guests have the same reaction to our courses. It's like kids in a candy shop. They start dreaming about the next hole they are going to play and the enjoyment it will bring them.

Lastly, if there is a guest who is enquiring about junior clinics how should they go about finding more information?
They can email me at smillhouser@bandondunesgolf.com or call my office at 541-347-5973. It is worth noting that a lot of our clinics are complimentary and conducted at our Practice Center. They can also check out our summer clinic schedule available at this link! Thanks for helping promote junior golf!

UPDATE:
Scott's illustration has been featured on a custom club cover from Seamus Golf!

Big thanks to @seamusgolf for creating this head cover for my very close friend and Head Golf Pro at #bandontrails Scott Millhouser. Scott is a class act and this is an image of his beautiful, smooth, buttery golf swing!! Big love to him and #seamusgolf #whyilovethisgame #pga365 #oregongolf #bandondunes #bandondunesgolf @bandondunesgolf #pnwgolf #playerswanted #pacificdunes #enjoyyourwalk @boo_her @kempersports

A photo posted by Brian (@mands_on) on Oct 7, 2016 at 6:03pm PDT

STAFF FEATURE: INTERVIEW WITH LOUIS FRANYI

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The raw beauty of the Southern Oregon Coast attracts a number of talented artists. As golf enthusiasts, we all fall in love with the design and aesthetics of the courses but the natural beauty of the surrounding area completes the canvas. For those who call Bandon home, it is undeniable that we all have a deep connection with this virtue of the coast.  

Louis Franyi, one of our long time rangers fell in love with Bandon back in May, 2007. While he spends most of his time helping our guests and caddies climb to the picturesque 14th tee on Bandon Trails, Louis also has a passion for photography and has an excellent eye for catching some of the South Coast’s natural beauty. Check out our interview with him as well as some of his work below.

Photography by L.E. Franyi

Foliage Along Bandon Trails No. 13

Moth on a Rhodie Flower 

Peeling Madrone Tree

Wild Flowers

October Sunsets

The Trails

Spring at Bandon Trails

Bandon Trails No. 7

Thanks for sharing your passion with us, Lou! You are a great example of what makes working and experiencing Bandon Dunes incredibly special. Keep up the great work!

Update (11/6): We received the sad news that Louis “Lou” Franyi has passed away. Lou joined our team in May of 2007 and will be remembered for his warm smile, light-hearted personality and his love for his friends, family, and community.

Lou was a long time staffer of Bandon Dunes. He worked as a ranger for over 11 years and was well known as the tram driver, helping our guests and caddies climb to the 14th tee on Bandon Trails. Lou had a passion for the Southern Coast, photography, and people. His warm personality and friendly demeanor made him a joy to be around. He will be greatly missed by the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort team and our guests.

He will definitely be missed but never forgotten.

 

STAFF FEATURE: BILLY THE DOG

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We recently shadowed one of our favorite four legged colleagues to get a unique look at the Pacific Dunes agronomy operation and what makes being the Superintendent's best friend such a pivotal role. At first look, you might assume the position our newest employee feature holds is quite the cushy spot. When we finally got him to sit down with us (yes, it took treats), Billy begged to differ and brought along his official job description to back him up.

Position Title:
Course Dog | Superintendent’s Best Friend

Job Location:
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Agronomy Department

Reports To:
Marcus Lakey, Assistant Superintendent of Pacific Dunes 

Facility Description:

Pacific Dunes is located just minutes from the quaint town of Bandon by the Sea on the southern coast of Oregon. Designed by Tom Doak, opened in 2001, Pacific Dunes is consistently ranked one of the top-3 public courses in the country. In addition to the world class golf, there is a newly created putting course called the Punchbowl, patterned after the Himalayas putting course at St. Andrews. The clubhouse features a top-100 golf shop as well as the Pacific Grill, a full service restaurant and bar with patio. 

Position Summary:

In this position, you’ll oversee the day to day agronomy activities, working closely with the Assistant Superintendent, as well as other key personnel in the Agronomy Department. As a liaison between the Agronomy staff and the Golf Operation staff, you’ll communicate with various department heads, as well as greenskeepers, to ensure a smooth operation. Only when consulted, your animal expertise will be called upon to resolve any bird (specifically Canadian Geese) or other animal conflicts/issues as needed.

Position Responsibilities:

  • Monitor the general activities and driving standards of the agronomy team in the morning as they arrive, as well as when they come back in for lunch.
  • By standing directly in the middle of the doorway, manage the flow of greenskeepers as they move around the lunchroom on a daily / weekly / monthly basis.
  • Analyze body language for both the prospects of possible food items and the potential for a belly rub on a routine basis.
  • Prepare warm sandy spots against various Agronomy buildings to lay down on during sunny afternoons.
  • Approval of various projects by wagging your tail, hanging out your tongue, and by generally inspecting all activities.
  • Assist with the overseeing of general golf course maintenance by riding in a cart, sitting still and avoiding playtime in the sand bunkers.
  • Boost employee moral by not biting or growling and the occasional demonstration of skills, such as balancing biscuits on nose, running wildly around in circles for personal reasons, and returning various items thrown or kicked by staff in random directions.

Qualifications:

  • 1-3 years of companion puppy experience.
  • Outstanding communication skills not required, but encouraged.
  • Demonstrated proficiency sitting, riding in carts, and laying on the floor.
  • Helps to have persuasive techniques with department managers to test food items either left carelessly on the floor or placed directly into your mouth at anytime throughout the day. 
  • Advanced proficiency riding in the front passenger seat of a maintenance vehicle preferred.
  • Ability to ignore problems, multitasking, and basically any kind of work in general is required.
  • Must be able to turn around in a circle three times before lying down and sleep unattended for long periods of time.  

 

 

STAFF FEATURE: INTERVIEW WITH GRANT ROGERS

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For fifteen years Grant Rogers has been sharing his golf wisdom with guests and fellow employees as the Director of Instruction here at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.

If you're lucky enough to know him, or to have taken a lesson from him, then you are familiar with his epic stories and his zen like approach to the game. Golf, much like Grant, must be experienced to be fully enjoyed. Experience is at the heart of what makes Grant such a great instructor. Like the Tao Te Ching, what he says sometimes might seem obvious on the surface, but if you listen closely he's speaking to the larger picture of things.

Recently, we sat down with Grant to pick his brain and to glean some insight into how he approaches the game. The following video is a snippet of our larger conversation. We hope you enjoy it.

Watch our in-person interview with Grant Rogers below or on our Vimeo account. You can also visit our  Instruction">Instruction Page for instruction details and more videos from Grant. 

Read the extended interview below and please share your Grant stories with us in the comment section!

So Grant, how long have you lived in Bandon?

I've lived in Bandon almost 15 years. The time has really gone fast. I can't believe I've been here 15 years but someone told me that yes I have. *Laughs

I've been here 6 years and it seems like only a few days have gone by.

I know it. What is the deal with that?

I don't know why that is.

I do. Someone told me when I was little that time accelerates as you get older. I said, "No it doesn't. Time is a constant!" So, I was convinced I was right. Then as I got a little older I became convinced he was right. I do think it accelerates. *Laughs

So Grant, what's your "Bandon Story?" How did you discover the resort?

I do have a Bandon story. I'm glad you asked that question. My Bandon story starts at Royal St. George's Golf Club in England. Somehow I ended up there and as soon as I played that golf course my whole attitude about golf changed. I realized this style of golf I really like to play the best.

Links golf? 

Yeah, links golf. I had never really played golf like that before and then instead of coming home I decided to play more golf like that in Scotland. So then I kind of vanished in Scotland for a while. But, when I got back to the United States I started realizing that I was constantly scheming on different ways to get back to Europe to play golf. I was pretty successful because I was able to go there 20 different times to play golf. So that's when I got really hooked on links golf. As soon as I discovered that they were building Bandon Dunes I came over and took a look at what they were doing. At that time they were just building the fifth hole at Bandon and they were really excited to have someone to show the golf course to. Which was basically just the fifth hole. I took one look at that golf hole and thought, "This is going to be a fantastic golf course, just like those courses I used to play in Europe."

No. 5 on Bandon Dunes is a beast!

Yes. One of my favorite holes on property!

Do you like it because it plays so differently from day to day? You could play it in a north breeze, south breeze and benign day and have a different experience each time.

That's true. Something is different every time you play it, usually it's the elements. The great thing about playing Bandon Dunes golf is the wind. I think it's the X factor. You never know exactly what's going to happen wind-wise. I've been sending notes to people I give lessons to, telling them, "I'm pretty excited that the northwest wind is back." It really does add a lot of interest to golf in the summer here.

Aside from being aware of the wind and such, what do you think is the secret to a low score on our links courses? 

You have to know when to play offence and defense. Sometimes it makes sense to go for the green, for example, and sometimes it makes sense not to go for the green. It's almost kind of irresistible [to go for the green] because there it is, and if you hit your best shot you're going to get on the green and maybe a birdie putt, right? And then all of a sudden, people are really surprised that the ball didn't go where they aimed, they ended up in a sand dune and they made a 10. So they may have been better off hitting a 7-iron, getting on the green that way, and then 1 or 2-putt to get a par or a bogey. So, you just have to take your time and look at what makes the most sense. The greens here are really well guarded, for one thing, especially against long shots. And that's what gets the more agressive, low-handicap player in trouble because they are pretty aggressive here when they don't need to be.

Do you have any nicknames?

Well, lately people have been calling me "The Wizard" because of The Wizard of Bandon Dunes article that appeared in Golf Digest. If you haven't read it there are a few stories people might enjoy if they read it. The other day someone was kind of teasing me about that nickname and I told them, "Be careful, as a wizard I can make you disappear!" *Laughs. He hasn't called me the Wizard lately.

 

How do people sign up for links instructions?

We do have a page on our website that has all the information about what we offer. Basically we can help people with anything related to their golf game. Our Practice Center is the best. So, it's unlimited in terms of what we can do to help people with their golf shots or with their golf game in general. Then of course we give lessons out on the courses because a lot of times people will tell me, "Great you have me hitting the ball really well on the range but I can never do this on the golf course." So then we suggest to go out there together because sometimes they just need a guide out there to be with and help them out with a little more about strategy and maybe a little bit about how to putt well out on the golf course. That makes a big difference because it has a lot to do with scoring.

What's the most common question a student will ask you?

A lot of people here at the resort are intrigued and want to know more about links golf. They also want to know what's different about links golf and how do they play their best golf here in Bandon. Links lessons are really popular. We give those to small or big groups where we talk about specific links shots, how to play in the wind, how to survive in the bunkers, and how to putt well. If they can learn a little bit in each area they're going to play better, for sure.

How can individual lessons be different than links lessons?

A lot of times their swing problems are pretty simple to fix. It's not like a band-aid lesson, it's more like, "This is how you fix this problem." I have a lot of people try to tell me, "It can't be that easy" and I tell them to hit another one. Then they hit another good golf shot because what ever they have been trying to do has been way to complicated. Golfers have trouble doing something that's really complicated with a golf club in their hands. It just doesn't work.

I've heard that too. It's best to simplify, right?

Yeah, this idea of "less-is-more" is actually true. You can't be thinking about 19,000 things. It just doesn't work.

Do you think there is an ideal swing?

That's a really good question. There is an ideal swing actually... it's the one that works best for you. That's where an instructor has to figure that out, "Okay, what swing will work best for you?" A lot of times people have natural swings too. We've done some interesting experiments with swinging a golf club and filming it. It's amazing how good their swing really is. If you introduce a golf ball who knows what they're going to do. They put it in a different mode. They go from swinging a golf club mode, to hitting a golf ball mode. It's really different. Sometimes I'll have to tell people how good their practice swing really is and that they should sneak up to the golf ball and really use it. *Laughs. Because if they do, they hit this really good golf shot, ya know?

Do you have consistencies you look for from address through the swing that you like to follow?

Yeah, I do. A lot of times when someone is waiting for me at the Practice Center for a lesson and as I'm walking up to them I see their swing from a distance, before I even talk to them I know the problem with their swing. Just watching them take a few swings I can tell a couple of the things that they're doing that are really good, but we have to add a few things to it to make it really good. If the rhythm and balance is good for a golfer, they're gonna have a better chance of hitting a good golf shot. That's for sure. So a lot of times if they have a problem it's related to one or more of those areas. So my focus becomes, let's get the balance right, now let's get the rhythm right then we'll see what happens. A lot of the time the results are really good.

What are your thoughts about luck? What do you think about the saying, "luck is just preparation meeting opportunity?"

Well... sometimes it is just luck too. Sometimes you just get lucky. That golf ball could've gone in the water but it didn't or the ball could've gone out of bounds but it didn't. Or you went in the bunker but had this perfect lie, then all of a sudden a putt went in that you thought you missed. Luck is on your side sometimes. Luck is definitely a factor in links golf. So if you're playing your best golf on any of our golf courses you're having a lucky day. The reason I'm saying that is once your golf ball leaves the club then you have zero influence on that golf ball. So then, that's where the luck comes in. If you want to find out if you're a lucky person or not, just hit a golf ball somewhere and you'll find out.

*Laughs. That's a pretty good line to start wrapping up. Anything parting thoughts you'd like to add?

 I think that anyone who's interested in golf is interested in playing a little better. They want to know more about their potential. I know I've had some really good golf lessons myself. I think golf lessons can be very valuable. So, I would encourage anyone that wants to get better to get together and come out and see us. We'll do our best to help you.

I haven't seen a problem that someone has had with a golf club that can't be fixed. Sometimes they have to be a bit more patient and have a little more sense of humor about the whole situation but they can definitely get better. I just encourage all golfers to get some help if they need it and just enjoy whatever is going on. Be glad you're on the golf course.

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is really an amazing experience. And it really is amazing every day.

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ICYMI: Don't forget to check out our Employee Feature on Bob "Shoe" Gaspar from early 2015!

STAFF FEATURE: INTERVIEW WITH "SHOE"

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If you've ever had the good fortune of visiting Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, no doubt you've likely shaken hands with one of Bandon Dunes' icons in front of the lodge. His smiling face and laid-back charm are not easy to forget, but did you know his name is Bob? Chances are you remember him by the nickname, Shoe.  

Well if you are wondering how he was officially tagged "Shoe" or what his secret is to great customer service you are in luck.  We pried him away from the podium for a few minutes to get an inside scoop. 

So Shoe, tell us how you got your nickname.

Before the resort opened in 1998, a friend of Josh Lesnik was covering the PGA Championship in Washington. Josh invited his friend (Jeff Rude) down here to tour the new facilities and when he showed up he brought along some of his friends from Golfweek magazine including his editor, Dave Seanor. When Dave and the rest of the crew exited the van, he took one look at me and said I looked like the jockey, Bill Shoemaker. Dave said, "We'll just have to start calling you Shoe". I didn't think it would catch on but, Josh affectionately kept calling me Shoe every time he needed something or wanted me to go somewhere with him, like to lunch. You get the idea.

Hard to imagine that was almost twenty years ago already. Have you lived in Bandon a long time?

Faith, my wife and I moved to Bandon in July of 1980.

What did you do before coming to Bandon Dunes?

I was a driver for UPS in the Los Angeles area for twenty years prior to moving to Bandon. Then I worked as a driver and manager for Silver Eagle, a small regional freight carrier, for sixteen years. I semi-retired in 1997 with a combined thirty-six years as a teamster. I also belonged to the United States Coast Guard reserves in Charleston for eighteen years. That plus my six years in the Army allowed me to retire in 2001 with 24 years combined military service.

Wow.  LA to Bandon in the 80's must have been quite the culture shock. Thank you for your service, by the way. How did you ever get involved with Bandon Dunes in the first place? Is it true that you took the very first reservation for golf at the resort?

(Hear Shoe tell in his own words how he became a member of the Bandon Dunes crew and other anecdotes in the "Bonus" content audio portion below)

I did take the first reservation. It was Greg Popma from Portland. I was so excited and couldn't wait to tell Josh. Josh's reply was a classic. With a twinkle in his eye, he jokingly said, "Shoe, we're going to need a lot more than one."

We've had more than one alright. I think the secret's out. I know Josh would agree Bandon Dunes' success, apart from the world class golf experience, is due in no small part to the world class hospitality and customer service provided by you and others. What do you think is the secret to great customer service?

There's no secret to great customer service. Just make the guests feel welcomed and at home. Be helpful and friendly and above all be sincere, and genuine.  Josh told me long ago to try and see things from the guest's perspective and that has really worked.

Sounds like great advice not only for great customer service but for life. You must get asked a lot of the same questions, especially about the weather.

The day we opened, our first guest stepped out of the door and asked, "what's the weather going to be like today?"

I'm sure it's been the same ever since. You have your own Twitter account now, @GolfShoeBandon where you tweet out the latest weather situation and give it a ranking. It's very interesting and informative. You've adapted to the new technology quite well. Do you see yourself as a kind of weather man now?

Twitter is new to me and I'm trying. I've received some positive feedback, but there's always room for improvement. Ever since my first day, I have been very interested in the weather and the role it plays with the guests. If I had more time and energy I would go back to school and study Earth Sciences.

(Follow Shoe on Twitter below)

If only we had more time and energy. I hear you there. That's interesting about studying Earth Science. Who would you say the most interesting person is you've welcomed to the Resort?

That's an easy one. The most interesting person I've ever welcomed to the resort is the next one.

Don't forget to check out Shoe's Weather Report via Twitter:

Check out the audio portion on our Soundcloud

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