Bandon Dunes · Hole 2
Blue
381
White
301
Gold
231
Red
131
A short par 4 by the scorecard but one that plays longer than its yardage suggests. The hole bends gently to the right through a corridor of native rough and low dunes, demanding accuracy over raw length. The green is elevated slightly and protected by deep bunkers that swallow anything drifting right. For stronger hitters this can be a birdie opportunity — or a quick double bogey if aggression overrides intelligence.
Shot-by-Shot Strategy
Tee Shot
Long hitters should consider laying back to 100-120 yards with a hybrid or long iron, leaving a full wedge approach to a receptive green. Mid-handicappers should play a 3-wood or fairway metal down the left-center of the fairway, avoiding the bunker cluster that guards the right side of the landing zone. The rough on both sides is thick and unforgiving, so keeping the ball in the short grass is the priority.
Approach
The elevated green is guarded by two deep bunkers on the right and a steep runoff on the left. The safest miss is long and left, where a chip from short rough is far preferable to blasting from the sand. Attack the flag only when it is tucked center or left; a right-hand pin is a trap. Commit to a full swing and don't decelerate — thin or fat approaches here lead to very difficult up-and-downs.
Putting
The green slopes from back to front more steeply than it appears at first glance. Putts from above the hole are quick and easily three-putted. Aim to leave all approach shots below the hole. Side-to-side breaks are minimal, but the speed variance between the upper and lower tiers demands careful attention to your lag putting distance.
⚠Gotchas — What Kills Your Score
- •The right-side bunkers are deep and steeply faced — an explosion from here rarely leaves you with an easy next shot.
- •Aggressive drivers who try to bomb it close often end up in the rough or running through the fairway entirely.
- •The green has a stronger back-to-front slope than is visible from the fairway — lag putts from above the hole are notoriously quick.
- •Wind from the southwest can make a short-iron approach feel like a mid-iron — always double-check your distance and club.
Wind Intelligence
The prevailing southwest wind is a right-to-left crosswind on this hole, which can be helpful for a fade player but dangerous for someone who draws the ball naturally. A tailwind can push long hitters dangerously close to the green, risking a run-through into the back rough. Into the wind, the yardage feels much longer and three clubs can easily be added to your normal selection.
Hazard Map
- ▲Two deep bunkers guarding the right side of the green
- ▲Steep runoff left of the green into rough
- ▲Dense native rough lining both sides of the fairway
- ▲Elevated green with a strong back-to-front slope