During the pandemic, three groups hit the road and made incredible pilgrimages to get to Bandon Dunes

by Robert Thompson

For Chris Young, the pandemic of 2020 offered a unique opportunity to take an extended golf trip. Young, from Hoboken, NJ, had planned on heading overseas for a golf trip this year, one of those bucket list affairs where you play courses that are instantly recognizable to anyone passionate about the game. When COVID-19 emerged, that plan went out the window. Instead, Young had another idea.

“What if I rented a car and drove across the country? I’ve always wanted to do that, and I really wanted to go to Bandon,” he says. “What if I combined those things?”

Young wasn’t alone—and his story is just one of several about extended road trips that took a long and winding highway, eventually ending up on the Oregon coast.

Dream Golf spoke with three golfers who took intriguing cross-country trips to get to Bandon’s first tee, powered by a love of links golf and a seemingly endless supply of coffee.