Players gonna
PLAY,
PLAY,
PLAY,
PLAY,
PLAY.
There have been many articles written about this magical, dreamy place called Bandon Dunes. But have you ever read a piece that compares each course to a Taylor Swift album? I didn’t think so.
I was lucky enough to take a golf getaway with the Fore the Ladies golf group to Bandon Dunes. Upon returning, I wanted to frame my story in a way that was relatable to people like me, and since almost everyone on the trip was a fan of Taylor Swift, I was struck by the possibilities. Could I connect Bandon Dunes’ artistry to the work of Taylor? I wanted it to be fun, natural, and relatable—everything Fore the Ladies aims to do in the world of golf.
“I can’t decide if it’s a choice—getting swept away,” Taylor sings on “Treacherous” from her album Red. We were swept away by Bandon—and I’m hoping you feel the same connection my group did.
Looking at Bandon through the lens of Taylor Swift.
By Chelsea Kalt
bandon dunes – red
The golf course that started it all: Bandon Dunes. Mike Keiser took a risk on a young, unknown Scotsman named David McLay-Kidd and the rest is history! Like Pacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes has stunning views of the ocean alongside the course.
The Red album is what made Taylor Swift what she is today, and that’s why I chose it for Bandon Dunes. We’re not in “Teardrops On My Guitar,” or “Tim McGraw,” the song that started it all for Taylor. This is something different. This is “Treacherous”:
This slope is treacherous
This path is reckless
This slope is treacherous
And I, I, I like it
pacific dunes – reputation
When we all played Pac Dunes, it was the Fore the Ladies group’s first (and only) day of playing 36 holes. As I approached the first tee, I could hear the first three seconds of “Ready For It” playing inside my head. You know that beat? It pounds outside of your ears. After repeatedly watching Pacific Dunes videos in my content soup, this was the course that most intimidated me. All golf is hard for me, but I thought this was going to be the toughest challenge. And have you seen the wind we conquered? It practically lifted my Bill Belichick Zero Restriction jacket on the 11th hole!
The connection to Taylor and Pac Dunes is found within the beat and bass of this album. I wasn’t pulled in by any specific set of lyrics but rather the overall sound. There’s a certain boldness in the Reputation album—songs like “King of My Heart,” “Look What You Made Me Do,” and “End Game”— and they perfectly suit the energy and vibe of Pacific Dunes.