under the influence of bandon

An Instagram star who loves golf, Kenzie O’Connell fell under the spell of Bandon Dunes right from the start.

Kenzie O’Connell’s reach in the golf world can’t be overestimated. There are nearly 150,000 fans on Instagram who follow her every move—whether it is playing in Ireland or hanging at the beach, her appearances in magazines, and on the Golf Channel’s Shotmakers series. She’s a golf pro and a traveler who searches for the best the game has to offer, wherever she can find it, and the lure of the game drew her to Bandon Dunes. Two years ago, Kenzie, 27, who grew up in Nebraska, traveled with her then boyfriend, Jimmy Cartwright, to the Oregon coast, and she’d return to get married at Bandon, mixing a once-in-a-lifetime event with some golf along the way.

“Jimmy wanted me to experience Bandon, and then he was planning this big proposal,” she says. “We were heading to Hawaii and on the way we stopped and played every course at Bandon. Bandon is a big part of our history—it holds a special place in my heart.”

O’Connell loves everything about Bandon, which exceeded her expectations when she first visited. She sees Bandon as a place where couples and friends go to escape, just far enough off the beaten path that it feels remote, but only a direct flight away from her home in Denver.

Having played golf since the age of five, Kenzie pursued professional golf straight out of high school, eventually ending up as a club pro. Along the way, she became intrigued by the possibility of social media, specifically Instagram. She began studying the possibilities of the medium, and quickly became a force in the space, merging golf with her travels and outgoing personality.

More recently, she’s used the platform to promote a cause—a foundation for epilepsy. O’Connell was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 21, and still isn’t allowed to drive. She’s used her vast Instagram following to raise awareness—and money—for the cause. “I had my first event at the start of August, and all the proceeds went to the Nicklaus Children’s Brain Institute,” she says. “It was really tough when I was diagnosed. I can’t imagine how it is for a child—which is why I’ve started my foundation. I’m doing pretty decent now, but I still can’t drive. It is okay, though it gets frustrating at times, but nothing I can’t deal with.”

What’s it like getting married at Bandon? Did any of her friends find it strange that the couple was heading to a world-renowned golf resort to celebrate after the wedding?

“Not at all,” says O’Connell, laughing. “They knew it was totally us. We were thinking of doing a golf wedding, and I knew my bridesmaids might hate me—but they are all golfers anyway. And it worked out amazingly and everyone had the best time. The staff was incredible, from the start until the end, especially since there aren’t a lot of weddings at Bandon.”

While she’s at it, O’Connell wants to correct the notion that Bandon is only a testosterone-fueled golf retreat for men. Bandon, to O’Connell’s way of thinking, offers something for every golfer, regardless of gender. “If you’re speaking to the avid woman golfer who likes to travel, then Bandon is a no-brainer,” she says. “You have so many styles of golf on one property that serves so many different golfers.”

She points to Bandon Preserve, the resort’s par-3 course that allows for a quick 13, or the Punchbowl putting course, as examples that are decidedly female-friendly. She adds that many of the courses don’t have forced carries, and the Royal Blue tees offer a range of yardages for everyone.

“Bandon definitely caters to many different golf personalities, both male and female,” she continues. “Once you step on the property, it’s like all your cares and stresses are gone.”

Having been to Bandon a couple of times, O’Connell can’t wait for her next couples trip to the resort, anxious to check out the Sheep Ranch.

“There are a number of personal connections I have to Bandon,” she says. “I love trees, and when we played Old Macdonald, we saw the ghost tree, and I fell in love. Obviously, I got married at Bandon, but even if that wasn’t the case, it would hold a special place for me.”

“If you’re speaking to the avid woman golfer who likes to travel, then Bandon is a no brainer.”

—Kenzie O'Connell

camera connection

The photos that accompany this story were taken by Patrick Koenig, a photographer perhaps best known for quitting his job and traveling North America playing golf in an RV to raise money for the First Tee of Seattle. Kenzie first met Koenig in Banff, Alberta, where she was playing golf. Patrick took some shots of Kenzie as she played and they immediately connected: “We have a great energy together,” she says. That made Koenig a natural to shoot her Bandon wedding. The only issue? “He’d never shot a wedding before.”

Not surprisingly, it worked out well.

“I wanted him at our wedding because he’s a great friend, but he’s also an amazing golf course photographer,” she says. “He freaked out when I asked him, but I think he really captured the moment.”