1 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: It really comes back to that opening day that really 2 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: capitualized everything. A golf course, we think it as a 3 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: recreational playground, but I think of it in addition as 4 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:16,279 Speaker 1: a consumer product. So when you spill your heart out 5 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 1: and you spend a lot of money on a product, 6 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: let's say, you don't know if it's any good until 7 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: people are offered it to buy and use. So that 8 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 1: first day in the bookings for the first year all 9 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: told me that America was ready for Links golf, even 10 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 1: though it was in Banded, Oregon, it's truly remote place, 11 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: and that that made me feel that I had done 12 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: a product, a architectural structural design that the American golfer, 13 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:52,160 Speaker 1: which we number in the millions, really appreciated. 14 00:00:53,080 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 2: That feels good. Five nobody here is getting time. Welcome 15 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 2: to the fire pit with Matt Janella. 16 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 3: So I'm just back from my twenty fifth trip to 17 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 3: Bandon Dunes, which just happened to fall in between two 18 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 3: episodes of this podcast. On the building of Bandon, we 19 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:30,680 Speaker 3: refer to the old course as the home of golf. 20 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 3: Some say Pinehurst is the cradle of American golf, and 21 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 3: the book written about the building of Bandon Dunes is 22 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 3: dream golf. Mike Kaiser's dream has become a nightmare for 23 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,759 Speaker 3: his competition. In twenty plus years of development of sand 24 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 3: based minimalism, the remote destination on the southwest coast of 25 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 3: Oregon has quickly become what some might say is the 26 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 3: best pure golf destination in the world, which is why 27 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 3: I dedicated two parts to this story as a recall 28 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 3: from part one. In the mid nineties, with twelve hundred 29 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 3: acres of gorse choked dunesland, Mike Kaiser started looking for 30 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 3: an architect who would do anything but what was being 31 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 3: done in the United States. He stumbled upon David McLay Kidd, 32 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 3: who was in his mid twenties, and his father, Jimmy, 33 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:16,640 Speaker 3: who was the agronomist at Glenn Eagles in Scotland. 34 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 4: I gave what would be today a power point presentation, 35 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 4: but I did it with poster boards and a sharp 36 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 4: eat pains, and I wrote down on these poster boards, 37 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 4: you know, like no cart paths, and make you know 38 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:34,639 Speaker 4: they would walk, and that the fairways would be uneven 39 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 4: and there'd be pot bunkers, and the clubhouse shouldn't be 40 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 4: on the water's edge, it should you know, the best 41 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 4: green should be on the water's edge. 42 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 5: I said to David, if we deviate any anytime from 43 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 5: offering Mike anything more than a true and I mean 44 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:57,079 Speaker 5: a true Links experience, Irish Links experience here, you will 45 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 5: not hire us as architects. 46 00:02:58,560 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 6: He will go elsewhere. 47 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 3: Kaiser hired the kids to build it, and he hired 48 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:07,240 Speaker 3: Kemper Sports to manage it. He tapped Josh Lesnik, also 49 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 3: in his twenties, to be the first general manager. Lesnick 50 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:13,239 Speaker 3: explains why Bandon was so unique in the US. 51 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 7: Golf courses were being built close to people, you know, 52 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 7: close to cities. People didn't necessarily care about the site 53 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 7: for golf. You could have mud and clay and rock 54 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 7: under the soil, but if it were close to people 55 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 7: and you could put houses around it, That's the kind 56 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 7: of golf courses people were building in the nineties, eighties, 57 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 7: nineties in America. 58 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 6: This was close to nobody. 59 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 7: This is going back to the golden age when you'd 60 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 7: look for the best site for golf and you know, 61 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 7: no bank would finance it. No, no, everybody thought it 62 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 7: was crazy. Mike's friends thought it was crazy. Mike thought 63 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 7: it was. 64 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 3: Crazy against all odds and swimming into the current of trends, 65 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 3: Kaiser kept going one hole at a time, and on 66 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 3: May first, nineteen ninety nine, on the eve of opening day, 67 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 3: he reflected on what if all the doubters were right 68 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 3: and he was wrong? 69 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, Josh and I discussed, you know what 70 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: happens if no one comes, or what happens if we 71 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: break even? Because we all had bats the first year 72 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: how many rounds we would do, and twelve thousand rounds 73 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:19,840 Speaker 1: is break even. And most of our bats about how 74 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: many rounds we would do were less than twelve thousand rounds, 75 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 1: so in my group, no one thought we would break even. 76 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 1: And the discussion I remembered probably than the night before, Well, 77 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:34,359 Speaker 1: if it doesn't work, I'll give it three years for 78 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: it to catch on, and if it doesn't, we'll turn 79 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: it into a sheep ranch. 80 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,359 Speaker 3: The Sheep Ranch opened on June first, twenty twenty, the 81 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 3: fifth eighteen hole golf course at Bandon Dunes. Plus there's 82 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 3: the Preserve, a thirteen whole Part three course, Shorties, another 83 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:51,479 Speaker 3: version of a Part three course at the back of 84 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 3: the range, and the punch Bowl, a two and a 85 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 3: half acre putting course which you can play for free. 86 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:00,720 Speaker 3: Needless to say, I'm not even sure Kaiser could have 87 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 3: dreamed something as big as what Bandon has become. But 88 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 3: for now, let's go back to the beginning. We're back 89 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:11,039 Speaker 3: in Bandon. It's nineteen ninety seven and word is out 90 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 3: in the town of three thousand that there might be 91 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 3: a golf course coming. Meet Mick Peters, a recreational golfer 92 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:20,480 Speaker 3: who has been barbering in Bandon for fifty four years. 93 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 8: In the shop, we said, oh yeah, they're going to 94 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:27,479 Speaker 8: be a world class golf course in band And who's 95 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 8: going to come to Bandon to play golf? 96 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 2: That was That was a talk right off the bat. 97 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:35,600 Speaker 3: Bob Gaspar, also known as Shoe because he looks like 98 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 3: Jockie Bill Shoemaker, was a customer at Mixed Hair Surgeons. 99 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 9: As the story went on, Shoe came in and he 100 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 9: was getting a haircut. He said, I'm going to go out. 101 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 9: They're looking for a caddy master. He said, I'm going 102 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 9: to go out and apply for that. I said, cool, 103 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 9: So he did, and of course, as a story went 104 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 9: on again he got it. 105 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 2: He was in my shop again. 106 00:05:57,800 --> 00:05:58,720 Speaker 10: It's gotten hiss there and. 107 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:02,039 Speaker 9: He says, man, that first day is really filling up 108 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 9: I said, wow, I said, is the first tea taken yet? 109 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 9: He's I don't know, but I'm going back out there 110 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 9: and i'll check and i'll call you. So he did, 111 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:13,479 Speaker 9: and he called me. He said, no, it's open. 112 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 11: I Nick, how would you like to be the first 113 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 11: one off? 114 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 2: I said yes, and he said you will have to 115 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 2: have a bourse him. I said, that's cool, I can 116 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:20,599 Speaker 2: do that. 117 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 3: Mike Peters, Mick's oldest son. 118 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 12: Is in Dad, called and said, I got the first 119 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 12: tea time for Bandon Dunes. He says, you want to play. 120 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 12: I'm like sure. He's like, we need to find two 121 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 12: more people. I'm like, okay, we'll see if we can 122 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:36,279 Speaker 12: find two more people. 123 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:37,920 Speaker 6: A friend of. 124 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:41,919 Speaker 12: Mine and his father in law joined us, and we 125 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 12: showed up that morning and it was a typical Bandon day. 126 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 12: It was raining, cats and dogs. We showed up in 127 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 12: our golf attire and they handed us Gortek's golf rain 128 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:58,520 Speaker 12: stuff because it was pouring down rain. 129 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:00,719 Speaker 3: Josh Lesnik on him memorable day. 130 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 6: Yeah. We opened on May second, nineteen ninety nine. 131 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 7: It was rainy and I'd say fifties, maybe high forties, 132 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 7: low fifties, and we were booked from the first tea 133 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 7: time to the last tea time. 134 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 6: You know, mostly Oregonians. It was kind of a regular day. 135 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 7: We didn't do a big VIP invitational and invite. We 136 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 7: just did whoever's going to make tea times or he 137 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 7: let him play an opening day. Mike Kaiser's plan was 138 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 7: to be there and hand out the opening day coins 139 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 7: to each player. 140 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 3: David Kidd wasn't at Opening Day, but his father Jimmy, 141 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 3: who was in town collaborating with the maintenance team, stood 142 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 3: next to Mike Kaiser and helped pass out coins to 143 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 3: everyone who played that day. 144 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 13: Opening Day was the most surprising thing. I've been at 145 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 13: a few opening days, and they were a pretty big 146 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 13: and pretty grand affair as well. The opening day at 147 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 13: Bandon was anything but grand, anything but baked. It was 148 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 13: a wet, miserable day if I remember rightly. It was 149 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 13: a typical Scottish links day. 150 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 3: Shoe again with more details. 151 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:11,440 Speaker 11: It was a full ticket once again, I believe two 152 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 11: hundred and forty eight people and we didn't have any rooms, 153 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 11: so everybody had to stay in town, either stay in 154 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 11: town or just drive home again. 155 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 14: Uh. 156 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 11: Local golf, local golf for us as Eugene and Portland. 157 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,679 Speaker 11: Nobody around here, particularly except for our golf club members 158 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 11: play golf here. I had made it up bag tags 159 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:32,319 Speaker 11: for everybody, this big stack of bag tags, and I 160 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:33,760 Speaker 11: thought this would be cool. We're going to tag the 161 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 11: bags once again. We didn't know what we were doing. 162 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 11: Cars pulled up, but it wasn't just one car at 163 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 11: a time. It was like everybody pulled up. The tags 164 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 11: went by the window, you know. 165 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 14: Uh. 166 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:48,200 Speaker 11: It was poor and rain. MIC's up on the tee, 167 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 11: He's huddled down. Everybody's trying to smile. All these people 168 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:54,680 Speaker 11: here to play golf, pouring. 169 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 7: Micked, the local barber, was the first player at Bandon 170 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:03,320 Speaker 7: Dudes that day. Mick Peters and his sons were the 171 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 7: first ones to play, and they since have been the 172 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:08,079 Speaker 7: first ones to play every single opening, including the preserve, 173 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 7: of every golf course in Bandon. 174 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 3: We're going to have a lot more on Mick Peters 175 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 3: and his sons and their legacy abandoned in episode ten 176 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:19,600 Speaker 3: of The fire Pit, but for now Nick stays focused 177 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 3: on his first t shot of the first course. 178 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 2: It was just it was bigger than. 179 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 8: I expect that. I didn't think there would be that 180 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 8: many people there watching, and I was so nervous I 181 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 8: couldn't already put the ball on the tee. 182 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:39,199 Speaker 3: Mike Peters has been second off on every new course 183 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 3: at Bandon Dunes. 184 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 6: It was a lot of fun. 185 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 12: I was like, what are we doing? Why are we 186 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:48,720 Speaker 12: doing this? You know, until we walked up onto the 187 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 12: tee and then you saw it over the first tea 188 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:55,079 Speaker 12: and the whole course. It was like, you couldn't get me. 189 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 6: Out of here. 190 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean just Bandon Weather. 191 00:09:57,800 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 6: Yeah, a big deal. 192 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:02,199 Speaker 12: And it was an absolute gorgeous golf course. And I, 193 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 12: like I said, I'd never seen it. I had no 194 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 12: idea what I was getting into until I stepped on 195 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 12: that first tee and it really was on inspiring. 196 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:14,440 Speaker 3: As first off. Mixed tradition is to tea up a 197 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 3: ball and with his first swing he only hits the 198 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:18,319 Speaker 3: ball a few feet. 199 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 8: I do that, and then I have mister Kayder sign it, 200 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 8: and I put it away, and I grab another ball 201 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 8: and I hit it again. 202 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 15: But I am at I'm the first guy that hits 203 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 15: the ball. There was only I'm not going to say 204 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:37,320 Speaker 15: the name, although I have in the past. There was 205 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:39,320 Speaker 15: one person that didn't show up the first day. 206 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 7: It was one of my friends down and he decided 207 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 7: it was too rainy and cold to show up. Every 208 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 7: other person shut up. Was just one person that didn't 209 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:50,199 Speaker 7: show up. It was rainy and cold, no doubt, I'll 210 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:50,959 Speaker 7: give him a break. 211 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 6: But everybody else played. Who is this guy? He's a local, 212 00:10:57,800 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 6: he's a friend. 213 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 7: He's a uh, he was a friend until he didn't 214 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:02,839 Speaker 7: show up. 215 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 3: Shoe showed up. Of course, what would Bandon be without Shoe. 216 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 11: There was a big trailer. One of our local cranberry 217 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 11: growers brought a barbecue trailer, backed it up back here, 218 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 11: right back to where the where the pub's at. He 219 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 11: was cooking hamburgers and hot dogs for everybody. The rain 220 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 11: finally stopped, sun came out, it turned beautiful. The cranberry 221 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 11: grower's name was Jack, and by the end of the day, 222 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:35,200 Speaker 11: because he had a bottle of Jack, hamburgers and hot 223 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:36,600 Speaker 11: dogs were flying everywhere. 224 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 3: I swear man, you wouldn't know a boom. 225 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 4: Here it goes. It was great. 226 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 11: It was the greatest experience because it was just it 227 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:47,199 Speaker 11: was banded, nothing fancy, you know. The hot dogs and 228 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 11: hamburgers were free. Everybody had a great time. 229 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:51,200 Speaker 3: What's the rain stopping? 230 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 2: It was extremely. 231 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 6: Rewarding. It was really it was a really neat day and. 232 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:02,199 Speaker 7: It was fun to see the staff all together and 233 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 7: really have the customers out there was great fun day. 234 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 3: Jimmy Kidd on watching Mike Kaiser as his dream unfolded 235 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:09,679 Speaker 3: in front of him. 236 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 5: Mike was relatively quiet. He was basically listening to what 237 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:18,080 Speaker 5: everyone was saying, and everyone. 238 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 13: Seemed to be happy to be there, even before they 239 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:22,319 Speaker 13: had even before they had hit a shot, they were 240 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 13: delighted to be there. Maybe it was the the just 241 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 13: the atmosphere of an opening day and a golf course. 242 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:32,439 Speaker 13: But when they came back in Mike Goness, the comments 243 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:34,800 Speaker 13: and the clubhouse and the atmosphere and the clubhouse was 244 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:35,840 Speaker 13: just out of this world. 245 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:37,560 Speaker 5: It was an incredible day. 246 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 13: You could always even today, I could you can feel 247 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 13: it here in the back of your next standing up 248 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 13: because you knew that something had happened to you in 249 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 13: a place which was out in the middle of nowhere. 250 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:52,199 Speaker 1: So everything until opening day was rough, and then from 251 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 1: then on the golfers took over. 252 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 2: Guys like you, Matt said, this is fun, Link's golf, 253 00:12:58,080 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 2: what we like. 254 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:01,839 Speaker 7: Even at that we weren't sure kind of what it 255 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 7: would become. By that point though, we were quite sure 256 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 7: our rounds were going to, you know, exceed what our 257 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 7: expectations were the first year, because there was an article 258 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 7: written in December of ninety seven by Bob Robinson, and 259 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,600 Speaker 7: he was a well known golf writer, and he wrote 260 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,200 Speaker 7: a story about Vanda Dune's, you know, almost six months 261 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:27,880 Speaker 7: before we opened. Came out in December. We were set 262 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:31,560 Speaker 7: to start taking tea times January first of ninety eight. 263 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:34,680 Speaker 7: The article comes out in December. The phone started ringing 264 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:37,319 Speaker 7: that day. Shoe was in there answering him. The phone 265 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 7: has not stopped ringing since that day. 266 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 4: And I give a huge amount of credit to making 267 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:46,560 Speaker 4: that a reality to Josh. You know, he was the 268 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 4: one that got the message out there and got people 269 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 4: to pay attention and come and look. 270 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 10: And it was those first few people. 271 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 4: I remember Brian Callen Cumming who was with Golf Magazine 272 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:02,520 Speaker 4: at the time, and Josh and I played the back nine, 273 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 4: I think with him and his reaction was my first 274 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 4: experience of an American golf journalist seeing this and saying, wow, 275 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 4: this is different. And that was all as I remember it. 276 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 4: That was old Josh. He was the one bringing these 277 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:25,400 Speaker 4: people and had those connections, and we were seeing that 278 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 4: reaction happen because of his skills delivering the message. 279 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 1: What Josh got to do was be fun and fun 280 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 1: to be with and hire people and find caddies when 281 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: everyone said you'll never find caddies, and go to the 282 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:44,080 Speaker 1: Portland Golf Show and convince people that it's only four 283 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: and a half hour drive. So Josh was great on publicity, 284 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: David was great on building the golf course, and Howard 285 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: McKee was the magical architect guy. 286 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,960 Speaker 3: So all systems are go. Bandon Dune's was open for business, 287 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 3: and we learned it part one of this podcast. Kaiser 288 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 3: had already bought the land that would become the second 289 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 3: course on property. So I asked Mike how soon after 290 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 3: opening day of Bandon did he commit the Pacific Dunes 291 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:11,920 Speaker 3: a tom Dope design? 292 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: Almost immediately, I mean it was within within days. It 293 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 1: was overwhelming, And let's give Josh credit for We opened 294 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:27,960 Speaker 1: in May, early May nineteen ninety nine, and then the 295 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: opening day we knew that we had bookings. 296 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 2: Whether people would actually show up, we didn't know. 297 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 1: But as the days ticked by, we realized that all 298 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 1: the bookings we had were going to become real rounds 299 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: that people would drive and fly from who knows where. 300 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 2: You made it, make it a success. So I'd say 301 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 2: within the first. 302 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: Two months, if not the first couple of weeks, Josh 303 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 1: and I and Howard all said yeah. 304 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 2: Let's go. 305 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: Because we opened open Pacific Dunes in two thousand and one, 306 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: two years later, so that tells you that we did. 307 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 2: Could he split on the second golf course last year? 308 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:07,960 Speaker 3: On May second, twenty nineteen, David Kidd was on the 309 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:10,560 Speaker 3: first tea for the twentieth anniversary of Bandon Dunes. 310 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 4: You know, it's amazing to think that in twenty years, 311 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 4: with fifty thousand approximately visitors per year, we're looking at 312 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 4: a million individuals have now visited Bandon Dunes. Sure some 313 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 4: of them visit every year, but the number I use 314 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 4: is a million people. A million golfers have visited Bandon 315 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 4: Dunes now over the first twenty years. That's pretty amazing. 316 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 4: I think it awakened in American golfers' willingness to accept nature, 317 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:46,000 Speaker 4: that golf through nature is what golf is truly. 318 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 10: Meant to be. 319 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:52,600 Speaker 4: That's why we've seen golf move away from being ornate 320 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:57,200 Speaker 4: and overly manicured and become far more natural. It speaks 321 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 4: to our current ethos that we want things to be 322 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 4: sustainable and have less inputs, less chemicals, less of everything 323 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:11,520 Speaker 4: so that nature can take a hold. And Bandon Dunes 324 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:16,160 Speaker 4: was the grind zero for that in America twenty years ago. 325 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:19,400 Speaker 3: But his shoe explains the impact of this resort goes 326 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:21,880 Speaker 3: a lot deeper than some of the natural sand bunkers 327 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:22,720 Speaker 3: throughout the property. 328 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:27,359 Speaker 11: You know, it's really basically made the town come alive, 329 00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 11: and not only Bandoned, but Koos County actually the entire 330 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:38,120 Speaker 11: state of Oregon almost Well, no, it's true. It's true 331 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:41,400 Speaker 11: because look how many there's so many people that would 332 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:45,880 Speaker 11: never venture west of the Mississippi River that are coming here, 333 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 11: and they've never been to Pacific Northwest. I mean, this 334 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:50,920 Speaker 11: place is this place is beautiful. 335 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 3: I mean it just is. 336 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:57,400 Speaker 11: And so this has brought people here that heretofore would 337 00:17:57,440 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 11: never have come this way. 338 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:01,440 Speaker 3: But almost almost. 339 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:04,159 Speaker 11: Everybody in town in the county gets a check from 340 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:09,920 Speaker 11: Bandon Dunes for one thing or another. Newspapers, flowers, coffee, 341 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:13,960 Speaker 11: you know, meat, you name it, and they get a check. 342 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 11: And that doesn't even take into consideration a payroll for 343 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 11: six hundred and forty in staffers and then an additional 344 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:26,680 Speaker 11: three hundred to three hundred and fifty caddies that goes 345 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:28,160 Speaker 11: out into the community. 346 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 6: I think, Matt, you know. 347 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:33,479 Speaker 7: For for Mike and I, the one thing we always 348 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 7: say to each other is we look at each other 349 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 7: and like, can you believe this? 350 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:39,880 Speaker 6: You know, because we. 351 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:44,240 Speaker 7: It's hard to say, you know, like we didn't look 352 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 7: at Bandon Dunes as a business every day. We didn't, 353 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:48,720 Speaker 7: but we knew we were opening a business, and you 354 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:50,439 Speaker 7: can't do things stupid. 355 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:51,560 Speaker 6: We're doing it for. 356 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 7: The love of the game, but it was still a business, 357 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 7: and you know, to budget to do ten thousand rounds 358 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:03,880 Speaker 7: the first year and end up doing close to thirty thousand, 359 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:08,880 Speaker 7: and now you know, multiply those numbers by the five 360 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:12,159 Speaker 7: courses now and it's like, we still can't believe it. 361 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 7: I can't believe it. Mike can't believe it. I mean, 362 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 7: there's no way you could have imagined that it would 363 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 7: become what it's become. It's, you know, thankfully to the 364 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:27,280 Speaker 7: work the architects did and the site selection, and it's uh, 365 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:30,160 Speaker 7: I still have to pinch myself. 366 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:38,440 Speaker 3: Some final reflections from several key players who have helped 367 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:42,400 Speaker 3: make Bandon so special. We'll start with Josh Lesnik, followed 368 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:43,240 Speaker 3: by David Kidd. 369 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:47,480 Speaker 7: I've been involved with a number of other places, and 370 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:51,920 Speaker 7: but Bandon is is uh yeah, it's home. 371 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 6: It's my home away from home. It's my happy place. 372 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:57,199 Speaker 7: I love you know, the second you step foot on 373 00:19:57,200 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 7: that property and breathe in that air and then get 374 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 7: to p hit those golf courses and Bandon Dunes being 375 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:08,960 Speaker 7: my favorite golf course anywhere in the world, Yeah, there's 376 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 7: I don't know that anything could ever take over Bandon 377 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 7: Dunes's my favorite place in the world. 378 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:18,640 Speaker 4: I never tire of talking about Bandon Dun's. I never 379 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 4: tire of every visit I make. I especially love it 380 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 4: when I get to take Bandon virgins there who are 381 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:32,199 Speaker 4: not Bandon East as yet to experience the place with 382 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:33,119 Speaker 4: a newbie. 383 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 10: Is still a huge kick. And I know it's the 384 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:37,240 Speaker 10: same for you guys. 385 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:40,959 Speaker 4: I mean taking I probably take at least one or 386 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:44,000 Speaker 4: two Create sms to band in a year, and in 387 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:46,239 Speaker 4: that eight sum I try and make sure there's at 388 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:50,159 Speaker 4: least one or two virgins and introduce them to the 389 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 4: place and know that it's just blowing their minds. 390 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 10: And that's such fun to be part of. 391 00:20:56,560 --> 00:21:00,399 Speaker 4: To see that wonder again and experience it through someone 392 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:02,520 Speaker 4: else's eyes seeing it for the first time. 393 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:05,360 Speaker 10: I'll never ever tire of that. 394 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 3: Kidd and Leslig again on what they learned from working 395 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:11,040 Speaker 3: with Mike Kaiser. 396 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:15,439 Speaker 4: You know, he is the master of cutting through the 397 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:19,359 Speaker 4: bas and getting to the heart of the matter. He 398 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 4: simplifies things to their absolute core, really really quickly, better 399 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:27,119 Speaker 4: than anybody I've ever made before. 400 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:31,040 Speaker 7: I could be doing mental gymnastics trying to figure something out, 401 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 7: and I could call Mike and it'd be like he 402 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 7: could figure it out in a second and get to. 403 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:36,879 Speaker 6: The get to the mottom of it. 404 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:41,880 Speaker 7: And it's he keeps things really really simple and accomplishes 405 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 7: amazing things. Yeah, I mean that would you know everything nothing. 406 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:49,959 Speaker 7: He never wanted to see anything that was more than 407 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 7: one page. If you sent him anything more than one page, 408 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:56,439 Speaker 7: it was too much, too complex, Just don't do it, 409 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:57,960 Speaker 7: don't send it to him. 410 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:00,080 Speaker 6: So I mean working. 411 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:03,360 Speaker 7: With him, you know, as I said earlier, I think 412 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 7: one of his many legacies and it's all you know, 413 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 7: its opinion and people can look back. But I feel 414 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:15,560 Speaker 7: like he's with each architect he's worth worked with each 415 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:18,160 Speaker 7: golf course architect, they may have built their. 416 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 6: Best golf course with working with Mike Kaiser. 417 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:24,119 Speaker 7: I think that's part of his his brilliance is just 418 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:29,800 Speaker 7: working with people and working with the artists David and 419 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 7: Tom Doak and Bill Kohr and you know, and keeping 420 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 7: it simple and just achieving incredible things. It's amazing, amazing 421 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 7: to work with them. 422 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 3: I asked them both, what if there was no Mike 423 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:45,960 Speaker 3: Kaiser in your life? 424 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 10: I would still. 425 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 4: Like to think that I would have uh found my 426 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 4: way in golf course design. But I wouldn't have the 427 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 4: you know, the band and Dunes logo on my shirt 428 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 4: and would have made it much much harder and the 429 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:07,240 Speaker 4: road would have been a lot longer. But I would 430 00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:10,919 Speaker 4: still want to believe that I would have managed to 431 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:16,479 Speaker 4: be a force of relevance in golf course architecture. You know, 432 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:19,160 Speaker 4: there were a number of other projects that I managed 433 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 4: to get in and around. You know, I was on 434 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 4: numerous sites that are now world beater golf courses. You know, 435 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 4: I was at Friar's Head that kre Crenshaw did two 436 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 4: years before they got there. I was on numerous others 437 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,160 Speaker 4: the Preserving Carmel. I was on that site before Fasio 438 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 4: did it, so there were lots of other projects that 439 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:44,919 Speaker 4: I was managing to squeeze myself into one way or another. 440 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 4: So I would like to think that I would have 441 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 4: made a break somehow, some way, and I think Josh 442 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:55,119 Speaker 4: would have too. I think we both were full of 443 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 4: piss and vinegar, and one way or another we would 444 00:23:57,600 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 4: have made it. 445 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:05,360 Speaker 7: I I'm afraid to think about that, you know, I think, 446 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 7: I think I I'm not sure I would have found 447 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:15,719 Speaker 7: what I truly love about the game of golf and 448 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:20,240 Speaker 7: the business of golf without Mike. I don't know what 449 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 7: had taken a long time. I didn't I didn't go 450 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 7: play golf in scotlanduntil I was forty years old, and 451 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 7: it would have taken me a lot longer to find. 452 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:34,080 Speaker 6: Out what I loved about the game if it weren't 453 00:24:34,119 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 6: for Mike Kaiser. 454 00:24:35,119 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 7: I mean it's I think he's done that for a 455 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:41,440 Speaker 7: lot of Americans probably who have now gotten to abandoned 456 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:45,240 Speaker 7: and got onto play Sand Valley and kind of seen. 457 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:51,440 Speaker 6: Dream golf and what makes the game of golf so lovable. 458 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:54,120 Speaker 7: So I don't want to think about what it would 459 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:56,439 Speaker 7: be like with no Mike Kaiser and no Abandon Dunes. 460 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 3: Bill Core and Ben crunch I just opened their third 461 00:24:59,359 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 3: course for Mike Kaiser at Bandon Dun's. They've built seven 462 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:05,880 Speaker 3: courses for what's referred to as the Dream Golf Portfolio 463 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 3: and are under construction on their eighth cab at Saint Lucia. 464 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:12,760 Speaker 3: That accounts for almost a third of what kren Crenshaw 465 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 3: have built from Scratch, Core and then Crenshaw on the 466 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:18,400 Speaker 3: overall impact of Mike Kaiser. 467 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:25,159 Speaker 16: We've gotten so far away more than our share of 468 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 16: very special sites, and a great number of those have 469 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 16: come from Mike Kaiser. 470 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 2: He's been He is simply the most incredible and. 471 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:44,919 Speaker 16: Should be the most highly acclaimed golf developer in the world. 472 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:49,880 Speaker 16: And the products that he puts out there and the 473 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:54,480 Speaker 16: care that he puts into them is just beyond comparison. 474 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:58,920 Speaker 2: And he finds these sites, he. 475 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:02,919 Speaker 16: Goes back to that that that nucleus of playing golf 476 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:06,400 Speaker 16: on sandy firm ground, and in Mike's case, at least 477 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:11,480 Speaker 16: until Sand Valley, it was always about somewhere near the sea. 478 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:14,520 Speaker 14: He just finds it to be. It's a it's a 479 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:18,400 Speaker 14: connection to five hundred years of golf history, and he 480 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:21,639 Speaker 14: he just I think he believed before he started doing 481 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 14: these golf developments that that was a connection that would 482 00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 14: resonate with American golfers as well as European and other 483 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:36,679 Speaker 14: other nationality golfers. And he brought it to us. He 484 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:39,080 Speaker 14: gave us the opportunity to experience it. 485 00:26:39,119 --> 00:26:40,080 Speaker 6: And he was right. 486 00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:44,280 Speaker 14: I mean, it's a it's a It may be the 487 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 14: oldest form of golf in the world, but I think 488 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 14: it's still the most appreciated. 489 00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:52,520 Speaker 17: Maybe it was his first trips over the British Isles, 490 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 17: and you know, people make a journey to go see 491 00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:58,959 Speaker 17: those golf courses in the way they are in their 492 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:06,399 Speaker 17: natural state. But Mike was after some sandy ground and 493 00:27:06,680 --> 00:27:10,840 Speaker 17: picturesque ground, no matter where it was. And he was 494 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:13,920 Speaker 17: going to tap into that golfer who wants to travel, 495 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:19,800 Speaker 17: much like you know a surfer or a sailor that 496 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:23,520 Speaker 17: would go to remote places around the world to enjoy 497 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:25,000 Speaker 17: their avocation. 498 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 9: Uh. 499 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:29,280 Speaker 17: You know, you've heard the surfers going, you know, to 500 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:34,480 Speaker 17: Tierra del Fuego too. You know who who knows where. 501 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:39,359 Speaker 18: In the Pacific to go find that wave and and 502 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 18: and that experience and that's golfers have a way of 503 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:47,199 Speaker 18: you know, if they if they're one or two groups 504 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:50,879 Speaker 18: that travel together and get to a place and enjoy golf. 505 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:52,320 Speaker 6: That's that's who he's after. 506 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:56,400 Speaker 17: And he's really done a great job UH with that. 507 00:27:56,920 --> 00:28:03,200 Speaker 17: It's the repeat customer UH in places that eat, sleep, 508 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:07,720 Speaker 17: and drink golf. And Bill and I are just a 509 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:14,160 Speaker 17: recipient of his outreach. We can't thank Mike enough. And Mike, 510 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:17,560 Speaker 17: you know, extends to all the other architects that we know, 511 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:24,400 Speaker 17: and they've done a great job too, So it's pretty 512 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 17: unique and we're very honored to be part of that. 513 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:31,159 Speaker 2: I got two kinds of letters from men in particular. 514 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:35,480 Speaker 1: Ladies are beginning to go up there, but there's still 515 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 1: a small minority of people who play man. So the 516 00:28:38,920 --> 00:28:42,200 Speaker 1: letters I see go into two categories. The buddy's trip, 517 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:45,000 Speaker 1: I was great. Here's a photo. We had a fabinoust 518 00:28:45,040 --> 00:28:47,760 Speaker 1: ten or eight and twelve will you do it? Eight, twelve, 519 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 1: sixteen of you? I like those stories. They're basically all 520 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 1: the same saying we had a fabinous time even though 521 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:57,080 Speaker 1: it rained, or even though where's the wind. 522 00:28:58,320 --> 00:28:59,680 Speaker 2: There's always a wrinkle. But the. 523 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 1: Buddies have a great time, and many of them come 524 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 1: back here in and eure Ope. But the ones that 525 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 1: really get me are the father's son trips, which are 526 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:12,440 Speaker 1: fewer than the buddy trips, but those are very heartfelt, 527 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:16,720 Speaker 1: you know, I like you know, we came all the 528 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:19,240 Speaker 1: way from Boston. It's been one of my life's dreams. 529 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:21,280 Speaker 1: The father writes to me that I can take my 530 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:24,280 Speaker 1: sons to Bandon Dudes, and we did, and we had 531 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 1: a glorious time, and don't know if we'll do it again, 532 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 1: but it was just badulous being with my sons or 533 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:33,560 Speaker 1: a lot of father's sons make it a fourshome rights. 534 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:36,840 Speaker 1: And so I've got a soft spot because I have 535 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:40,640 Speaker 1: two sons and four kids. They all like Bandon Dudes. 536 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:44,440 Speaker 1: So I like the father's son father daughter letters. 537 00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:45,080 Speaker 2: In particular. 538 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:54,240 Speaker 19: I ask every guest on the fire pit to share 539 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 19: their favorite fire pit and give me a reason or two. 540 00:29:57,960 --> 00:29:59,480 Speaker 10: Why do you have one? 541 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 1: It's probably the one of growth cottage, Jim. We're building 542 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:06,719 Speaker 1: one right now for and I haven't seen it at 543 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 1: cheap Branch, so it's going to have some growth. 544 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:13,240 Speaker 2: Cottages doesn't really have a view. You're just part of nature. 545 00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:16,640 Speaker 1: And the one that's a cheap branch is going to 546 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:21,240 Speaker 1: be resplendent with the visuals. You'll be overlooking the golfers. 547 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:24,080 Speaker 1: So wait until you see that right now. It's the 548 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 1: Growth Cottages. 549 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:30,240 Speaker 4: I'm looking at it right now, the putting course that 550 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:34,320 Speaker 4: Gamble sands. On the far side of it is a 551 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:38,480 Speaker 4: fire pit that looks down into the Columbia River Gorge 552 00:30:39,160 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 4: and to the North Cascade Mountains. And it is by 553 00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:44,720 Speaker 4: far my favorite fire pit. 554 00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:49,360 Speaker 6: Ysh, my favorite fire pit experience. 555 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 7: Again, you know, after the playoff and the Uncle Tony 556 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:58,560 Speaker 7: Invitational and winning. You know, I think you'll recall I 557 00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 7: came into the fire pit pretty hot that night. 558 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 6: And I mean, any fire pit where. 559 00:31:03,160 --> 00:31:06,160 Speaker 7: Joe Horowitz is playing music should be my favorite, but 560 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:10,480 Speaker 7: that night, you know, it was. 561 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:12,760 Speaker 6: That was a pretty special occasion. 562 00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:16,760 Speaker 7: I appreciated your advice and that night and we really 563 00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 7: we enjoyed the fire pit, and we enjoyed Joe. 564 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:20,680 Speaker 6: And that's that fire pit. 565 00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:24,240 Speaker 7: Abandoned Dude's near the Grove Cottages is my favorite fire pit, 566 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:24,880 Speaker 7: no doubt. 567 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:30,200 Speaker 19: That's the inspiration for this podcast. As I've said before, 568 00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:32,760 Speaker 19: Without that fire pit, I don't know that we even 569 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:35,440 Speaker 19: have a podcast called the fire Pit I mean, that's 570 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:37,520 Speaker 19: how special that fire Pit is. 571 00:31:42,280 --> 00:31:44,960 Speaker 3: Are you looking for good value on great golf apparel 572 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:48,040 Speaker 3: as a listener to this podcast, my friends John Ashworth 573 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 3: and Jeff Cunningham at Linksoul in Oceanside, California are offering 574 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 3: you a twenty five percent discount on all future orders 575 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:58,520 Speaker 3: of what I Wear All Day, every day, on and 576 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:02,120 Speaker 3: off the course. Whenever you go to linksoul dot com, 577 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:05,760 Speaker 3: just use promo code MATTYG twenty five m A T 578 00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:09,920 Speaker 3: t y G twenty five. Thank you for listening to 579 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:13,320 Speaker 3: The Firepit. It's produced by Alex Upeggi. It's edited by 580 00:32:13,360 --> 00:32:17,479 Speaker 3: Rex Lint. The theme song is by Joe Horowitz. Please 581 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:20,479 Speaker 3: rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts and we 582 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:22,640 Speaker 3: might track you down and send you one of our 583 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:27,040 Speaker 3: new Imperial ropats. Got a question, comment, or a story 584 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:28,920 Speaker 3: for us to track down. You can find me on 585 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:33,160 Speaker 3: Twitter at Matt Janella or on Instagram at Matt Underscore Janella. 586 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:36,320 Speaker 3: And if you haven't already done so, please subscribe to 587 00:32:36,360 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 3: The Firepit on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen 588 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:43,240 Speaker 3: to a story like this one. You can also subscribe 589 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:45,960 Speaker 3: to our YouTube channel, which is where we post portions 590 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:48,880 Speaker 3: of our podcast and add some visual surprises.