1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:08,639 Speaker 1: Mike was relatively quiet. He was basically listening to to 2 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:11,039 Speaker 1: what everyone was saying, and everyone seemed to be happy 3 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: to be there, even before they had even before they 4 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: had hit a shot, that they were delighted to be there. 5 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 1: Maybe it was there just the the atmosphere of an 6 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:22,280 Speaker 1: opening day in a golf course. But when they came 7 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: back in, my goodness, the comments and the clubhouse, and 8 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 1: the atmosphere in the clubhouse was just out of this world. 9 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: You could almost even today, I could you can feel 10 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: it here in the back of your next standing up, 11 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 1: because you knew that something had happened to you in 12 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:38,240 Speaker 1: a place which was out in the middle of nowhere. 13 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: It was an incredible day. Put another log fi, nobody 14 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: here is welcome to the fire pit with Matt Toella, 15 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: Welcome back. Settle in this story is one that means 16 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: a little more to me than most. After all, on 17 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:11,759 Speaker 1: May twelve, two thousand seventeen, we named our son Bandon, which, 18 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:16,479 Speaker 1: according to some research by my wife, means cooperative, courteous, 19 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:21,039 Speaker 1: and she says people named Bandon tend to be considerate. Apparently, 20 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: peace and harmony are of the utmost importance to someone 21 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:26,840 Speaker 1: named Bandon. If you've been to the resort or have 22 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 1: met my son, you'd say most of the above is true. 23 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,480 Speaker 1: As far as our sun goes. It's a work in 24 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:37,400 Speaker 1: progress in terms of the destination. I've been covering the 25 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: development of Bandon Dunes since two thousand one, and I've 26 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 1: been going there every year from my annual Buddies trip 27 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 1: the Uncle Tony Invitational since two thousand seven. The fire 28 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: pit at Bandon Dunes in the middle of the grove cottages, 29 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 1: the nights I've had there, the stories I've told and 30 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: heard there, that was the inspiration for this podcast. Today 31 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 1: you'll hear part one of the building of Bandon dun 32 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: as told by Mike Kaiser, the owner, David mccley Kidd 33 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: and his father Jimmy, the architects, and Josh Lesnick and 34 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:10,959 Speaker 1: his father Steve, who won the bid to manage it. 35 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:15,640 Speaker 1: I interviewed Mike Kaiser on his own David and Josh together, 36 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: and Steve Lesnik and Jimmy Kidd together. Bandon Dunes, the 37 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 1: original course at what is now the best pure golf 38 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:26,679 Speaker 1: destination in America and arguably the world, was an outlier 39 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:31,679 Speaker 1: that opened in like sand Hills and Mullen Nebraska. The 40 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: story we told in the previous episode of this podcast. 41 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 1: To build a golf course in a remote location using 42 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:41,679 Speaker 1: a minimalist architect or architects was anything but what was 43 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: being built in America. In the nineties, Mike Kaiser of 44 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 1: Recycled Paper Greetings in Chicago started developing courses with the 45 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: Dunes Club, a private but non pretentious nine hole course 46 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: built in the sand of New Buffalo, Michigan. Kaiser was 47 00:02:57,040 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: then brought in to invest a little money into what 48 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:02,799 Speaker 1: Young's cap was built in Nebraska. My model has always 49 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 1: been even even though Dornick and st Andrew's old are important, 50 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: Pine Valley has always been my model because it's in 51 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 1: the US. It's it's not remote, but it's sort of 52 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 1: a hole in all place and it's totally natural, built 53 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:19,839 Speaker 1: on sand duds, doesn't have an ocean, but magnificent sand yuds. 54 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: So that was my That was my motivator and model 55 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: for the Dunes Club. When I saw sand Hills that 56 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 1: was in the same genre as Pine Valley before we 57 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 1: knew it, Dick was full. That gave me a lot 58 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 1: of courage out out there and Mandon because that was 59 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:40,839 Speaker 1: the missing ingredient. The courage to build something in mandan Og. 60 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: Kaiser says that when sand Hills got a hundred and 61 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: fifty members in Mullen, that's the mitosis of modern minimalism 62 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: in America. As Bill Core said, a watershed moment. But 63 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: what if it didn't work? Why was this worth the risk? 64 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 1: From Mike Kaiser, you know, Josh and I discussed, you 65 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: know what it happens if no one comes, or what 66 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 1: happens if we break even? Because we all had bets 67 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 1: the first year how many rounds we would do, and 68 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: twelve thousand rounds is break even. And most of our 69 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: bats about how many rounds we would do were less 70 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 1: than twelve thousand rounds. So in my group, no one 71 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: thought we would break even. And their discussion I remembered, 72 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 1: probably then in the nine before, well, if it doesn't work, 73 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:27,480 Speaker 1: I'll give it three years for it to catch on, 74 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: and if it doesn't, will turn into a sheep ranche, 75 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 1: which is a bit ironic considering this podcast is going 76 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: live on the eve of the opening of the Sheep Ranch. 77 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 1: The sixth Course Abandoned Dunes, another Bill Core and Ben 78 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: Crunshaw design. Their story is told in episode six of 79 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 1: The fire Pit but we started this story in January 80 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: Mike Kaiser's first trip to Bandon, Oregon, five hundred miles 81 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:57,360 Speaker 1: north of San Francisco, almost three hundred miles south of Portland. 82 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:01,719 Speaker 1: Kaiser is standing on what's now the tenth tea abandoned trails, 83 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 1: looking out over course choked dunes land out to the 84 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: Pacific Ocean. I went to the lookout site which you've 85 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:12,560 Speaker 1: seen with Shorty and Charlotte down, the caretakers of thirty 86 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 1: five years of the property, the property better than anyone, 87 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 1: and he said, if you're looking for a golf course, 88 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: Shorty said, I'll take you to the spot. And the 89 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:23,320 Speaker 1: spot is marked today as the spot that Shorty down 90 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 1: took Mike Geyser and I looked out and said, this 91 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,840 Speaker 1: is it. There can't be another site. It was just 92 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 1: I later toured the land, which acres, but just from 93 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: that lookoutside it had everything. It had beautiful sand dunes 94 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: that in the ocean you just knew it was as 95 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: good as Dornick, or in the same breath as Dornick 96 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,719 Speaker 1: in bally Bunyon, without knowing this specifics. So that one 97 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 1: tour with Shorty and Charlotte was all I needed to see. 98 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 1: So then all I had to do was buy it 99 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: from Duke Watson in Seattle Shington, and yet David kid 100 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 1: and his father on order to do a rounding. Before 101 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: we get to the kids, I circled back on the 102 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,720 Speaker 1: cost they were asking five. It had been on the 103 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 1: market for four and a half years, according to Shorty 104 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 1: down in a broker, so I felt that there were 105 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:20,679 Speaker 1: there weren't any buyers, that I was probably the only buyer, 106 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:24,720 Speaker 1: and therefore Anne decided that it would be much more 107 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 1: effective if I was seeking discount. I went there in person. 108 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:32,119 Speaker 1: So I flew out to see Duke Uson, the owner, 109 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 1: along with his two brothers in law, and said, Duke, 110 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:37,920 Speaker 1: I don't have enough money to do this project, so 111 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 1: I can only pay you half of what you're asking. 112 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: You're asking five, I'll give you twent a half. And 113 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 1: he said, let us let us go caucus. So they 114 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:48,679 Speaker 1: went into these three and there were in their eighties 115 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:51,160 Speaker 1: or three old guys, go into another room and came 116 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 1: back to tea minutes and said we'll take it. They 117 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 1: became big fans. That Duke in particular came down in 118 00:06:58,040 --> 00:06:59,919 Speaker 1: numerous times and said, you know, it was always there 119 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:02,720 Speaker 1: d aimed to build a resort, and you've gone and 120 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 1: done it. Now that he has the land and we 121 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 1: know Kaiser's inspirations, he was looking for some authenticity in 122 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: terms of the course itself, which is about the time 123 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: Kaiser had a conversation with Rick Summers, who worked for 124 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: Glen Eagles Golf Developments in Scotland and worked with David 125 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: McClay Kidd, who was in his mid twenties, and in 126 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: that conversation, Rick said, why don't you hire a Scottish 127 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 1: architect if you're trying to build a Scottish links course, 128 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: and Mike said, I would, but there aren't. Anny the 129 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 1: old died a hundred years ago and then Ian Ferrier, 130 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: also of Glen Eagles Golf Developments, made a trip to 131 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: the States to try and drum up some business and 132 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: Ian came to see me and said, if you're looking 133 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 1: for someone to do a links golf course, which is 134 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: how I to fund, there's only one group for you, 135 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: and that's the Kid family. David Kidd and his father 136 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 1: Jimmy know what they're doing. Come on over to Glen 137 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 1: Eagles and we'll show you enter. Jimmy Kidd, David's father, 138 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 1: and the director of agronomy at Glenn Eagles in Scotland. 139 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 1: We will bring Mike to Scotland. We will base him 140 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: at then Eagle's Hotel. We will visit Irish Links, we 141 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: will visit Scottish Links. We will convince Mike that we 142 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 1: know everything about links, golf, how it should play, how 143 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: it should look, what kind of vegetation and such like. 144 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:19,559 Speaker 1: And we got to We got down to North Berck. 145 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 1: It was the very last one that we played, and 146 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 1: we played the second hole. Mike pushed one onto the 147 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 1: beach and he said, well, that set will drop another ball. 148 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: I said, no, you want, Mike go down there and 149 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 1: play it. Ye says you can't play it. I said, 150 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 1: get down on the beach and play it back. He 151 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:35,080 Speaker 1: knocked it back to nine ft and hold the pup 152 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:38,319 Speaker 1: for a three. And at that point I knew you 153 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 1: had the project. I was totally captated by Jimmy Kidd 154 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 1: was my age in particular, who convinced me that you 155 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 1: know everything you could possibly know about golf and Scanland 156 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 1: and especially Links scott Jimmy Kidd was a bit of 157 00:08:55,840 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 1: a legend. His son David was still leaning on his day. 158 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:04,559 Speaker 1: You know, my father was in a group along with 159 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 1: Walter Woods at St. Andrew's, George Brighten at Turnbury, and 160 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,599 Speaker 1: I'm merryad of others that he came up through the 161 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:15,559 Speaker 1: ranks with. And my childhood was spain at these golf 162 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 1: courses with these superintendents and golf cruise, a completely immersed 163 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: in Scottish golf. Meanwhile, back in Chicago, Josh les Nick 164 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:28,199 Speaker 1: was trending to work in his father's business. You know, 165 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:30,959 Speaker 1: I grew up in the golf business as well. I 166 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 1: mean he grew up with superintendents, and I grew up 167 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: more on the service side, um working at at Kemper Lakes, 168 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 1: which was you know, when the first upscale daily fee 169 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 1: golf courses opened in the in around nineteen seventy, I 170 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: think all eight team holes open and I worked there 171 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 1: in summers of high school and college because services is 172 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: a way that my dad, the founder of Kemper Sports, 173 00:09:55,520 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: always felt that we could differentiate ourselves ares having aligned yet, 174 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 1: but we're getting there. The kids receiving an invite to 175 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: Kaiser's land and abandoned that's a big step. And my 176 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 1: father and I flew out in July of two Bandon 177 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 1: Dunes and we spent a week on the site with 178 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 1: Shorty Dow who just passed, you know, a year ago. 179 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 1: So who was the caretaker of the sixteen acres if 180 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 1: I remember right, that Mike had purchased, and my father 181 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: and I spent a week going around the land. My 182 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 1: dad and I were super excited at what the possibilities were. 183 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 1: We thought the piece of land that Mike had had 184 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: huge potential, and we thought maybe somehow we were sneaking 185 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:47,679 Speaker 1: under the wire into America for a developer that a 186 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 1: some way, somehow was going to hire these complete unknowns 187 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 1: to build a golf course. But what happened was during 188 00:10:56,920 --> 00:11:01,439 Speaker 1: that week, Shorty kept asking my dad and I for 189 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:04,200 Speaker 1: our business cards. I mean he kept asking and asking 190 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 1: and asking, and so it became obvious that he was 191 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 1: collecting business cards. So I said, sure, I'll give you 192 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 1: a business card, but I want to see your collection. 193 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: And when I saw the collection he had, my heart 194 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: sank because the collection had all of my heroes in it. 195 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: I mean, Mike had had everybody out there. You know, 196 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: we weren't sneaking under any wire. I mean, this guy 197 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: is It was obvious he was pretty sophisticated and he 198 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 1: was able to get Jack Nicholas, Tom Fazio, Pete Die 199 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:38,680 Speaker 1: whoever he wanted on the phone, and could have hired 200 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 1: any of them. So it was pretty obvious to my 201 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 1: dad and I that we were in a competition and 202 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 1: we were way the hell out of our league, especially me. 203 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,320 Speaker 1: I'm twenty six years old and I haven't done Jack, 204 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:57,719 Speaker 1: you know. Pausing David's narrative for a second. Going back 205 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:00,400 Speaker 1: to Josh, where the less Nis were also for the 206 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 1: contract to work with Kaiser, there was a bit of 207 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:06,839 Speaker 1: a of a competition as to who was going to 208 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:10,959 Speaker 1: manage abandoned dunes. The company David worked for at the 209 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:14,240 Speaker 1: time that he mentioned Glenn Eagle's Golf also had a 210 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: management armor. Said they had a management arm. Not sure 211 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:19,679 Speaker 1: what all they were managing, but there was a bit 212 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 1: of a of a bake off between Kemper Sports and 213 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 1: Glenn Eagle's Golf. Had happened. That are our sister company, 214 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:29,200 Speaker 1: Kemper Lesnik the public relations agency as an office downtown. 215 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: We met Mike there, Glenn Eagles was there. David wasn't 216 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 1: in that meeting. I was there just watching my dad 217 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 1: do his thing, which is he's He's a phenomenal salesperson 218 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:45,199 Speaker 1: and and thankfully Mike selected Kemper Sports to manage it, 219 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: and he called me the next week after that meeting 220 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 1: instead of like you to think about moving out there. 221 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,800 Speaker 1: Steve Lesnik founded Kemper Sports in night, with a focus 222 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:58,960 Speaker 1: on golf course development and various aspects of management. Steve 223 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 1: reflects on kai Are picking his son as the first 224 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:06,560 Speaker 1: general manager of Bandon Dunes. It was another a great 225 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:09,360 Speaker 1: insight um of Mike. We all know he has so 226 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:15,160 Speaker 1: many because he recognized that Josh had a passion for 227 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:19,439 Speaker 1: the game that equal to his own and Matt, as 228 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: you well know, is extraordinary people skills really contributed to 229 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:33,520 Speaker 1: the development of Bandon Dunes. Meanwhile, the kids, specifically David, 230 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 1: was back in abandoned and he wasn't having an easy 231 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: time coming to terms with their odds to get the 232 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: job of building the golf course. I took a little 233 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:44,560 Speaker 1: bit of a fence to the whole thing. I figured 234 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 1: that my dad and I as these you know, colloquial 235 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:51,839 Speaker 1: skills out there on this piece of land with this 236 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:55,240 Speaker 1: mega rich guy from Chicago going to fly in in 237 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:59,560 Speaker 1: his private jet, you know, we were just entertainment. I mean, 238 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 1: there's a way this guy is going to hire us. 239 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 1: So I take upon myself to be blunt, I mean 240 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 1: just kind of brutally blunt with them, because I figure 241 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 1: he's not gonna hire us anyway, so what the hell? 242 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 1: So I paint out this scenario that if you really 243 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 1: want to build a real links course in America, in 244 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 1: this place that's miles from anywhere, then you need to 245 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 1: be authentic. But I know you won't do it. I mean, 246 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 1: I've seen what links golf is in America. Links golf 247 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 1: in America is payable beach, with everyone driving golf cars 248 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 1: and playing into poor greens with perfectly trimmed bunker edges. 249 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:41,960 Speaker 1: You know, I pick up any American golf magazine and 250 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 1: every new course is called a links course, and they're 251 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 1: not links at all. They're not even close to a 252 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:49,960 Speaker 1: links course. He's very entrepreneurial. He could say branch, I 253 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 1: would say entrepreneurial and capitent. Call it what you want. 254 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 1: But David brought all of it to a pitch meeting 255 00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: at the Cee Star guest house in downtown Abandoned, and 256 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:04,400 Speaker 1: I gave what would be today a power point presentation, 257 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:08,040 Speaker 1: but I did it with poster boards and a sharpie pens, 258 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,280 Speaker 1: and I wrote down on these poster boards, you know, 259 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 1: like no car paths, and make you know they would walk, 260 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 1: and that the fairways would be uneven and there would 261 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 1: be pop bunkers, and the clubhouse shouldn't be on the 262 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 1: water's edge, it should, you know, the best green should 263 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: be on the water's edge. I said to David, if 264 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 1: we deviate any any time from offering make anything more 265 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:37,160 Speaker 1: than a true and I mean a true Links experience, 266 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 1: Irish Links experience here, you will not hire us as architects. 267 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 1: He will go elsewhere. I mean. It was completely the 268 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 1: antithesis of American golf development circa the ES. It was 269 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:54,680 Speaker 1: everything that golf was not, and lo and behold, it 270 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 1: pretty much was exactly what the audience was there to hear. 271 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 1: That was I was wishing an open door with Mike. 272 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: That was actually what his intentions were. I think it 273 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 1: was a meeting of eight or so of us who 274 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:10,760 Speaker 1: had flown out with me from Chicago, eight friends and 275 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: avid golfers and the Sionados who were there basically to say, 276 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: you've got to be nuts to do this. And I 277 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 1: think David Kidd gave his presentation to convince them to 278 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 1: convince me that it wasn't such a crazy idea. He kid, 279 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,320 Speaker 1: you know, how do we get hired? I kid, do 280 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 1: I really want to do this? In theory, the kids 281 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 1: had the job and that was because of their commitment 282 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 1: to building true links, and Kemper Sports had the job 283 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 1: to manage him. But why does Josh Lesnick, at the 284 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 1: age of twenty nine, think he was Kaiser's chosen one. 285 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 1: I think in the end, maybe the way Mike feels 286 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 1: if Kemper Sports was going to manage it and the 287 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 1: owner was willing, the owner of Kemper Sports was willing 288 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 1: to send his son out there, that they weren't gonna 289 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 1: let me fail. They were going to give me all 290 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:08,119 Speaker 1: the support I needed to be successful opening um that resort. 291 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:10,160 Speaker 1: And that's you know, what our company is all about 292 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 1: is supporting the general managers to be successful. And I 293 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 1: had a ton of support, whether it be accounting, legal operations, policies, procedures, 294 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:23,439 Speaker 1: all the things that maybe weren't my strengths. I'd probably 295 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 1: more in building the relationships and communications and building the 296 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 1: brand abandoned Dunes. But you know, I think he was 297 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:33,240 Speaker 1: just like, well, the company's not gonna let Josh fail, 298 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 1: let's send let's send him out there. Steve Lesnik agrees. 299 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 1: By having my son go out this was going to 300 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 1: have my full attention and the full attention to the organization, 301 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:47,080 Speaker 1: because we certainly were not going to let Josh fail 302 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 1: or not be successful, or not hit the ball out 303 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:53,920 Speaker 1: of the park. I know we've all watched the last 304 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 1: Dance these last couple of weeks, and it is true 305 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:01,920 Speaker 1: that in a way, organization win championships. But you know what, 306 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:05,400 Speaker 1: the players play, and Josh played, and those first three 307 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:08,440 Speaker 1: years were crucial to all of us, to success of 308 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 1: all of us, the reputation of all of us, and 309 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:13,680 Speaker 1: he did a great job, and I'm very very proud 310 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:16,000 Speaker 1: of him. Like I said a few minutes ago, in theory, 311 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 1: the kids had the job to build the course. Josh 312 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 1: the GM and David the Kid explained, I'm not sure 313 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 1: Mike ever gave him the job. Every time he came 314 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:28,240 Speaker 1: out there, he was like, let's see what he can do, 315 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 1: and he just kept living up to the task. Every 316 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 1: every time he had an idea about a hole in 317 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 1: the route and this and that, Mike liked it more 318 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 1: and more and gave him more and more of a. 319 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:43,360 Speaker 1: I mean, David, is that how you kind of remember it? Yeah? 320 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:48,879 Speaker 1: I wrote Mica proposal that basically sold him my time 321 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:54,159 Speaker 1: on a day basis a dairy and Mike sent me 322 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:59,879 Speaker 1: back a fact that was on recycled paper and hated notepaper, 323 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:03,960 Speaker 1: and it said, okay, let's go, and that's all it said, 324 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 1: classic Mike Kaiser. David had never done a golf course. 325 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 1: He just had this lineage that I thought, as long 326 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 1: as his father, Jimmy was involved, it would work out okay. 327 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 1: And so it was. Jimmy was a great help to David. 328 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:24,000 Speaker 1: They came over and bush whacked through the corse plants 329 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:27,280 Speaker 1: and came up with this routing that was pretty good. 330 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 1: That good enough to build a but pretty good. And 331 00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:34,119 Speaker 1: they were the architects. We heard why Josh thought he 332 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:37,080 Speaker 1: got hired. So why does David think he got to 333 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:40,159 Speaker 1: build Bandon? I think Mike hired me for what I 334 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:43,199 Speaker 1: didn't know. You know, I didn't know how to screw up, 335 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 1: because I never built much else. What I had was 336 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:55,600 Speaker 1: this extremely raw in instinct for what gold phases in 337 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 1: the British Isles, and so it wasn't uncommon to me. 338 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:04,240 Speaker 1: I had I barely played many golf courses driving a 339 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:07,360 Speaker 1: golf car on a concrete path, much less built one. 340 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:09,920 Speaker 1: So I didn't know how to do that. I hadn't 341 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 1: built a bunch of lakes with fountains on a golf course, 342 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:16,720 Speaker 1: much less played one. As for kids compensation, he was 343 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:19,159 Speaker 1: getting a daily fee. It was about a couple of 344 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 1: hundred bucks. I think something in there. But I was 345 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 1: working for a company, so my I lived on site 346 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:28,920 Speaker 1: at Banned and through the whole entire build, so pretty 347 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 1: much it was like eight or nine months I was 348 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 1: on site, and that year I made forty That year, 349 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: you think Mike Kaiser got a steal. It's the best 350 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 1: deal I ever did. Mike Kaiser on the team he 351 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:50,480 Speaker 1: had assembled. David had never designed a golf course, and 352 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:53,879 Speaker 1: Josh had never managed to golf course or anything. So 353 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 1: I had dude talking about rookies, real rookie, but David 354 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:02,760 Speaker 1: head dad Jimmy to sort of hover a little bit 355 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:05,879 Speaker 1: and guide him, and David didn didn't find in his 356 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:09,879 Speaker 1: own and Josh's dad, dad Steve Lesnick, was president and 357 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,880 Speaker 1: owner of Kemper Sports. I figured that the dad there, 358 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 1: Steve Lesnick, would not let his son fail, and in fact, 359 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,000 Speaker 1: Josh did great on his own, but that remained in 360 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:24,119 Speaker 1: my mind a big thing that Kemper Sports was not 361 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:26,960 Speaker 1: going to let this be anything other than a great success, 362 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 1: and they worked hard at it. Josh and David, both 363 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:32,639 Speaker 1: in their twenties, would meet on what would be the 364 00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:36,159 Speaker 1: twelve Hole abandoned dunes about two yards from the coastline, 365 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:40,200 Speaker 1: because I remember my first visit flying out with Mike 366 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 1: uh and we basically went went straight to what is 367 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:49,159 Speaker 1: now the twelve to meet you and Mike, you know, 368 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:52,080 Speaker 1: said well, this looks like a part three. What are 369 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,960 Speaker 1: we gonna do here? He said, well, we're standing on 370 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:57,159 Speaker 1: this dune. This is going to be the t that 371 00:21:57,840 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 1: part that looks like a green right there, that's going 372 00:21:59,880 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 1: to be agreed And Mike, well, what are you What 373 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: are you gonna do in between? He said, not much, 374 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 1: maybe just like one really deep bunker. And you know 375 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 1: that's the twelfth hold today as it stands there. And 376 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:17,960 Speaker 1: I said, well, I'm in the greeting card guys reading 377 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:20,159 Speaker 1: cared business guys, and I know the power of a 378 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:24,440 Speaker 1: visual and this is a great photograph. And Josh, take 379 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:26,639 Speaker 1: a photo of this right now before we built it, 380 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:28,879 Speaker 1: because after we build it, it's going to be as 381 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:31,880 Speaker 1: photograph and we're gonna take that photo and we're gonna 382 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 1: make reading cards and send them to everyone we know 383 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:38,440 Speaker 1: in the golf business. And there was our initial press 384 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:41,159 Speaker 1: release that not higher do copy. It was just a 385 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:45,160 Speaker 1: photo of number twelve and the copy was for additional 386 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:50,120 Speaker 1: information called Joshua. Well, josh was busy getting the word out. 387 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:54,679 Speaker 1: David was busy in the dunes. The sequence we worked 388 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:56,680 Speaker 1: through was we started on the holes that were on 389 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:59,680 Speaker 1: the ocean, so twelve, fifteen, and sixteen were the first 390 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:04,040 Speaker 1: one that got built. And those are iconic golfles, all right. 391 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 1: So I think that Josh and I both were we 392 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 1: lacked hesitation. We were both sort of point and shoot 393 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:18,200 Speaker 1: at that point in our lives. We did not have 394 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:22,480 Speaker 1: any doubts in what we were doing. We we we didn't. 395 00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 1: I guess we were too dumb to know the risks 396 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 1: that we were involved in or the how it could 397 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 1: all go wrong. We were it was straight point and shoot. 398 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: I mean, we were like, Okay, I'm going in this direction, 399 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:36,239 Speaker 1: lead follower, get that out of my way. I mean, 400 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:39,360 Speaker 1: I'm going this way. And we both had our own 401 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:43,119 Speaker 1: little teams that they were happy to follow. I mean, 402 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:46,520 Speaker 1: if if we were both godfathers and the mafia, we 403 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:49,879 Speaker 1: had the group around us that would have died for us. 404 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:54,399 Speaker 1: At that point, my Kaiser stayed close to the process, really, 405 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 1: and it was David and Jimmy and then later Jimmy 406 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 1: Withdrew once we had a routing. It was pretty much 407 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:04,399 Speaker 1: all David and his brash approach, and you know, I 408 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:07,400 Speaker 1: approved everything and like what I saw, hold by hold 409 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:11,040 Speaker 1: by hold. Josh remembers the hold as being something he 410 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:15,000 Speaker 1: had never seen before. You had, you know, an American shaper, 411 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:17,800 Speaker 1: and no one could believe that you wanted to leave 412 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:22,399 Speaker 1: that fairway with all the the dudes in it, and 413 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:26,560 Speaker 1: you know, having David there was I mean, it was 414 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:30,200 Speaker 1: so inspirational for the whole project, but that fair every 415 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:32,200 Speaker 1: time I walked down that fairway, I think about those 416 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: discussions and how you and Jimmy, uh your dad were 417 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 1: wanted to leave the dudes there. No, it's unlike any 418 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 1: other American fairies. You're saying that maybe common in Scotland, 419 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:47,720 Speaker 1: but one very common here. And that's just one of 420 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:50,399 Speaker 1: the so many ways you had effect on that on 421 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: that property, in that project, really a neat memory. I 422 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 1: asked David of the original routing that got them the job, 423 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:02,240 Speaker 1: what if anything changed during the build? Well, the first routing, 424 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:08,040 Speaker 1: the back nine never really changed. Holes ten through eighteen 425 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:12,400 Speaker 1: were on the very first layouts and they pretty well 426 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: got built. The front nine got completely changed. The original 427 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:22,120 Speaker 1: parcel that Mike had bought the northern boundary was basically 428 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:25,680 Speaker 1: the existing third hole. The third hole was on the 429 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 1: plan that everything north of that did not exist. Mike 430 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:31,800 Speaker 1: didn't own that lane. I hope he told you about 431 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:37,960 Speaker 1: David Schumann and the land next door. He might not 432 00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:41,320 Speaker 1: have said this, but David and his father's original layout 433 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:45,879 Speaker 1: on the twelve hunted acres was about three holes short 434 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 1: of being really good. And I told David that, and 435 00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 1: he was sort of crest bawn. So I've used the 436 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 1: bab the land. What do you want me to do? 437 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:55,760 Speaker 1: And I said, I don't know. You're the golf course, 438 00:25:55,840 --> 00:26:00,199 Speaker 1: you're the golfers architect. You think of it virtually at 439 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:02,359 Speaker 1: that moment, it was, you know. It was weeks and 440 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:07,520 Speaker 1: weeks later our neighbor to the north declared bankruptcy and 441 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 1: enabled me to buy it and to give to David 442 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:15,639 Speaker 1: what became number five, six, seven, and eight the really 443 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:21,080 Speaker 1: good holes. Those in particular were gifts from big golf guys. 444 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: Who would have thought that within months of having this 445 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 1: log jam with David Kidd that the land would present itself, 446 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: we know, abandoned dunes now as pristine minimalism, with picturesque imperfections, 447 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 1: natural nuances and such a soulful approach to the game 448 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 1: as it was meant to be. But back then, I 449 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:45,080 Speaker 1: wondered if there was much of a social life in 450 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:49,680 Speaker 1: and around this budding destination. It's a small resort town. 451 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:51,440 Speaker 1: It wasn't even a resort town at that time. It 452 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:55,359 Speaker 1: was becoming a resort town. And when you live in 453 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:58,640 Speaker 1: a small resort town and your David Kidd or your 454 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:02,600 Speaker 1: Josh you're kind of always on. I mean, you're always 455 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:07,000 Speaker 1: that's your representing bandon Doon's, You're representing Mike Kaiser. So 456 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 1: work never ends. Uh. Fortunately, as it grew, you know, 457 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:14,360 Speaker 1: David was surrounded by the people that worked for him. 458 00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:16,560 Speaker 1: I was surrounded by the people that worked for us. 459 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:21,440 Speaker 1: And um, you know, maybe there's one local bar in 460 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:26,400 Speaker 1: town where you could go, uh Lloyd's Lloyd's abandoned, which 461 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:29,520 Speaker 1: I heard reopened. I haven't been back there, but goodness, 462 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:32,680 Speaker 1: I heard it reopen. Everyone had been going to the Arcade, 463 00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:36,480 Speaker 1: which is owned by a family that works at the resort, 464 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 1: and a couple of caddies bought it. And it's a 465 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:41,800 Speaker 1: great place, the Arcade Tavern. But back then it was 466 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:45,359 Speaker 1: Lloyd's and uh, you know, I had a house and 467 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:50,359 Speaker 1: would open my house to anybody, and um, you know. 468 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:52,879 Speaker 1: So it's just a small resort town and you you 469 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:55,040 Speaker 1: kind of live and work and play with those that 470 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:58,080 Speaker 1: you work with. Wait, there was there was a law 471 00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:00,400 Speaker 1: of drinking wint On by game. There is a lot 472 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:05,800 Speaker 1: when when I was building the golf course in the 473 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 1: heat of battle in late n seven and then through 474 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:12,760 Speaker 1: there was nothing there. There was there wasn't even a 475 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:15,840 Speaker 1: road up onto the golf course, so we were hiking 476 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:18,920 Speaker 1: through sand to get out onto the golf course every day. 477 00:28:19,280 --> 00:28:22,359 Speaker 1: And then sometimes I would drive up the Empire while 478 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:26,200 Speaker 1: their guys were working, and I'd buy a bushel of 479 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 1: oysters or some tuna, and I'd bring it back to 480 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:33,320 Speaker 1: the site and I'd build a fire below the sixteenth green. 481 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:36,879 Speaker 1: We did this many times, and I would barbecue the 482 00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 1: oysters caught up the tuna, put cold beers down there, 483 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:46,280 Speaker 1: and then after work people would drive down what we're 484 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:49,200 Speaker 1: the sheep Branches now, break out onto the beach, and 485 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:52,680 Speaker 1: their pickup trucks come around and park underneath what is 486 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:55,600 Speaker 1: now sixteen Green and we would party there until I 487 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:58,680 Speaker 1: got dark or very dark, and we would be hitting 488 00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: golf balls down the beach and drinking beers and eating oysters. Uh. 489 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 1: That went on quite a bit, yeah, and then I 490 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:09,000 Speaker 1: would I would get a call the next day from 491 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 1: Mike Kaiser about what was what happened the night before, because, 492 00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:16,720 Speaker 1: as David mentioned earlier, there was a caretaker was also 493 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 1: the shriff of the property, Shorty dow Um and his wife, 494 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:24,480 Speaker 1: Charlotte Um. But Shorty would monitor everything that was going on, 495 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:27,800 Speaker 1: and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get 496 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:29,760 Speaker 1: him to call me with the information. He would call 497 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:33,160 Speaker 1: Mike and say, oh, yeah, that you know the Scottish geyser, 498 00:29:33,280 --> 00:29:36,840 Speaker 1: and David would have his interns and um, you know, 499 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 1: there were a lot of fun things that happened down 500 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:40,480 Speaker 1: there on the beach. I'm sure I wasn't. I wasn't 501 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:43,240 Speaker 1: always invited in those parties or didn't know about him. Josh, 502 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:48,720 Speaker 1: you need to plausible deniability, and uh sure, you know. 503 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 1: Then I'd get a call the next day from Mike 504 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:53,000 Speaker 1: about something that might have happened on the beach, and 505 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:56,280 Speaker 1: I was supposed to be responsible for this place, but uh, 506 00:29:56,640 --> 00:29:59,480 Speaker 1: I think it was. It was more fun and nothing 507 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 1: too bad happened, and a lot of a lot of 508 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:04,960 Speaker 1: good came out of it. So some not so good 509 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:08,160 Speaker 1: you guys. At one of your oyster clam bakes or 510 00:30:08,160 --> 00:30:12,120 Speaker 1: whatever you guys were doing on the beach, Simon drove 511 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:17,160 Speaker 1: the old Blue into the ocean and was surfing on 512 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 1: the hood of all of this pickup truck, and the 513 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:24,840 Speaker 1: pickup truck went out to see and Simon jumped in 514 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 1: the water and was was okay. He came to the 515 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:30,040 Speaker 1: beach and short he had watched this whole thing happened. 516 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:32,640 Speaker 1: And I got a call the next day from Mike 517 00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:38,600 Speaker 1: Eiser saying, um, where is my pickup truck? Yeah, that 518 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:41,680 Speaker 1: wasn't such a good one. That was. That was a 519 00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:44,800 Speaker 1: tough one. I got the call the next day, like 520 00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:47,160 Speaker 1: you know, and Mike was probably messing with me, like, Josh, 521 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:49,840 Speaker 1: you're supposed to be in charge, you know, what's good? 522 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:54,720 Speaker 1: Look what happened on your watch fuck. When one of 523 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:57,120 Speaker 1: the mornings he and Charlotte were driving into beach, which 524 00:30:57,200 --> 00:31:00,320 Speaker 1: day always did, and Charott looked out the window looking 525 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:04,400 Speaker 1: towards the ocean, towards the Orient, and said, isn't Shorty, 526 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:09,080 Speaker 1: isn't that Troy's truck? And Troy was our superintendent and 527 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:12,040 Speaker 1: he had a truck. Isn't that Troy's truck out there 528 00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:15,680 Speaker 1: in the ocean? And Shorty said, well, well, my gal, 529 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:18,840 Speaker 1: that's a truck. That's Troy's truck out in the ocean. 530 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:23,400 Speaker 1: So ran then get angry about destroying perfectly good property, 531 00:31:23,760 --> 00:31:26,480 Speaker 1: which I could have gone in that direction. I decided 532 00:31:26,560 --> 00:31:30,840 Speaker 1: to lext year David as follows David, one of your 533 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:32,760 Speaker 1: people or if you For all I know, I don't 534 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:35,960 Speaker 1: want to know whose idea was either be moderating me 535 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:42,080 Speaker 1: for the lost truck. And that's how we left. We 536 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 1: loved it as a very funny story. I didn't lose money. 537 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:49,440 Speaker 1: And we'll never know the specific details of just who 538 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:54,360 Speaker 1: cooked up the Hey, let's drive Troy's truck into the ocean. 539 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:59,240 Speaker 1: Let it float away. Mike's right, We'll never know until now. 540 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:04,640 Speaker 1: The fuller story was that Simon the intern was the 541 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:08,040 Speaker 1: local high school math teacher down on the beach and 542 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:12,080 Speaker 1: that pickup truck and he got it stuck in the sand. Uh, 543 00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 1: and then the tide came in and all sorts of 544 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:20,120 Speaker 1: ship then ensued. He So it was where yeah, there 545 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 1: was there was hard charging times back then. Was there 546 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:28,800 Speaker 1: any adult supervision? And the golf course there was um 547 00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:31,680 Speaker 1: and the golf course I approved every green, every you know, 548 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:35,880 Speaker 1: the routing, so there was oversight there and David and 549 00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:38,000 Speaker 1: I got to know each other and know what we 550 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:41,960 Speaker 1: like together, networked fairly well, which brings us to Mike's 551 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:45,600 Speaker 1: site visits. That was probably the hardest part of the 552 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:49,280 Speaker 1: whole project was Mike would fly in pretty regularly, so 553 00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:54,600 Speaker 1: probably at least every third week for the seven or 554 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:57,520 Speaker 1: eight months we were in construction, and he would fly 555 00:32:57,720 --> 00:33:00,040 Speaker 1: in with a bunch of what he called retail he 556 00:33:00,120 --> 00:33:03,400 Speaker 1: old golfers, which I'm sure Josh had to deal with two. 557 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:07,240 Speaker 1: So Mike would fly in with you know, three, four, 558 00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:13,840 Speaker 1: six of his golfing buddies who were doctors or lawyers 559 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:17,400 Speaker 1: or you know who knows that this was not their business. 560 00:33:17,480 --> 00:33:20,880 Speaker 1: They were just you know, keen amateur golfers with an opinion, 561 00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 1: and Mike would wander around the golf course with me. 562 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:28,680 Speaker 1: I mean not wander. It was very focused, and he 563 00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:31,680 Speaker 1: would want me to explain what I was doing, what 564 00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:34,840 Speaker 1: I was planning to do. He would question me about 565 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:38,880 Speaker 1: why things were the way they were, and his buddies 566 00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:42,280 Speaker 1: would would have a free for all doing the same 567 00:33:42,360 --> 00:33:46,160 Speaker 1: thing and telling Mike what they thought. So they'd be like, no, 568 00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:48,440 Speaker 1: I don't think that bunker should be there, I think 569 00:33:48,480 --> 00:33:50,400 Speaker 1: it would be better over there, or why don't you 570 00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:54,600 Speaker 1: move that hole over here? Or and Mike, as Josh knows, 571 00:33:55,120 --> 00:33:58,800 Speaker 1: would listen to all of this, and it was absolutely 572 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:03,680 Speaker 1: infuriate him because I'd be working my bulf with my 573 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:07,240 Speaker 1: guys to try and build something really cool, and these 574 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:11,000 Speaker 1: guys that didn't know Jack would turn up with all 575 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:15,720 Speaker 1: of these thoughts and they'd be in my head, infecting 576 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:19,839 Speaker 1: Mike with all of their myriad of ideas, and I'd 577 00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:24,239 Speaker 1: be trying to herd cats, and it was really, really tough. 578 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:28,239 Speaker 1: It got to the point one day where one of 579 00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:34,279 Speaker 1: Mike's buddies was suggesting some idea that that just couldn't work, 580 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:37,840 Speaker 1: wouldn't work, and Mike was nodding his head in agreement, 581 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:42,279 Speaker 1: and I was just seething inside. I mean, just wanting 582 00:34:42,360 --> 00:34:48,600 Speaker 1: to just scream, and at some point with a few 583 00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:50,879 Speaker 1: minutes later or an hour later, I went to Mike 584 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:55,480 Speaker 1: and I said, hey, you know that guy made this suggestion, 585 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:59,080 Speaker 1: and you agreed. I'm going to bring the bulldoors or 586 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:02,520 Speaker 1: back and do what what it is. I totally disagree 587 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:04,399 Speaker 1: with you, but if that's what you want, then that's 588 00:35:04,440 --> 00:35:08,560 Speaker 1: what I'll do. And Mike go pretty stern with me, 589 00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:12,719 Speaker 1: and he said, hey, you need to understand. When I'm 590 00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:16,879 Speaker 1: agreeing with one of my fraens, it means I hear them. 591 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 1: It doesn't mean I'm saying yes unless I tell you 592 00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:24,239 Speaker 1: to change something. More on Mike's visits from Josh's perspective, 593 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:26,560 Speaker 1: you didn't want to be a naysayer with Mike and 594 00:35:26,680 --> 00:35:32,040 Speaker 1: his friends, But his visits um to the property, As 595 00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:37,080 Speaker 1: David said, extremely focused. I mean, I don't know anybody 596 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:41,360 Speaker 1: that takes their time more seriously than than Mike Kaiser. 597 00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:45,400 Speaker 1: From the minute he steps on property, he's laser focused 598 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:49,239 Speaker 1: on whatever. You know again, I mean I talked him 599 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:51,120 Speaker 1: on the phone for twenty years as we were building 600 00:35:51,320 --> 00:35:53,120 Speaker 1: the whole place and all the Gulf. I talked about 601 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:57,680 Speaker 1: the phone every day, and he's equally as as precious 602 00:35:57,719 --> 00:36:00,600 Speaker 1: with his time on the phone. But on property, whatever 603 00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:03,440 Speaker 1: it is, if we're uh, do we need to build 604 00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:05,120 Speaker 1: more rooms? Where are we going to build him? What 605 00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:06,719 Speaker 1: are we gonna do? What's the room? You know, on 606 00:36:07,400 --> 00:36:10,320 Speaker 1: every minute on property is scheduled out as to what 607 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:14,239 Speaker 1: he's gonna do and uh. And then you know, at 608 00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:17,839 Speaker 1: the end of the day, dinner and let's talk about 609 00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:19,680 Speaker 1: dinner and how the food and beverage works and what 610 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:22,120 Speaker 1: what's the best And you know, by the end of 611 00:36:22,280 --> 00:36:25,400 Speaker 1: his they were typically two night trips, so he'd come 612 00:36:25,440 --> 00:36:28,200 Speaker 1: in on a Tuesday morning, he'd stayed Tuesday Wednesday night, 613 00:36:28,239 --> 00:36:32,080 Speaker 1: and he'd leave Thursday afternoon. You know, by Thursday night, 614 00:36:32,840 --> 00:36:35,560 Speaker 1: I was exhausted, I can tell you that, and everybody 615 00:36:35,640 --> 00:36:40,080 Speaker 1: around me was exhausted because he's his mind is incredible 616 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:42,719 Speaker 1: and you have to be on all the time and 617 00:36:43,160 --> 00:36:45,399 Speaker 1: you're getting a lot done when he's around. And it's 618 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:49,400 Speaker 1: been that way since my very first trip in. You 619 00:36:49,480 --> 00:36:52,200 Speaker 1: can't talk about the development abandoned Dunes without a deeper 620 00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:55,440 Speaker 1: dive on Howard McKee, who died of colon cancer in 621 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:59,040 Speaker 1: two thousand seven. He was a very good friend of 622 00:36:59,120 --> 00:37:03,800 Speaker 1: mine from Cargo, Chicago, from Portland. Then therefore knew the 623 00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:09,160 Speaker 1: coast of Oregon very well. He was the managing partner 624 00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:11,920 Speaker 1: of Skid Morones in Meryll in Portland and very well 625 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:15,200 Speaker 1: connected with planners, et cetera. And he said, well, if 626 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:17,880 Speaker 1: you're helping to build a golf course somewhere on the 627 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:20,520 Speaker 1: ocean and either the East coast and the West coast, 628 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:22,600 Speaker 1: you should go take a look at Oregon. We've got 629 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:27,440 Speaker 1: a beautiful, beautiful coastline, which is true. I dubbed it 630 00:37:27,719 --> 00:37:32,960 Speaker 1: America's links Land. It's sixty miles of uninterrupted beautiful sanders, 631 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:39,239 Speaker 1: big enough for probably a fifty golf course. Howard's real 632 00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:43,279 Speaker 1: contribution was getting the permits. Without Howard there would be 633 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:46,000 Speaker 1: no abandoned ins because he was the one that went 634 00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:48,920 Speaker 1: through all of the permit thing and it was complex. 635 00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:52,840 Speaker 1: So even though you're in rural Oregon, you're still dealing 636 00:37:52,960 --> 00:37:56,799 Speaker 1: with all of the state and federal regulators to get 637 00:37:56,920 --> 00:38:01,480 Speaker 1: a resort permitted, and that required a law of bureaucratic 638 00:38:01,719 --> 00:38:04,719 Speaker 1: and politick ing. Uh And I did my base to 639 00:38:04,840 --> 00:38:07,680 Speaker 1: help there, but that was all Howard McKee. Without him 640 00:38:07,719 --> 00:38:10,320 Speaker 1: there be no abandoned right Josh, I agree with that. 641 00:38:10,440 --> 00:38:13,680 Speaker 1: Howard was a brilliant guy. That the old saying that 642 00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:15,399 Speaker 1: you asked him what time it is and he tells 643 00:38:15,440 --> 00:38:16,960 Speaker 1: you how to build the watch. I mean, you ask 644 00:38:17,080 --> 00:38:19,560 Speaker 1: him what time it is and he tells you what 645 00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:23,719 Speaker 1: time means. I mean he was he was brilliant and 646 00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:28,640 Speaker 1: he could convince anyone of anything. And uh so that 647 00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:31,120 Speaker 1: was that was a huge part of his contribution. And 648 00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:35,280 Speaker 1: then I would call him kind of the project architect, 649 00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:38,719 Speaker 1: if you will, after that, I mean he wasn't you know, 650 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:42,400 Speaker 1: David was a golf course architect and we had building architects, 651 00:38:43,160 --> 00:38:47,279 Speaker 1: but Howard kind of oversaw that. And I would have 652 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:55,480 Speaker 1: weekly meetings with Howard, um, you know, for you know, 653 00:38:55,600 --> 00:38:58,360 Speaker 1: the the year and a half before we open, weekly 654 00:38:58,440 --> 00:39:00,959 Speaker 1: meetings on kind of how where of the progress, how's 655 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:06,200 Speaker 1: everything going? And and really really an interesting, interesting guy 656 00:39:06,280 --> 00:39:10,560 Speaker 1: to work with. The Publin property is named after Howard McKee. 657 00:39:11,200 --> 00:39:13,000 Speaker 1: There's a labyrinth in the trees near one of the 658 00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:17,080 Speaker 1: foot trails in his honor. But what there isn't abandoned 659 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:20,560 Speaker 1: dunes thanks to Howard, is a clubhouse on land best 660 00:39:20,680 --> 00:39:23,680 Speaker 1: used for golf. I knew there were models from Scotland 661 00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:26,920 Speaker 1: where it was the clubhouse was on the on the ocean, 662 00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:29,680 Speaker 1: and when I wasn't on the ocean, so no model 663 00:39:29,840 --> 00:39:32,359 Speaker 1: told me what to do, so I went in sort 664 00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:36,560 Speaker 1: of blank slate and it was the Kemper people were 665 00:39:36,600 --> 00:39:39,160 Speaker 1: the president of the town, not Steve Lesnick, but someone 666 00:39:39,320 --> 00:39:42,560 Speaker 1: is no longer with him, said you've got to put 667 00:39:42,719 --> 00:39:47,000 Speaker 1: the clubhouse out here where currently number sixteen is. It's 668 00:39:47,040 --> 00:39:50,399 Speaker 1: gorgeous site. And one of one of Howard McKee's great 669 00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:53,719 Speaker 1: moments was he was listening to all this and he 670 00:39:53,800 --> 00:39:55,960 Speaker 1: waited for a suitable time to go by and watched 671 00:39:56,040 --> 00:39:58,520 Speaker 1: Ellis say yeah, with the clubhouse right here in the 672 00:39:58,600 --> 00:40:03,440 Speaker 1: best place, and Howard said, where are the beer trucks 673 00:40:03,520 --> 00:40:08,360 Speaker 1: going to go? And there is silence when everyone realized, 674 00:40:08,400 --> 00:40:10,600 Speaker 1: in order to get to this club a great clubhouse 675 00:40:10,680 --> 00:40:15,000 Speaker 1: site on the ocean, we needed a road from way 676 00:40:15,120 --> 00:40:20,000 Speaker 1: back five six hundred yards inland. Start this long road 677 00:40:20,200 --> 00:40:25,200 Speaker 1: with cars to park and beer trucks and ups delivery. 678 00:40:25,920 --> 00:40:28,600 Speaker 1: And it went from what a great idea about the 679 00:40:28,640 --> 00:40:31,440 Speaker 1: clubhouse out here in this photogenic site, to what a 680 00:40:31,560 --> 00:40:35,319 Speaker 1: stupid idea? You know, beer trucks on this great site. 681 00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:39,680 Speaker 1: Let's make it a golf hole, and one of the 682 00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:42,960 Speaker 1: most photographed hole at the resort still to this day 683 00:40:43,239 --> 00:40:48,560 Speaker 1: is that number sixteen, a short car for So there's 684 00:40:48,600 --> 00:40:51,800 Speaker 1: damn good golf the clubhouses inland where it's supposed to be. 685 00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:54,440 Speaker 1: Word has obviously gotten out in around town that the 686 00:40:54,560 --> 00:40:58,440 Speaker 1: course is about to open. Meet Mick Peters of Mixed 687 00:40:58,520 --> 00:41:02,200 Speaker 1: Hair Surgeons. Peters isn't a great player, but he's avid 688 00:41:02,640 --> 00:41:05,480 Speaker 1: and he's been barbering and bandoned for fifty four years. 689 00:41:06,840 --> 00:41:09,640 Speaker 1: And in the shop we said, oh yeah, they're gonna 690 00:41:09,640 --> 00:41:13,720 Speaker 1: build a world class golf course in band and who's 691 00:41:13,719 --> 00:41:16,800 Speaker 1: gonna come to Bandon to play golf? That was That 692 00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:19,600 Speaker 1: was the talk right off the bat. Bob gas Bar, 693 00:41:19,920 --> 00:41:22,440 Speaker 1: now known as Shoe because he looks like the jockey 694 00:41:22,560 --> 00:41:26,080 Speaker 1: Bill Shoemaker, lived in Bandon and was one of Mixed clients. 695 00:41:26,719 --> 00:41:29,600 Speaker 1: As a story went on, Shoe came in and he 696 00:41:29,719 --> 00:41:31,799 Speaker 1: was getting the haircut. He said, I'm gonna go out 697 00:41:32,040 --> 00:41:34,680 Speaker 1: there looking for a caddy master. He says, I'm gonna 698 00:41:34,680 --> 00:41:37,480 Speaker 1: go out and apply for that. It's a cool so 699 00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:41,160 Speaker 1: he did, and of course as the story went on 700 00:41:41,320 --> 00:41:44,520 Speaker 1: again he got it. He was in my shop again. 701 00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:47,040 Speaker 1: I've gotten this Terry and he says, man, that first 702 00:41:47,160 --> 00:41:50,959 Speaker 1: day is really filling up. I said, wow, I said, 703 00:41:51,239 --> 00:41:53,960 Speaker 1: is the first heat taken yet? He's I don't know, 704 00:41:54,160 --> 00:41:56,560 Speaker 1: but I'm going back out there and i'll check and 705 00:41:56,640 --> 00:41:59,200 Speaker 1: i'll call you. So he did, and he called me 706 00:41:59,280 --> 00:42:03,040 Speaker 1: said no, it's open. I said. He said you want it? 707 00:42:03,160 --> 00:42:05,800 Speaker 1: I said yes, and he said you will have to 708 00:42:05,840 --> 00:42:07,560 Speaker 1: have a port. So I said, that's cool. I can 709 00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:12,239 Speaker 1: do that. Kaiser reflects on the build up to the 710 00:42:12,280 --> 00:42:15,920 Speaker 1: first tea time. The entire time leading up the opening 711 00:42:16,040 --> 00:42:19,239 Speaker 1: day was an equally low point of you know, what 712 00:42:19,360 --> 00:42:22,640 Speaker 1: are you doing here? Everyone who's everyone who saw it 713 00:42:22,880 --> 00:42:26,359 Speaker 1: said what had dumb idea? No golf guys and non 714 00:42:26,440 --> 00:42:30,960 Speaker 1: golf guys, bankers, businessman, family friends all meeting well for me, 715 00:42:31,239 --> 00:42:33,800 Speaker 1: which was pulled up, plug, don't do this. It's a 716 00:42:34,000 --> 00:42:37,360 Speaker 1: terrible idea. So I remember that for the two and 717 00:42:37,400 --> 00:42:39,759 Speaker 1: a half years, and it took to mild it, and 718 00:42:39,960 --> 00:42:43,359 Speaker 1: I'd say that crescendo was the night before opening day 719 00:42:43,360 --> 00:42:47,200 Speaker 1: at Bandon Durance in Um. I was having dinner with 720 00:42:47,360 --> 00:42:51,120 Speaker 1: Josh and Steve Lesnick and Howard McKee and it was 721 00:42:51,360 --> 00:42:53,719 Speaker 1: raining and it was supposed to rain the next day, 722 00:42:54,600 --> 00:42:56,680 Speaker 1: and I knew we had a pretty good t shet 723 00:42:56,760 --> 00:42:59,520 Speaker 1: the next day. But to take the negative side of it, 724 00:42:59,680 --> 00:43:02,800 Speaker 1: we um whine about the weather is going to be 725 00:43:02,960 --> 00:43:05,640 Speaker 1: bad and all of our all the people who were 726 00:43:05,800 --> 00:43:08,480 Speaker 1: thinking about coming won't come and we'll have an empty 727 00:43:08,520 --> 00:43:12,520 Speaker 1: golf course. What was us so on Sunday May second, 728 00:43:14,000 --> 00:43:17,640 Speaker 1: the first to the first t the Mick Peters Foursome. 729 00:43:18,400 --> 00:43:22,800 Speaker 1: You know, looking back on it, well, it was special 730 00:43:22,920 --> 00:43:26,880 Speaker 1: at the time, but we didn't know exactly how special 731 00:43:27,040 --> 00:43:30,800 Speaker 1: it was going to be. It was just getting to 732 00:43:30,880 --> 00:43:33,360 Speaker 1: go play golf and be the first one on a 733 00:43:33,520 --> 00:43:38,600 Speaker 1: fantastic course. Um, it was just it was begger than 734 00:43:40,440 --> 00:43:43,960 Speaker 1: I expect that. I didn't I think there would be 735 00:43:44,040 --> 00:43:47,240 Speaker 1: that many people they're watching, and I was so nervous 736 00:43:47,280 --> 00:43:52,799 Speaker 1: I couldn't already put the ball on the tea, Which 737 00:43:52,840 --> 00:43:54,360 Speaker 1: is where we're going to hit pause on the Building 738 00:43:54,400 --> 00:43:58,319 Speaker 1: of Bandon. Part two will go live next Sunday. We'll 739 00:43:58,360 --> 00:44:00,480 Speaker 1: pick up where we're leaving off. We'll find out how 740 00:44:00,560 --> 00:44:03,600 Speaker 1: Mick Peter's played, how the course was received, and we'll 741 00:44:03,600 --> 00:44:05,560 Speaker 1: get a better sense of what abandoned meant to the 742 00:44:05,680 --> 00:44:08,720 Speaker 1: future of golf in Oregon and in America in general. 743 00:44:09,640 --> 00:44:12,600 Speaker 1: But before that, a few reflections from our main characters. 744 00:44:13,920 --> 00:44:16,919 Speaker 1: As Kaiser said at the start, Pine Valley Dunes Club 745 00:44:17,000 --> 00:44:19,960 Speaker 1: and sand Hills were his inspiration for Bandoned Dunes, but 746 00:44:20,080 --> 00:44:22,640 Speaker 1: they're all private. I asked him if there was ever 747 00:44:22,680 --> 00:44:25,240 Speaker 1: a chance Bandon wouldn't have been open to the public. 748 00:44:25,760 --> 00:44:28,000 Speaker 1: I had decided that I was a populist as a 749 00:44:28,120 --> 00:44:32,920 Speaker 1: united reated to golf. I loved playing Pine Valley, I 750 00:44:33,080 --> 00:44:37,160 Speaker 1: love playing Marrion, but I appreciated more Pebble Beach and 751 00:44:37,280 --> 00:44:41,680 Speaker 1: Pinders because they were equally great in public and in Scotland, 752 00:44:41,719 --> 00:44:44,680 Speaker 1: where my models were. Even though most of the courses 753 00:44:44,760 --> 00:44:47,440 Speaker 1: have a private membership, they allowed man Janella and my 754 00:44:47,640 --> 00:44:51,000 Speaker 1: guys can go over and be tourists full of green speed. 755 00:44:51,080 --> 00:44:55,840 Speaker 1: So that was really my model, Scottish model Josh lesnik 756 00:44:55,920 --> 00:44:58,200 Speaker 1: On when he realized he was part of something special. 757 00:44:58,800 --> 00:45:00,800 Speaker 1: And it was, you know, that first day and I 758 00:45:00,880 --> 00:45:06,440 Speaker 1: had met David and when we got to where sixteen 759 00:45:06,640 --> 00:45:10,759 Speaker 1: green and seventeen tea would become for me. When I 760 00:45:10,920 --> 00:45:14,960 Speaker 1: saw that, I was like, this is different, um, But 761 00:45:15,120 --> 00:45:18,160 Speaker 1: no one really realizes now as you look back, just 762 00:45:18,360 --> 00:45:23,040 Speaker 1: how risky this all seemed, how crazy it all seen. 763 00:45:23,120 --> 00:45:26,479 Speaker 1: It was so unconventional, you know, to stress what David 764 00:45:26,560 --> 00:45:30,040 Speaker 1: was saying, golf courses were being built close to people, 765 00:45:30,520 --> 00:45:34,080 Speaker 1: you know, close to cities. People didn't necessarily care about 766 00:45:34,520 --> 00:45:36,520 Speaker 1: the site for golf. And you could have mud and 767 00:45:36,680 --> 00:45:39,520 Speaker 1: clay and rock under the soil. But if we're close 768 00:45:39,600 --> 00:45:41,959 Speaker 1: to people and you could put houses around it. That's 769 00:45:42,000 --> 00:45:46,000 Speaker 1: the kind of golf courses people were building in the nineties, eighties, 770 00:45:46,120 --> 00:45:50,480 Speaker 1: nineties in America. This was close to nobody. This is 771 00:45:50,560 --> 00:45:53,160 Speaker 1: going back to the golden age when you look for 772 00:45:53,200 --> 00:45:57,280 Speaker 1: the best site for golf and you know, no bank 773 00:45:57,400 --> 00:46:00,520 Speaker 1: would finance it, No, no, every but he thought it 774 00:46:00,600 --> 00:46:02,839 Speaker 1: was crazy. Mike's friends thought it was crazy. Mike thought 775 00:46:02,880 --> 00:46:06,839 Speaker 1: it was crazy. I don't think Bandoned Dudes is near 776 00:46:06,880 --> 00:46:11,560 Speaker 1: as unique as you guys think is Bandoned Dudes. If 777 00:46:11,640 --> 00:46:14,080 Speaker 1: it were in the British Isles, it would be one 778 00:46:14,160 --> 00:46:17,479 Speaker 1: of dozens of really good links courses, but it would 779 00:46:17,520 --> 00:46:21,279 Speaker 1: not be unique. It's only unique here where there is 780 00:46:21,360 --> 00:46:37,440 Speaker 1: nothing else like it. Put another local five. Nobody here 781 00:46:37,680 --> 00:46:47,640 Speaker 1: is good time? Are you looking for good value on 782 00:46:47,760 --> 00:46:51,040 Speaker 1: great golf apparel? As a listener to this podcast, my 783 00:46:51,120 --> 00:46:54,319 Speaker 1: friends John Ashworth and Jeff Cunningham at Link Soul in Oceanside, 784 00:46:54,360 --> 00:46:59,200 Speaker 1: California are offering you a discount on all future orders 785 00:46:59,239 --> 00:47:02,480 Speaker 1: of What I Wear All Day, every Day, on and 786 00:47:02,600 --> 00:47:05,919 Speaker 1: off the course. Whenever you go to link soul dot com, 787 00:47:06,239 --> 00:47:09,840 Speaker 1: just use promo code matty G m A T T 788 00:47:10,120 --> 00:47:18,080 Speaker 1: y G. Thank you for listening to The fire Pit. 789 00:47:18,360 --> 00:47:21,560 Speaker 1: It's produced by Alex Upeggy. It's edited by Rex Lint. 790 00:47:21,960 --> 00:47:25,440 Speaker 1: The theme song is by Joe Horowitz. Please rate and 791 00:47:25,560 --> 00:47:28,640 Speaker 1: review this podcast on Apple Podcasts and we might track 792 00:47:28,680 --> 00:47:31,160 Speaker 1: you down and send you one of our new Imperial 793 00:47:31,320 --> 00:47:34,719 Speaker 1: Row pats. Got a question, comment, or a story for 794 00:47:34,800 --> 00:47:36,880 Speaker 1: us to track down, You can find me on Twitter 795 00:47:37,000 --> 00:47:40,800 Speaker 1: at Matt Janella or on Instagram at Matt Underscore Janella. 796 00:47:41,200 --> 00:47:43,880 Speaker 1: And if you haven't already done so, please subscribe to 797 00:47:43,960 --> 00:47:47,440 Speaker 1: The fire Pit on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you 798 00:47:47,520 --> 00:47:50,239 Speaker 1: listen to a story like this one. You can also 799 00:47:50,320 --> 00:47:53,000 Speaker 1: subscribe to our YouTube channel, which is where we post 800 00:47:53,160 --> 00:47:56,440 Speaker 1: portions of our podcast and add some visual surprises.