What to pack for a trip to Bandon

Today, we pack for a trip to Bandon and out of sheer excitement, we thought of compiling a list of items we intend to bring along, whether or not they might be golf related.

Shoes.  We love to walk.  There are so many options out there and we've dialed it down to a few that we like.  Each has a completely different look so depending on your stylistic intentions, these should have your feetsies covered.  Allen Edmonds Redan (spikeless sole), TW '14 in the Grey / Light Blue Colorway (Advised for wet weather or dewy morning),  True Linkswear Stealths, Ecco BIOM, and finally the handy and convertible - like Contour Casual that goes from course to pub without batting an eye and is wondrous on your feet.  After the round?  Sometimes it is tough to pull off a pair of sandals, and since we know we will be hitting up the putting contests on a daily basis, we have narrowed down the list to one pair of post round shoes: The Nike FlyKnit Lunar1.  Don't think twice, the body of these shoes is woven and stretchy, while the sole feels like premium down pillows.  Designed for true athletes, we've put these to the test and found they perform handsomely on tired feet trying to support a tired golfer that just wants to find the next cold Guinness or to smoothly stroke their next 100 foot putt.

Flask.  This one suggestion comes from us and may not be approved or technically legal, but we've found it to be very important to the bonding aspect of an epic golf trip to always carry a birdie flask. The Izola 'Three Sheets To The Wind' 5 ounce edition is our favorite.  It is not one of those cheap ones that is going to impart unwanted flavors on your favorite Bourbon or Single malt as it is made from premium stainless steel.  Just the right size to share with your playing partners on 2-3 celebratory birdies.  

Hat.  When playing at Bandon, it is really important to always have a pair of ear warmers.  The wind can make your ears whistle, and the only way you can carry a conversation is by using a pair of ear warmers.  You can find these in every shop there in a multitude of colorways.  Aside from ear warmers, we are fans of the Hogan - style top hat.  On most occasions, we won't look much past our local and favorite Haberdashery : John Helmers for their selection.  For this trip, however, we've fallen in love with the wool coming from the Hunter's Tweed mill and they make a cap that has no rivals.  Fitted to your head, and sewn with tradition in UK.

Persimmon Woods / Vintage Forged Blades.  Your playing partners won't realize that you can hit it straight and far if you stroll up to the first tee with one of these.  We like the MacGregor Jumbo LFF, and the MacGregor PCB irons forged by Miura.