So many aspects and people of Bandon Dunes link the land and the resort to the town, in part, making this a collection of true links golf. But by being there from the beginning, and nearly every work day since, no one has been there longer, no one has spent more time on property, than Bob Gaspar. The former teamster and member of the Coast Guard is now affectionately known as “Shoe” because there’s a striking resemblance to the great jockey, Bill Shoemaker. This is the story of how Gaspar discovered the Bandon Dunes development before it opened and why this Shoe was such a great fit from the start. From fetching sandwiches, caddy, caddy master, weather reviewer, social media sensation and ultimately the “Director of Outside Happiness,” this is a short celebration of how one committed, hard-working loyal local can have such a significant impact on so many global golfers descending upon the Southwest Coast of Oregon. In his daily weather ratings, on a scale of 1-to-10, he has never handed out a perfect score. “There’s always room for improvement,” Shoe says. Which might be true as it relates to the weather, but this guy is forever a 10.
For more on the history of Bandon Dunes, as told by Mike Keiser, David and Jimmy Kidd, Steve and Josh Lesnik of Kemper Sports, and more, listen to The Fire Pit with Matt Ginella:
Building Bandon, Part 1-
Building Bandon, Part 2-
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