Julien’s Auctions of Beverly Hills has announced the exclusive auction of property from the Collection of Bob and Dolores Hope on Friday, Sept. 20 and Saturday, Sept. 21 at Julien’s Auctions’ Beverly Hills gallery.

The auction will include the treasured golf memorabilia and mementos from the Hope homes, as well as an array of items including paintings, Desert Classic collectibles, golf clubs, awards and statues, signed Bob Hope Chrysler Classic photographs and Bob Hope’s E-Z Go Golf Cart. Other Hope memorabilia includes signed Presidential books and photographs, award plaques, trophies, figurines and novelty items from political luminaries and celebrities.
Among the paintings to be auctioned off is the Leroy Neiman’s Bob Hope portrait (pictured), with an estimated value of $40,000 to $60,000.

All benefits from the sale of Property From the Collection of Bob and Dolores Hope will go to the Bob and Dolores Charitable Foundation to support American’s veterans and to help feed the poor. For more information, go to juliensauctions.com.

BANDON DUNES OPENS 18-HOLE PUTTING COURSE

Oregon’s Bandon Dunes Golf Resort recently opened an 18-hole putting course at the Pacific Dunes facility. The putting course, called Punchbowl, features moguls, shelves and deep bowls to create a fun and challenge layout.
Punchbowl architect Tom Doak designed the putting course with player enjoyment in mind. “Our goal was to build a stand-alone facility that would be just as fun to play as any of the big courses, but on a smaller time scale,” Doak said in an interview with bandondunesgolf.com. “It will be great for playing matches at the end of the day, but also just fun to get out on by oneself and watch the ball take some crazy breaks off the big slopes.”
From top to bottom, Punchbowl has 15-20 feet of elevation change. The course is played with different configurations each day, with holes in new locations to provide new challenges. “One day the first hole might be played up toward the practice green for Pacific Dunes, to the far right, and the next day you might have a 100-foot downhill roller-coaster putt toward the bowl in the bottom,” Doak said. “I’m hoping we can convince David Kidd and Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw (architects of Bandon Trails) to draw up their own 18-hole routings for it.”
Doak said Punchbowl was inspired by the putting course at St. Andrews, and on some holes mimics the “volcano” hole locations atop small dunes like at the St. Andrews. “You will find every kind of putt you can imagine out there, and probably a few you’ve never dreamed of,” Doak said. “Don’t be surprised if there is a dogleg or two, where you want to play a bank shot around the corner.”