Most of the things you hear at the 19th hole fall into one of three categories: woulda, coulda or shoulda.

So while sitting in the Tufted Puffin Lounge at Bandon Dunes after signing for a 119, I was surprised by the profoundness of one statement made by sports editor John Gunther.

Over a pint, he was telling a story about following Tim Mickelson around for a round at one of the big amatuer events held at Bandon Dunes a few years back and then asking him if Phil had ever been up to play Bandon.

John recounted that Tim had said how he didn’t think Phil had ever been here, then John said it:

“If Phil Mickelson, or any PGA player wants to win the British Open, they should spend two weeks before the tournament here.”

There it was.

And, he’s absolutely right.

Where else can you duplicate nearly every weather condition one would face in England or Scotland without the 13-hour flight.

Wind. Check.

Bunkers. Check.

Fast greens. Check.

Tall rough that can grab your club. Check.

Horizontal rain at unusual times. Check.

Huge rewards for hitting the fairway. Check.

Bandon Dunes would be the perfect tuneup for Turnberry next weekend.

I’d love to be able to follow a PGA player around Bandon Dunes, just to see how it’s actually done.

I’d love to see how far to the right or left one would actually have to aim a ball to hit the green on the par-3s at Nos. 12 and 15 when the wind is blowing. I haven’t come close.

And what do you do when you’re standing in the fairway on No. 14, with only 143 yards left and the wind blowing directly in your face on the 359-yard par-4. Normally, I’d lob a 6-iron toward the green and hope for the best.

I tried. Solid contact. The ball flew in a direct line at the flagstick, but at the apex of its flight, it stopped (no, really, it stopped. And John laughed at me) and fell harmlessly to the ground 80 yards from where I hit it.

My pitching wedge did exactly the same thing. So, I struck two well-hit shots that travelled a grand total of 123 yards and I still had a 60-foot putt left.

Maybe with 20/20 hindsight, I shoulda hit a punch 3- or 4-iron and tried to bump-and-run it onto the green.

So when I totalled up the score and it read 62-57—119, I didn’t feel so bad. I never do when I leave Bandon Dunes. It’s too beautiful a course to worry about it.

Bandon Dunes is still the site of the best shot I have hit to date. It wasn’t this time around, but I hit a tee shot on No. 16, the 364-yard par-4 to within three feet of the green. With a 2-iron.

I will be telling that story until I’m old and gray. OK, I’m getting the gray part down already, and the other part is sneaking up faster than I would like.

And, if you ask me, I’ll tell you that’s exactly how I planned it — that’s the way it is at the 19th hole.