Bandon Dunes late oct - rain gamble or genius move?

[HoleInOne_Holly]

Booked Bandon for late October, four nights at the Lodge, four rounds (Pacific, Bandon, Trails, Old Mac). Got the tee times through the lottery back in the spring and I've been second-guessing myself ever since.

Here's my deal. Two guys in our group have done Bandon in July twice. They keep telling me late October is a coin flip between "epic links conditions" and "three days of sideways rain and I want to go home." They're not exactly helping my confidence.

My thinking was the rates drop hard after mid-October. We're paying roughly 40% less per round than peak summer, and the resort is way less of a zoo. Plus I actually like playing in weather. Grew up playing muni golf in Ohio in November, so 50 degrees and drizzle doesn't scare me. It's the wind I'm worried about. Everyone says Bandon wind in fall can turn a 6300 yard course into a 7500 yard course real quick.

Couple of things I'm trying to figure out:

• Do I bite the bullet on caddies for all four rounds? That's a big add. Was thinking caddie for Pacific and Trails, carry myself for the other two.
• Rain gear. I have a decent Galway Bay jacket but my pants situation is embarrassing. Recs on something that actually holds up in real rain?
• Is the Preserve worth working in if the weather eats one of our days?

For anyone who's done Bandon in the shoulder or off season, did you get lucky or did you get murdered? I'm not looking for "it depends on the weather" answers, I know that. I want to know if you'd do it again in late October.