Chambers Bay
About
Located just outside of Tacoma and less than an hour from Seattle, Chambers Bay sits along the shores of the Puget Sound. The golf course has a rugged and beautiful landscape that features a quarry with roots that date back to the Steilacoom Indian Tribe and the first European settlers in 1832. The layout was inspired by the classic links golf courses of Scotland and Ireland. Robert Trent Jones II designed the course. His challenging links design makes you feel as though you've been transported to the British Isles, even down to the seaside locale. The golf course tumbles across windswept sand dunes with native fescue grass lining the fairways. Wind is also an ever-present challenge on this wide-open layout. Chambers Bay has been a local favorite since opening and it is considered one of the finest golf courses in Washington.
Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
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Navy | 72 | 7165 yards | 74.7 | 140 |
Sand | 72 | 6499 yards | 71.7 | 130 |
Combo | 72 | 6105 yards | 70.6 | 128 |
White | 72 | 5840 yards | 69.5 | 121 |
White (W) | 72 | 5840 yards | 75.1 | 132 |
Blue | 72 | 5226 yards | 65.3 | 119 |
Blue (W) | 72 | 5226 yards | 70.9 | 122 |
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Navy M: 74.3/139 | 465 | 395 | 165 | 515 | 465 | 447 | 482 | 560 | 202 | 3696 | 398 | 457 | 281 | 527 | 450 | 172 | 396 | 206 | 541 | 3428 | 7124 |
Navy/Sand M: 73.3/134 | 436 | 395 | 145 | 515 | 441 | 418 | 449 | 560 | 202 | 3561 | 398 | 425 | 262 | 527 | 450 | 172 | 359 | 172 | 541 | 3306 | 6867 |
Sand M: 71.9/130 W: 77.6/139 | 436 | 365 | 145 | 480 | 441 | 418 | 449 | 523 | 168 | 3425 | 381 | 425 | 262 | 486 | 423 | 139 | 359 | 172 | 514 | 3161 | 6586 |
Sand/Grey M: 70.4/127 W: 76.3/136 | 405 | 365 | 130 | 480 | 394 | 369 | 415 | 523 | 168 | 3249 | 381 | 402 | 246 | 453 | 423 | 139 | 323 | 172 | 514 | 3053 | 6302 |
Grey M: 69.5/120 W: 75.0/131 | 405 | 337 | 130 | 424 | 394 | 369 | 415 | 488 | 144 | 3106 | 360 | 402 | 246 | 453 | 374 | 127 | 323 | 142 | 487 | 2914 | 6020 |
Light Blue M: 65.3/119 W: 70.9/122 | 405 | 365 | 130 | 347 | 323 | 283 | 277 | 488 | 168 | 2786 | 360 | 310 | 262 | 453 | 309 | 139 | 323 | 119 | 487 | 2762 | 5548 |
Grey/Teal M: 65.0/118 W: 70.2/121 | 273 | 301 | 130 | 347 | 394 | 369 | 277 | 350 | 144 | 2585 | 360 | 310 | 219 | 348 | 374 | 127 | 323 | 142 | 354 | 2557 | 5142 |
Teal M: 63.2/114 W: 68.0/115 | 273 | 301 | 92 | 347 | 323 | 283 | 277 | 350 | 132 | 2378 | 311 | 310 | 219 | 348 | 309 | 103 | 279 | 119 | 354 | 2352 | 4730 |
Handicap | 3 | 15 | 17 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 16 | 4 | 8 | 18 | 12 | 14 | 6 | |||
Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 36 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 72 |
Handicap (W) | 11 | 9 | 17 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 4 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
Snacks, RestaurantAvailable Facilities
Banquet FacilitiesReviews
Reviewer Photos
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 07/24/2022
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 07/24/2022
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 07/24/2022
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 07/24/2022
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 07/24/2022
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 07/24/2022
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Photo submitted by JasonDeeganGA on 04/22/2021
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Photo submitted by JasonDeeganGA on 04/22/2021
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Photo submitted by soundertillidie on 03/09/2021
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Photo submitted by soundertillidie on 03/09/2021
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Photo submitted by soundertillidie on 03/09/2021
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Photo submitted by soundertillidie on 03/09/2021
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Photo submitted by rich4par on 10/12/2020
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Photo submitted by RickyBones on 11/20/2019
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Photo submitted by WoodsonGoBlue on 10/26/2019
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Photo submitted by JLadenburg on 03/16/2018
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18 at Sunset Photo submitted by u000006485015 on 09/14/2017
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The iconic 15 featuring the only tree on the course - longer than it looks Photo submitted by u000006485015 on 09/14/2017
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Hole 5 is possibly my favorite on the course and is a great example of the verticality this course offers players Photo submitted by u000006485015 on 09/14/2017
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Photo submitted by TimGavrichGP on 09/01/2017
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16th hole Photo submitted by BrandonWebb on 04/23/2017
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18th hole Photo submitted by BrandonWebb on 04/23/2017
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11th hole Photo submitted by BrandonWebb on 04/23/2017
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17th hole Photo submitted by BrandonWebb on 04/23/2017
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1st tee Photo submitted by BrandonWebb on 04/23/2017
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2nd hole Photo submitted by BrandonWebb on 04/23/2017
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Chambers Bay Golf Course, Hole 3, Par 3, 165 yds, Blown Out Photo submitted by David168485 on 03/26/2017
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Chambers Bay Golf Course, Hole 6, Par 4, 447 yds, Deception Point Photo submitted by David168485 on 03/26/2017
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Chambers Bay Golf Course, Hole 9, Par 3, 227 yds, Olympus Photo submitted by David168485 on 03/26/2017
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Chambers Bay Golf Course, Hole 12, Par 4, 304 yds, The Narrows Photo submitted by David168485 on 03/26/2017
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Chambers Bay Golf Course, Hole 15, Par 3, 172 yds, Lone Fir Photo submitted by David168485 on 03/26/2017
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Chambers Bay Golf Course, Hole 17, Par 3, 218 yds, Derailed Photo submitted by David168485 on 03/26/2017
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9th hole Par 3 147 yds Photo submitted by u154732900 on 09/18/2016
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Under the tree! Photo submitted by CaraRobinsonGC on 05/29/2015
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With our superb caddies Photo submitted by CaraRobinsonGC on 05/29/2015
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On 13 tee Photo submitted by CaraRobinsonGC on 05/29/2015
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Charlie Rymer at Chambers Bay Photo submitted by DamonHackGC on 05/26/2015
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Cara Robinson out of the bunker Photo submitted by DamonHackGC on 05/26/2015
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Photo submitted by MikeBaileyGolf on 08/05/2014
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July 18 6am Pre Tourney Photo submitted by bigdaddy2564 on 07/26/2014
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#14 July 19 Photo submitted by bigdaddy2564 on 07/26/2014
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Links golf..just 1 tree on the entire course Photo submitted by bigdaddy2564 on 07/26/2014
A bold selection by the USGA
Chambers Bay is a unique golf course. And golfers that have never played true links golf will be blown away by it. Even though the dunes on the property aren't "natural" they certainly feel as if they are. And this combined with the fescue mix of grasses produces an authentic Irish links experience. But keep in mind, this isn't an experience that is enjoyed by all golfers. It's a tough walk, can be VERY windy, highly challenging, and golfers will face shots they have never seen before. Those that like a more predictable and comfortable form of golf will be intimidated and uncomfortable. But the right attitude can yield one of the most memorable golf days in your life.
I'm not sure what reaction Chambers Bay will receive from the pros in the U.S. Open #I'm guessing mixed#. Chambers Bay is a bold selection by the USGA. It won't look or feel like a U.S. Open. The setup will be critical. It's a golf course that could quickly get away from officials and "cross the line." I hope it doesn't. Regardless of the U.S. Open outcome this is a bucket list golf course for avid golfers.
Chambers Bay is a walk on the wild side. It will challenge you mentally and physically. It's relentless. While a caddie is not required, it is a wise investment. Kemper Sports managed facilities have phenomenal caddies. And you need their expert advice for at least the first couple of times you play this course. And I'm not talking about just reading the greens. There are blind tee shots and hidden sideboards around the greens that caddies will point out.
Here are a few pointers. Fescue grass is not perfect. The greens are inconsistent in speed and firmness. You will be fooled by putts. You will miss some short putts that "bump." Don't take it personally.Although the fairways are wide, your ball will run out into the rough. Be careful walking in the rough. It's very east to twist an ankle. Embrace the ground aspect of links golf. Put the ball on the ground quickly and watch it run out. You may find that you like the creativity involved in this style of play.
PLAY THE PROPER TEES FOR YOUR SKILL LEVEL. Leave your ego at home.
Bring Advil. After 7 and a half miles on uneven ground you will need it.
Try the clam chowder and fish and chips in the restaurant. I'd suggest a little Tabasco on both.
And finally. Bring a camera!
Great test of Golf,
I am a single digit handicapper who lives about 35 minutes south of Chambers Bay. I have played Chambers approximately a dozen times, including a day last June when they set up the course from the Open tees for members of the mens club. That day we played the course as a 7400 yard par 70. Brutal! I just recently played Chambers (May 10th, 2015) and found the course to be in terrific shape tee to green. Since the day this course opened, the condition of the greens have always been this courses' weak point. During this past round, I found 12 of the greens to be very, very good, not perfect, but very good. 6 of the greens did not roll quite as smoothly as the other 12 but their speed was consistent with the other 12 which historically has not been the case. Cosmetically these 6 greens are not as attractive as the other 12 because there are places where the grounds crew has graphed new fescue sod into the old sod to replace thin patches that have never really taken hold. Also, these 6 greens are a bit sandy, as you might expect as they are bringing them up to speed, so that also contributed to their play. For a bit of perspective, I played Chambers last August, and thought to myself then, that I didn't know how the USGA would get the fescue to fill out in time given our Northwest Winters and the period of time that fescue apparently goes dormant. During that round last August, the greens where inconsistent, bumpy and in some cases very thin. Having said that, I was amazed at how good the 12 greens that I described above were during my most recent round (especially considering how bad they were last year) and have complete confidence that the remaining 6 will be as equally good in the next month. I also must say that it is my experience that putting on fescue is definitely different then putting on bent or poa annua. It is hard not to let the appearance of the fescue taint your perception of how true the ball is rolling or how healthy the grass is. To be blunt, fescue is gnarly looking and makes it hard to accept as a putting surface, especially after a lifetime of playing on bent or poa. I completely understand any critical comments from anyone who played the course more than a couple of months ago. The greens have been terrible at times as they tried to get them into shape. It is also my opinion that because of the undulations of the greens and their vast size, reading short putts is very challenging. As a result, most people I know who have played Chambers have putted poorly (comparatively speaking) given the difficult nature of reading these greens and immediately conclude that it must be the condition of greens and not their chosen line or speed. Again, from tee to green the course condition is superb. I look forward to the Open being played here and believe this course is a terrific test of golf requiring total focus and a commitment to each and every shot; anything less will cost you precious strokes.
Close....
I played on a Saturday in late March. The weather was decent, sunny, but windy (20 mph and variable). Pace of play was great. A few of the holes/greens were closed due to the US Open being in a couple of months. Although this wasn't a huge deal, I'm concerned that once the event leaves they may have a hard time keeping those holes/greens in tip top shape.
The course itself was great - but it is really close to being top notch. A solid 4 star course. You can tell that they moved a lot of dirt to make the course and sometimes you are left wondering why did they moved so much. The first several holes are great links style holes. Some interesting angles off the tee and some well positioned mid fairway mounds - which I'm not a huge fan of, but they add some difficulty. Balls runs a lot on the fairways.
Couple of holes I'll comment on...
Holes 1 - 6 are all good holes, really good holes. Interesting features in the fairways and great greens with run off areas on many of them. 7 had a temporary green so I can't really comment. However it is VERY uphill and makes the hole difficult. Hole 8 is a long par 5 that runs along the top of the bluff overlooking the course. It feels a little bit like the didn't have the room so they had to manufacture a hole here and it had to be an uphill par 5 because this hole sets you up for the 9th hole which is a ridiculously downhill par 3. It must fall a 100 feet. Although I play most of my golf in Colorado and am familiar with a lot of elevation change, the 9th hole is just too much. I believe this is one of the reasons the put another tee box in place for the US Open.
10 and 11 are both great links holes. However, 11 does have one of those big grassy knolls in the middle of the fairway. 12 is a short, 'go for it' par 4, although it too was closed for the Open. I like short par 4's a lot, but you have to give the player something to aim at off the tee and that really isn't the case on this hole.
The closing 6 holes are the best on the course in my opinion. If the other 12 were all like these, I'd give this place 5 stars. 15 is a great slightly downhill par 3 hitting right into the bay. Beautiful hole with a huge greens and great bunkers. 16 is actually one of my favorite all time par 4s. Not too long or short. A tough drive with a fairway that slopes slightly right to left. Huge bunker lines the right side of the fairway with the bay to the right of that. The green on this hole is great - open at the front but narrows towards the back of the green. 17 is a nice down hill par 3 with another large, but interesting green.
18 is great hole. Huge bunker 3/4 of the way up the fairway that is a place you don't want to be. Is a great reachable par 5 for the amateur and my guess a beast of a par 4 for the pros.
All and all, I really liked the course and put it in the solid 4 star category. I'd give it 4.5 stars if I could. In my opinion there are a couple of things that keep it from being one of the world top's courses (holes 8, 9 and 12 for instance), but I'd play it again if I got the chance!
Bucket list , No regrets , Tour tough
12 Handicap , play often , 69 years , Marin County, Discount Bob
Great experience, played 2 days, 10 am tee times , went by myself, all very , very good. The walk was fine, not difficult, weather was perfect, caddies were fine ,
The course was interesting , highly nuanced , gettable on a good day, routing was good, greens interesting , some difficult approach shots, some easy,
I think that there is no comparison to Bandon , Bandon being a much better venue, with 4 courses that are sensational.
If you want to watch on TV and say , I Did That, then run to go.
Its definitely a go to place, once.
Shot 85 and a 79
Discount Bob
Chambers Bay
Absolutely great course. If you are flying into Portland to visit Bandon Dunes, it is well worth the 2 hour drive from Portland before you head down to Bandon. In fact, I like it better than the courses at Bandon, which is really saying something because Bandon is awesome!
A real life American links experience
Most American golfers have never experienced anything like Chambers Bay. I'm not even sure Bandon Dunes prepares you for this experience. But this much I do know: Robert Trent Jones Jr. got this one right, although quite naturally there has been some tweaking leading up to next year's U.S. Open. The course and experience is so unique you hardly notice that there's no clubhouse, just a starter's hut and snack shop and restaurant and golf shop a shuttle ride away from the course. It's walking only and quite a walk at that. Lots of elevation change, overlooking the sound. Because of the natural deep sand base that drains so well and the fescue grass, the fairways run firm and fast and there's little difference between them and the greens. And that means you can play a myriad shots to the green, often bumping them up, negotiating the endless angles both on and off the greens. This a links players delight coupled with great scenery and quirks like the trains that run along the course and the remnants of the old gravel pit that's been here for more than 100 years.
American Links on the Puget Sound
I played Chambers Bay in a Golf Channel Am Tour 2 day event. The course is a great example of a true links course. You have to walk the course, no carts.
You need to know how to play running, ground shots. We experienced a 3 club wind on Saturday. Any shot more than 20 feet off the ground was a gamble on where the ball would end up, rarely where you wanted it to finish.
The greens were very challenging as the speeds were different from green to green. As a rule, greens of the same color played slower than the greens that had varying colors.
Overall, it was a fair and grand test of ones shot making abilities. I recommend a caddie if you are playing it for the first time. Their advise is helpful on shot placement and reading the greens.
The staff was very friendly and helpful. The amenities were average. You have to take a shuttle from the clubhouse/proshop to the driving range/practice green and 1st tee.
Pace of play was good at 4 hours but I imagine it could be slower due to walking and people not prepared for links golf.
A must play on any golfjunkie's bucket list. A great experience and I will be back.
No other course like it!
Chambers Bay is unlike any course I've played and looks identical to British Open courses. Wonderful layout, extremely challenging and great fun! Golfing here is a great experience. Using local caddies makes a huge difference in your score. However, if you're just there for fun and don't care about how you score, you can save some money by pulling your own cart. The staff was very friendly and accomodating. The food at the restaurant was awesome.
It takes all types
I like reading the "negative" reviews and find it coincidental that most are posted by higher handicappers. That being said, Chambers Bay is not your average walk in the park golf course and i'm glad I hired a caddy. He helped guide me through the layout (where to hit and where NOT to hit it), etc. I've never played in Scotland or Ireland but I imagine this is what I would experience. The caddy also helped me with my game which made the day that much more enjoyable. Now that they've hosted a US Open, the fees will, undoubtedly, skyrocket (too bad) and will prevent some from having the chance to talk about their "round at Chambers Bay".
Get a caddy for your first round here
Golfers are treated very well at Chambers Bay. The staff, including the guys in the clubhouse, the shuttle bus drivers, and the caddies (especially Veronica) make this a very nice experience.
The course will challenge you with elevation changes, smaller effective landing areas, thick rough and bunkers/waste areas.
With the US Open coming there next year, it's supposed to be a very challenging course, and it is. Try it out.
Incredible Experience, almost ready for the US Open
I played Chambers Bay a couple weeks ago on a perfect PNW day with barely a cloud in the sky. My first impression was awe as I looked down from the clubhouse to see a golf course in an old rock quarry with the bay just beyond it.
I was fortunate to play the course with no temp greens, also the USGA had just approved the length of the rough and the width of the fairways. The only disappointing aspect was the shagginess of the greens. The starter assured us they would be twice as fast next year for the US Open.
The course is beautiful, it's a bit of a fabricated links style course(due to all the sand brought in) but it has the feel of being there for a very long time. The waste bunkers are everywhere, and they are brutal. I was in the sand a lot and I paid for it.
For those who are unfamiliar with links golf, brown is beautiful, the course may look dry but it plays as it is supposed to play. I thought it was challenging, beautiful, and I definitely want to go back.
I am excited to have a major in the NW, it's been too long. Chambers Bay will be an excellent test for the pros and you need to get out and play it before June 2015.
Learn Links or go home
I laugh at the review here complaining about some "temp" green. At Chambers Bay, the fairways, approaches and greens are exactly the same grass. So, they can cut a green anywhere and it will play like the rest of the greens. This is true links golf and most Americans don't have a clue how to play here so they play poor and think the course is bad. Everyone I have met here who has played true links courses think it's great. Last time out I met some Canadians who come down every three months and love it.
In America we play golf in the air with high spinning shots, in Europe they play golf on the ground with low running shots. You have to learn those shots. You have to "read" each hole like you are reading a green, seeing where the ball will end up. There are no forced carries except par threes, so you can always approach on the ground. A good caddie can show you where to hit a ball close to the green that will end up by the hole, but you have to ask. Those hitting their high spinning wedge shots will be punished, just like a British Open.
This course is an incredible opportunity to learn a new kind of golf, but many here are simply to closed minded to get it.
Incredible experience every time at Chambers!
If you want a lush, manicured traditional golf course, don't bother. Chambers Bay is a links style course and is rugged, bold, rough and tough.
Fescue grass is the grass growing everywhere at Chambers, from the thick, heavy rough to the tight fairway lies and greens. The course was built on an old quarry, so the gravel and sand base means it drains well and is extremely playable year round.
The course is a good hike with a lot of elevation change and manageable distances from green to tee. You will carry or push a golf cart---motor carts are not allowed. Caddies are available and they are great! Their advice will definitely save you strokes the first time you play there.
This is definitely a fair but challenging test of golf. Most of us are unaccustomed to playing links golf, but you quickly learn that there are different techniques that work well here. Every hole is a masterpiece in its own way, and if you take a moment to figure out the lie of each hole---where you want to approach from and how the contours can help you get the ball where it needs to go, you'll have a much better experience. Again, a caddy can help you with your "reads" from tee to green.
There are a lot of sandy waste areas and bunkers of every description waiting to snare an errant shot. Several pot bunkers are so deep you'll need to use the built in stairs to descend to the bottom! They are all in great shape and the sand is the perfect texture.
It's easy to focus on the course so much that you miss the incredible beauty of Chambers. The views of Puget Sound and nearby islands are spectacular! Seagulls, hawks and eagles all call the area home, and are seen soaring over the water.
If you love a good challenge, appreciate an extremely well laid out course and want to figure out what links golf is all about, get to Chambers Bay! Do it soon so you know what you are looking at when the US Open is played there in June 2015!
Will they lose the US Open?
I was invited to play with a marketing group traveling from Utah. They made Chamber's Bay their destination course. I drove down from Everett, WA to play so not a big deal for me. They paid the $200+ green fees and off we went to the driving range to hit some balls.
Before teeing off we were given caddies. They made it seem like we would be complete idiots to not play with a caddy and we would be lost on the course. Course is pretty straight forward and can be played without a caddy.
As we get ready to tee off on #1 the caddy says that we will be hitting to a temp green on #1 today. A TEMP GREEN!?! How come a temp green was never mentioned when we were paying full fare? Turns out that throughout the day we played 4 temp greens and the fairways all have nets in them in the typical collection areas that you have to move your balls out of. Paid full fare to not even play golf, picked up my ball and had to drop it from the fairway almost every hole due to these nets. Also the greens were in worse shape than any muni course i have ever played. Caddy said that we would be seeing 7 different green speeds throughout the day, and he was right.
At the end of the day we were all disappointed in the course condition, especially after paying full price and nothing was ever said to us about temp greens or nets. The caddy said that this is the worse representation of Chambers Bay Golf Course he has seen, and that he is fearful of them losing the US Open.
I have been steering my friends clear of playing this course after my experience there.
Guess you were wrong about the US Open.....
I agree with your comments...I think it's an overrated course for what they charge, and the only way the greens will be fast for the US Open is when they'll be dead and the pros will be putting on dirt/sand caked ground.
Chambers Bay has the same grass everywhere, no difference from rough to green. This is links golf. The beauty is that you can cut a green anywhere, there is no "temps'. The greens are fescue grass, something you obviously know nothing about. The greens are in good shape right now, but if you never seen anything but Poa, you wouldn't know how to putt them. And your statenent about the Caddy saying he was fearful is nonsense and something you made up. The Open is coming and you still won't understand.
I'm not so sure why everyone seems to be impressed here?
I had a few problems with:
1) The conditions of the fairways and greens. #1 seem to be a temp green, as you could not distinguish the fairway from the green, and the green was in direct route of golfer's teeing off 18. They literally had to wait until I finished the hole to tee off.
2) More disappointing and above all, was finding out this is a STRICTLY WALKING course. Unfortunately that was not explained to me or mentioned from the 3rd party I booked the tee through, until I got down to the range and asked for the location of carts. I was told then that in order to get a cart a note from doctor would have to faxed over. Considering I have titanium in my back the excitement of being there quickly died.
3) I attempted to play the front, but the pain was unbearable by the time I reached #5. This course is not for anyone with metal in their body. However the pro shop (great people) did allow me to return any time and asked that a note from my doctor be faxed in order to use the carts.
4) The staff were great. Essentially their player assistants (marshals) provided me a ride to each hold to cut down on the walking and pain.
5) For the holes I did play there was a lot of "under construction areas." And I realized they are preparing for the Open next year, but I was not expecting the amount of work including netting on #4 (just in front of the green at the top of the hill).
5) The course is located on trail, so expect skateboards, "Dude Perfect" noise, and kids when you are at the tee box, and in some cases on the green putting.
The previous day I played NewCastle, which has unbelievable views of Seattle from afar, bagpipe playing at sunset, a great staff, and extremely lush greens and fairways. My expectation was even higher for Chambers Bay. I will attempt again with a cart and provide a follow up review as well.
One of my favorite places to play
I get the criticism of Chambers Bay. It's a somewhat controversial place - it's part golf course, part public park built by the tax payers of Pierce County. It's part links, part modern marvel shaped from an old gravel pit. I've played it three times, and there are holes that don't fit my eye or my game. I have never, however, come off the golf course feeling disappointed about the experience. The setting is intoxicating. Some shots - like the par 3 at no. 9, the uphill driveable par-4 at no. 12 and the "lone pine" par 3 at no. 15, and the 16th hole along the railroad on the Puget Sound - just stick with you. Should the firm and fast conditions get out of control at the U.S. Open, the pros might meltdown, both on the scorecard and in their impressions of one of America's most unique courses
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Tough, Tricky, But Ultimately Memorable
I'm surprised no one has written a review of Chambers Bay yet, especially because of its reputation for being a special golfing experience. Of course, a lot of average golfers have told me they are intimidated by Chambers Bay's reputation as a demanding, physically-punishing course, not to mention the perception that the exorbitant greens fees require taking out a second mortgage. I certainly shared that impression before I played my first round there in 2010, even after volunteering at the U.S. Amateur Championship earlier that year. As a mid-to-high handicap golfer who returned to the game after a long layoff, I expected a "beat down" from this links-style course. My experience turned out to be just the opposite. Here are some tips to help make your Chambers Bay debut more enjoyable:
1. First timers will definitely benefit from hiring a caddie. The crew at Chambers Bay are talented, courteous, and knowledgeable. Not only will a caddie help you save about 10 strokes over your round, he'll make the loop a lot less physically tiring as well. 2. Take advantage of the included warm-up time at the range; it'll help get you accustomed to the firm greens and fairways, plus acclimated to that day's weather conditions, which usually includes wind gusts. 3. Dress in layers, and appropriately for the weather. Walking 18 holes here is closer to hiking in the mountains than a stroll in the park, so rugged, comfortable golf shoes are not optional!
Above all, have fun! The views are fantastic, and when you drop your tee shot just right on #9, watching it roll down next to the hole, you'll be jazzed beyond belief.
Beautiful Course, Beautiful Views
This is by far the most stunning course I have seen/played. The views are spectacular and the course is equally impressive. The greens are firm and fast. I agree with the other review about hiring a caddie, as there are too many nuances for a first time player.
I second the dressing in layers as the weather in WA can change quite quickly.
When you step onto the property, you are greeted with a fantastic view looking down over the quarry and the Puget Sound with the lone tree perched near the water. The course looks even more intimidating from above but it's most certainly worth it!
No sand was brought in to build this course, all the sand is left over from 100 years of gravel mining. Nothing at all was brought in to build the course. Over 1.5 million yards of sand was moved.