MIGolferGirl

MVCC is a gem! It is fair but challenging, and no two holes are the same. The LPGA played at Meridian Valley during the years Safeco sponsored the tournament...and the LPGA never plays on inferior tracks. A typical weekend round moves at a 4 hour pace.

Although MVCC is a private club, they host several outside tournaments every year. And if you live within 15-20 miles of the club, look into joining. The facilities are top notch, members are welcoming, and the staff is top notch. The PGA teaching pro is outstanding. It's a family club, and junior golfers have a lot of playing and practice opportunities.

If you get a chance to play MVCC, take it! You are guaranteed a fabulous golf experience!

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!