Chambers Bay Golf Course

The story goes that in making Chambers Bay out of what was apparently the world's largest gravel pit, more earth was moved than in digging the Panama Canal. I'm not sure how true that is, but it's a hell of a strap line nevertheless! The view from the modest clubhouse at the top of the hill is spectacular, with the course laid out below you with the railway and the Puget Sound in the background. You are taken down to the course by bus (and thankfully back up!), due to the distance and elevation change. The course wanders through huge manmade dunes and waste areas, which are used really well to frame both fairways and greens. Given it's essentially a public "pay snd play" facility, the fairways are pretty generous, even if they don't appear that way sometimes from the tee. Chambers Bay is a very much a second shot and short game course. You need to know which side you can miss and play the percentages. I really enjoyed the mix of long and short holes of every par. Standouts being the Par 4s at nos 6, 7, 13 &,14, Par 5 4th and signature par 3 15th, named "Lone Pine" for obvious reasons! So far so good - there's a "but" coming, and that's a big but, namely the greens. They were re laid after the debacle of the US Open, and are now firm, very quick and extremely undulating. Some of the available pin positions make putting more of a trial than fun. I'm not exaggerating when I say a high handicapper might easily exceed 50 puts for the round. Also, don't be fooled by the description of it as a Links. It's not, at least not as we would know a links in the UK, The fairways were springy and when you took a divot there was a lot more soil than sand. Nothing wrong with that in itself, but don't expect firm and fast. Also, as it's a "pay and play" facility, don't expect pristine conditioning or to be round in anything less than 5 hours, by which time you'll feel like you've walked 36 holes rather than 18. So, how to conclude? I really enjoyed it - visually spectacular and as I wasn't focussed on a score I could laugh about the severity of the greens. Really glad I had the opportunity to play it. Would I rush back? No, probably not given my focus is on fun golf preferably in not much more than 3 hours.

Amazing course! A good walk with all the elevation change. Greens notoriously need to be changed out for new type of grass as they are beginning to do. View is spectacular staff are very welcoming.

On a trip to Seattle for an Alaska cruise I was able to take a detour a hour south to Chambers Bay. I had heard that the 2015 US Open was going to be held their a year later and was very excited to get a chance to test it out before the pros. The course was built by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and I bet no one could have imagined it would hold a major championship not even 10 years after the first round was played.

A perfect clear summer day in the Northwest, my wife walking beside me, no other golfers in sight, and playing an incredible golf course made my round at Chambers Bay one of my most memorable. The property was an old gravel quarry and plays as close to a true links course as you can get in the US.

Chambers Bay is a walking paradise and carts are not allowed unless a medical condition allows. One cut of grass greets you from the tee box to the hole but as seen on tv if you miss the fairway the rough will set you back multiple strokes.

It’s really difficult to name a favorite hole but my favorite is the par 4 10th appropriately names ‘High Dunes’. The greatness of this hole starts off with a decision while on the tee box. How far your willing to attack this hole with your first shot because the Dunes become narrow as they approach the green. While your standing between these massive dunes your second shot will need to be one of your best of the day.

In my opinion Chambers Bay is one of the best courses I’ve ever played. When Jordan Spieth held up that US Open trophy I felt like Chambers Bay presented a tough test for the best golfers in the world. I was disappointed hearing some of the reviews from that week but also glad they are addressing the greens as I write this review.

Also an added bonus is there are plans to build a hotel on the property that will benefit overnight golfers. With the same management team that runs Bandon Dunes you can only imagine that Chambers Bay will continue to be a top destination for any golfer looking to travel to the Northwest. I promise you won’t regret a round at Chambers Bay if your nearby and don’t pass up the opportunity based on what you saw on a television screen.

You love it or you hate it.

Ik ben een fan van de baan. RT Jones II tekende hier een linksbaan in een groots duinenlandschap, op vraag van de gemeente!

Prachtige layout met spectaculaire holes die op en neer gaan, met greens die moeilijk te pakken zijn. Grootse zandpartijen.

Mooie panorama's.

Fantastic golf course in a fantastic setting! It played very fair - quite contradictory to the impression one could get during the US Open. Fairways are generally wide and landings areas quite big. The greens are really big and you get some very interesting putts. Also you need to be on the right side of the pin when putting. Just like at Augusta.

Played to my hcp. the first time I saw it and had a great day in sunny (not so windy) weather!