Chambers Bay

Just played there last week. Course itself and layout were awesome. Paid twilight rate which was even better. Would have given it 5 stars but the green complexes suck right now with the bumpy and not pure fescue greens. Even worse, during the round you end up playing 3 holes of the 18 on Poa Annua grass which were great and pure so gauging speed and line on those vs the horrible fescue in the middle of the round was really just crazy. Never have played anything like that with two different putting surfaces on a highly ranked course. Great course but wait until they rebuild the greens this winter. They will finally represent the great layout of the course next year and it will be worth 5 stars then. If you are going soon, I suggest playing twilight to pay less than rack rate.

First the positive--The views are world class. The layout is hard, fair and beautiful. Everyone I met was awesome--friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. The weather was perfect--light to a strong breeze that hit you in different ways on different holes that made it challenging.

Now the walkaway feeling--Why am I paying $150 for the worst greens I have ever played? I would explain it as--a club that just punched the greens and sanded them about 2 weeks prior. 3 years removed from the same complaints at the US Open, I can only figure they want it that way. If that is true, they need to "fix" the practice green, because that green was great. I play courses all around the Pacific Northwest and I wouldn't recommend this one.

Oh, and the clubhouse---similar to the par 3 muni course by my house--really? You had a US Open here and you have golfers paying big bucks to pay every day. I am assuming they would want a first class club house shopping experience. I generally buy a shirt or hat everyplace. I didn't and wasn't compelled to.

Everyone seems to have an opinion on this course after the 2015 US Open, and it seems most of them are negative... it's too brown, the greens are terrible, it's not a real US Open course...

That's all pretty ridiculous. This course is one of the most unique and challenging courses I've ever had the pleasure to play!

Two warnings:

1. It's walking only, and it's not an easy walk. Be prepared for that. Personally, I think it's an even better way to take in the unique contours of the course and the amazing scenery around you.

2. It's pretty tough. If you don't like bunkers or bad bounces... this may not be your cup of tea.

With those out of the way... WOW! Every hole at this course demands a different kind of golf. Don't expect to just crush a driver and throw a high lofted wedge into every green. You'll have lots of opportunities to use backstops, run balls along the ground, aim seemingly way off line and see your ball still find its way to the flag.

Holes 5-7 are my favorites on the front 9. 5 tee boasts an amazing view down on much of the course below. You hit your drive downhill to a narrowing fairway the farther you go, then you have a tough uphill approach to a green with a sneaky bunker right in the middle. 6 requires an accurate tee shot (probably not a driver) to set up an approach to a green tucked in the nook of a hillside. You really can't miss by much or you'll find yourself in a bunker or tall fescue with little chance to save par. 7 is a long par 4 that dares you to bite off too much off the tee. You can be safe staying further left, but you'll have a long (and probably blind) approach to contend with.

The back 9 is even better. I love every hole, but especially 11, 12, 14, and 15. The back 9 will force a lot of decisions off the tee and driver is rarely an easy call. 15 is one of the best views on the course, and is home to the only tree on the course.

I could go on forever... but the point is... this course is a treasure and you should go.

Well I had to check a major championship venue off my list, so on a recent trip to Seatac I played at Chambers. Indeed this is a true links course, except for perhaps the slope. It is built into an old quarry and there is quite a bit of elevation change, but still quite walkable. I carried my bag for the front and got a (free) walking cart for the back. Hospitality was great but the pace was extremely slow: my round took 5:30.

Loved the course setup. There are tee blocks but no markers, some tees are shared, and snacks/bar in a spot where you go by 3-4 times during the round.

As for the difficulty, well it wasn't set up like Sunday of the '15 open, but still demanding. Shot placement and club selection is critical. Not a flat spot on the property, so you better put that tee shot in the right spot or it'll take a 90 degree turn and run 30 yards down into a nasty and deep waste bunker. Greens are rocking and rolling, but actually not terribly fast. The slope from the whites is 121, believe it or not, but you wouldn't think it.

My takeaway: #16 is a short par four that I drove through the green. As you remember Branden Grace ended up by the train tracks here, so the logical conclusion is that I am a better golfer than Branden Grace :0

This is an incredible course that continues to amaze me. I have played it since opening, probably 100 times. Yet, this last round found me in places I had never been, (not all bad) with shots I had to imagine. The course was a little soft after rain, but you still never see mud on your ball. The roll out is there in March like it is in July. Only course in Washington that does not allow "winter rules". The variety of holes and shots will use all your clubs and challenge you to read some difficult greens. They are changing the greens to Poa, which is too bad I think. But so many locals can't read or put on fescue, I guess they got tired of the complaints. Fun to play the holes that the US Open was played on and imagine those shots and putts.

I love CB... always have and always will. It does, however, pain me how little they do to maintain and update the course. It has such great views and an awesome layout, but it loses points when the greens look like a quilt and they don't bother maintaining the conditions in a way the price demands.

5 1/2 hour round!! Greens were in terrible condition. Way over priced for conditions. Great things were staff & Views. That’s it!!

Top line: a famed course that has amazing views but some seriously fun golf holes.

I watche nearly every second of the US Open when it was at Chambers, so playing this course has been high on my list for some time. The layout of the course was spectacular. A great mix of shots, some tight holes some that are wide open. He one constant is that you want to be accurate off the tee because there are massive waste bunkers on the course. It is a little pricey (we splurged for caddies which was totally worth it) but if you have a chance the course was worth it.

Bottom line: play this course, it does not disappoint

Can't say enough great things about Chambers. I have played here three times in the last year and each time has been memorable in it's own way.

Sometimes you associate championship courses with stuffy old dudes who like to nit-pick and sometimes harass players who do not fit the typical "traditional golfer" - Chambers is far from this. The staff is great and there to make your experience as easy as possible. They have spotters in places where you may typically loose a ball and golf cart rides in between spread out holes- all to help your round move quickly.

I have never played with a caddie. I'm 28 and walk the course with my bag on my back and read the course notes found on the website (this will help your score). However, Chambers is a beast to walk and a caddie could make the experience more enjoyable for those who are not 28 :)

I played here the first time with a guy who shot a 140 (no joke) and he walked off loving every second. We were never pressed by a marshal. The staff understand the difficulty of the course and the marshal actually noticed that the group behind us was on our tail and he politely asked them to take their time. Besides the fantastic golf- Chambers offers a first class experience to all types of golfers.

There is something magical about standing in the same fairway as Jordan Speith or hitting out of the same bunker as Tiger (I have hit into "Chambers Basement" on hole 18 two out of the three times I have played here. If you follow my path, which I do not advise, put the ball in the back of your stance, close your eyes, and swing).

Chambers is made for the creative golfer. You score well by using the natural slopes provided by the earth. There are vertical challenges all over this course.

Knowing where to hit your ball off the tee and where to hit your approach shot is a must. Like I mentioned, I read the hole-by-hole notes on the website- they are extremely helpful and worth the 30 seconds it takes to pull them up on your phone.

If you have never played Chambers, you can not go wrong with a twilight/ afternoon round. Out of the three times I have played, teeing off at 3:30 in august and walking up 18 with the sun setting over the sound, was a "goose bumps" type of experience.

I have ran into country club guys who love walking on flat surfaces and playing predictable courses and who bash Chambers when they have never even played it. I would encourage anyone who loves golf to play Chambers. Not just for the golf, but to dive into the creative mind of Robert Trent Jones III. I still find it amazing that he was able to look at that piece of land and imagine a golf course like Chambers. It is indeed amazing.

If you have any questions, comment and I am happy to share more about my experiences.

-AD

Is it possible for a course to go from overhyped to underrated? It is in the case of Chambers Bay, whose debut on a grand stage at the 2015 U.S. Open was marred by complaints (justified, for the most part) about the condition of its fescue greens.

Things are improving on that front, though the course still has a ways to go before the conditions match up with the phenomenal design of the course and scenery. Simply put, if you like fun golf courses, you'll love Chambers Bay, especially for its remarkable green complexes which gather and shed shots in roughly equal measure. They're worthy of study, and of multiple plays. The course is a tough but rewarding walk, thanks to tremendous views (especially at sunset) of its namesake body of water.

(Pictured: the terrific drop-shot par-3 15th)

Beautiful weather. Wonderful layout from tee to green. Green complexes at best are challenging to unfair. All that a few are missing is the windmill and clown's mouth.

Chambers is replacing turf on the greens. Unfortunately they are not redoing the entire green, just spots about the size of an area rug.

I'll come back if in the area. Would not make a special trip to play this course.

This experience actually exceeded my expectations. Forecast called for 70% chance of t-storms but dodged it all day. Only sprinkled on us for half a hole, but was windy throughout the round. Course was in good shape. Fescue fairways were tight and I had to adjust my ball position slightly to strike it solidly. Greens were a little bumpy, but it didn't detract from my experience. I kind of chalk that up to part of the course's challenge. They were a bit on the slow side. Two holes - Nos. 10 and 13 - were on temps. Chambers is in the process of converting greens to pure Poa in response to the criticism during the U.S. Open, so there are patches throughout. I took a caddie and it was well-worth the investment, as he helped me with lines of entry into greens, numbers to carry and reading greens, especially long putts. This no doubt saved me strokes and allowed me to play very well. The course is expansive and landing areas were larger than appeared on TV. Hard to get in trouble. Didn't lose a ball the entire day. The staff here is super customer-service oriented. They genuinely want to make sure you are enjoying yourself. I am 42 and do not exercise, other than golf. I found the walk to be quite enjoyable and manageable. Was not as tiring or difficult as I expected. Must do: the snack shack has a wall display of ball markers from around the country and world. There is a sign that offers you a Chambers Bay ball marker in exchange for one of your local ball markers. Take advantage of this. It is a nice touch that I've never seen anywhere else. Bottom line: hard to get in trouble off the tee. Key to scoring is landing the ball on appropriate number and using the slopes to feed the ball toward the hole. I think lag-putting is the most important element to scoring well here as there are some dramatic slopes on the putting surfaces that are hard to discern.

The host course for the 2015 US open is very challenging, fun, fair and sooo beautiful. Its links style so bounces don't always go your way. the greens still need some help but you can still make putts. The last 4 holes are classic!! the hardest part of chambers is the wind and the green areas. you need imagination, creativity and a good touch with putter and chips/pitches. for golf channel to not include this course as one of the best links course in America is not right. go play it! you wont regret and when the open comes back, the greens will be better

Wow. That's about all I can say with regards to this course. Is it quirky? Sure, a little....but just the right amount. As it pertains to the bucket list courses I've played, I'd have this slightly behind Kiawah Ocean and slightly ahead of Bethpage Black. Yeah the greens were a tad bit bumpy, but they actually rolled true.

The best part of this course is the layout and the variety of ways to play each shot. You could take a flag on or go twenty yards left/right/long of the pin and get the same results. While this course was tough enough to handle an Open, it still provides the high handicapper the option of running shots in low. I can't decide if this is a first or second shot golf course but it's probably both. Jones did a great job on the layout and provides a ton of visual intimidation similar to Pete Dye. Either take a caddy or go out way early with the locals who can give you some tips and lines to take. It's a tough walk, bring some snacks and Gatorade.

Some say this course is tough but I actually beat my handicap on it. If I wasn't playing with locals my score would have probably been eight shots higher but the locals offered fabulous tips on how to navigate each hole.

Facilities are great. Staff is great. Fellow players are great. You also can't beat the views out here.

Biggest piece of guidance: pay attention to the short side of the geeen and avoid it at all costs.

I've had a chance to play this course around six times & have enjoyed every round. Robert Trent Jones II put together a terrific "links like" course which has garnered both accolades & controversy since opening. Chambers Bay can be difficult for the golfers used to playing their golf in the air. The key to playing well here is creativity as this track lends itself to providing innumerable options for those golfers who possess more than one or two shots in their bag. If you play off the correct tee box, pick good lines off the tees, avoid the blown out bunkers, find the the tightly mown fairways as opposed to the tall fescue grasses and bring a hot putter to navigate the heavily contoured putting surfaces, chances are fairly good you will have a decent round. Playing to your handicap or close to it on a course that can beat the living daylights out of you can be unbelievably satisfying. The course may not appeal to every golfer but if you're looking for a challenge, you've come to the right place.

This is one tough course. The greens have tremendous slope on them. While they are not "beautiful", they roll relatively true. If you pick the ball, this will play tough with you as everything is a very tight lie. The humps and bumps will seldom give you a level lie. It is a tough walk with tremendous elevation changes. My Fitbit indicated 45 flights of steps. Expect to get some good bounces and some really bad ones. The pot bunker on 18 (100 yards out from green) is jail (it is about 15 feet deep).

This course has breathtaking views from several locations and is worthy of bringing your camera. Course is challenging, particularly when the wind kicks up off the Bay. As a non resident, the green fees of $275 are not justified because the greens are very very poor. Fungus and mold are present on nearly every green, the fungus has been killed. However, this creates an uneven putting surface that is bumpy and difficult to hole a put over 4 feet. The USGA burned the greens out for the US Open and they have not recovered. Candidly, the greens condition has been a problem for years, with 3-4 greens having had to be redone completely, and those greens do play well. Fairways and bunkers are in very good shape. Should the greens be re-done to Bentgrass as planned, that would be helpful. However, until golfers offer an honest opinion of the current playing conditions, it is my feeling that they are not motivated to correct this blatant weakness in what is otherwise a very challenging golf outing.

Fantastic course conditions and a great staff. They made me and my wife feel like we were on the PGA with the forecaddies and overall welcoming attitude that everyone had.

I've read lots of reviews about the pace of play and while it took 5 hrs for our round it did not feel like it. I thought the staff did a great job assisting us for our pace of play and never felt rushed. Also, the walking and abundance of hills make it quite the walk.

Practice facility was great with well maintained hitting area off the grass with well measured flags to get dialed in. Putting greens for the practice area were great. Make sure you get there early enough to practice putting at the least.

Course conditions were phenomenal from tee box to greens. Fairways were great to hit off of and rolled out like a true links course. It has a ridiculous amount of sand that made it challenging but fun.

If it's your first time playing and you can afford it get a caddie as course management and where to hit the ball is paramount to a good score. That being said the course overall is very challenging but never frustrating. Even more fun was the pin placements were from round 1 of 2015 Open. Awesome to attack the holes that the pros played.

In the end it was a great experience and if you get the twilight it's a great price with great views, great course layout that will challenge but not make you hate life.

Best experience ever in golf to date!

Chambers is back in great shape and is an extremely hard but wicked fun golf course. I get so tired of people whining about this course. I can promise that the people that complain about uneven speeds on the greens have only played the course once and made the huge mistake of not getting a caddie. (hint - if the putt is headed back into the hillside its slow - even if it seems downhill. its just the way the course plays) I am a 6 handicap and have played it 10+ times and I always rely on a 4-caddie at least. I am still learning the many subtle nuances of this course. I missed a green last round and was 15ft away and below the hole. I aimed 30 degrees away from the hole, hit it 90 feet across the green, wrapped it around a mound, and let the slope of the green take my ball to 12 feet. It was a circus shot that was way higher probability than chipping strait at it and only a caddie that had seen hundreds of shots fail taking the direct route would recommend it!

The putting on Broccoli comments are flat wrong. Its fescue grass. They will never be gorgeous greens that look good on TV but they play fast, true, and kick my butt every time.

And bring Advil - its walking only and with all the hills - its a loooong walk.