Chambers Bay

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.

I like the layout of Chambers, beauty unmatched and fun but difficult holes. Don't expect to get a decent score here, the course will be brutal on your handicap. I do not recommend this course, having played there some 8 times. First, the pace is excruciatingly slow. It took over five hours yesterday, on a Thursday before summer. That is very bad. Second, the greens are still in poor shape. Some are sandy and slow, others blazing fast. Many have weeds that look like small broccoli, endemic to the area, and unavoidable. Don't play here if yo are not in good physical conditioning. You will walk up and down for almost six and a half miles.

I played Chambers Bay a month after the US Open. The fairways and greens were just beginning to recover from the USGA coming in and shutting the water off. But with that being said, the shape of the course was still great! They were working on two greens that had not recovered well from the open but other than that the course was great! Caddies were very friendly and helpful with local knowledge of the course and had great stories from the open. I would recommend this to anyone that is traveling to the Seattle/Tacoma area.

I was lucky enough to be part of the team that took a trip to Chambers Bay ahead of the US Open, and I have to say it blew me away - once the morning fog cleared! Coming from the UK, links is where my true golfing heart lies. I love the scenery and the way the golf course looks visually - encouraging you to get creative and work with the ground. As designer Robert Trent Jones Jr said, he likes the "ground game". This is a course that demands creativity and knowledge. Rarely will you aim for a pin. The greens at this course are the most challenging of all, not only are you dealing with rare fescue grass but run-off areas can be extreme and placement is crucial. All in all though, the beauty captured me - the Puget Sound and lone fir tree are mesmerizing. But be prepared for a workout, this course is a 7.5 mile walk, with a lot of elevation! Enjoy.

This was a special day no matter the enjoyment of the course because I was able to share this walk with my colleagues and friends, Cara Robinson,Daman Hack, and Charlie Rymer.Our goal was to learn every inch of Chambers Bay in preparation for Us Open week on Morning Drive. Consider that it took us 6 1/2 hours to complete our round because we were filming and taking a lot of notes between shots. We were given a three hour buffer from the next tee time so we did not have to rush and that helped with gaining knowledge but it did have an affect on concentration. This experience is special for several reasons. First, there is nothing really like it in the United States and the views are breathtaking. Bandon Dunes is the best retail golf experience Ive ever had because of the variety,quality of golf,and unmatched service. Chambers Bay stands alone with no other course options so you must really commit to this trip. Chambers is very generous off the tee with extremely wide fairways but its visually intimidating because the areas you see clearly off the fairways are so penal and domineering. Listen intently to a local caddy and trust where they tell you to hit your shots based on your skill level. The fescue greens really distinguish this course from other "links" style offerings in the United States. They are firm, difficult to get your ball to spin and depending on the time of year you play they may be spotty. The ground is very firm and the walk is 7 1/2 miles up and down this converted gravel pit and you also play along the perimeter of the bluff on the par 5 8th hole. The challenges are blind second shots to several holes with extremely contoured greens with huge banking on many of them and extreme false fronts that penalize even the slightly missed target yardage. The best holes in my opinion are the ones that run through the valley and I prefer the inward 9 to the outward 9 for that reason. I would recommend playing the right teeing ground on the 9th hole if possible because I think its a much better hole from that angle. The greens as a whole have enormous contour that are not consistent in how they slope. Very few greens are pitched from back to front and I dont think there is enough area between the massive bunkers that front many of the greens to consider it a truly great links because you still have to play the ball in the air long enough to carry the bunkers and then rely on the slope of the greens to give yourself a reasonable putt. I think the overall design would have been better with less bunkering fronting the greens and allowing more use of the areas in front of the green to run shots onto the putting surfaces. The closing stretch is all you want in beauty and drama and hopefully you time your playing of the 15th, 16th and 17th to see a train roll by against the Puget Sound. Chambers Bay is a great story of a county committing to building something their towns people can be proud of and they should be. The golf experience is tough, rugged but unique. The staff is world class with every person insuring you have the best time possible. They really embrace and value that you have made the trek to their lone golf experience at Chambers Bay.

For the golfer who lives for the spectacular walk and the stunning visual, Chambers Bay offers both in abundance. Even beyond the wildness of the golf course – heaving green complexes, orange and auburn-colored heather, yawning bunkers framed by unkempt rough, remarkable elevation change – this is a golf course blessed with location.

Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington – a suburb of Tacoma - sits hard by Puget Sound, separated from the water only by a narrow sandy beach and a ribbon of railroad that is visited several times an hour by freight trains, an echo of sorts of England’s Royal Lytham and St. Annes, whose opening holes run adjacent to the St. Annes railway.

It is one of many aspects Chambers Bay shares with golf in the United Kingdom. The golf course – the site of an old sand and gravel pit – has firm, tight terrain that can make shot-making a guessing game. Well-struck shots occasionally find collection areas, rough and cavernous bunkers (sometimes in a row) and the seemingly poor shot can sometimes, luckily, find safe passage.

Trusting your caddie is essential at Chambers Bay.

My best shot of the day came on the difficult par-4 16th hole when my terrific looper, Jason, insisted I aim my approach along the rough line some 40 yards left of the flagstick. I hit my 9 iron along said line, lost sight of the ball as it disappeared below a mound, and was shocked to walk up to the green and find it 15 feet from the cup. (That I three-putted wasn’t Jason’s fault).
Some may find the course quirky, but if you like links golf and the spirit of the ground game, you will be invigorated by this 7.5 mile trek (wear comfortable shoes and socks for it is a hard walk).

In this era of Instagram, you will be moved often to snap a picture of the many stirring views, including the glorious fir tree that guards 15 green and 16 tee (it is the lone tree on the course), not to mention the occasional sight of dolphins breaching in the distance.

The golf course is Hillside (England) meets Streamsong Blue (Florida) with a dash of Dornoch (Scotland) and Bandon Dunes (Oregon).

Play from the correct tees, load up on some extra pearls, and embrace this beautiful brute.

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!

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.

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!

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".

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
.

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

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.