Chambers Bay

Last updated
Chambers Bay
Chambers Bay Golf Course (17998597488).jpg
Chambers Bay Golf Course
Club information
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Coordinates 47°12′N122°34′W / 47.20°N 122.57°W / 47.20; -122.57
Location University Place, Washington, U.S.
EstablishedJune 23, 2007
17 years ago
TypePublic
Owned by Pierce County
Operated by KemperSports
Total holes18
Events hosted U.S. Amateur (2010),
U.S. Open (2015),
U.S. Amateur Four-Ball (2021),
U.S. Women's Amateur (2022)
Greens Poa annua
(full green replacement 2017-2019),
formerly fine fescue [1]
Website chambersbaygolf.com
Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Par 72
Length7,585 yards (6,936 m)
Course rating 78.1 [2] (Teal)
Slope rating 146 [2] (Teal)

Chambers Bay is a public golf course in the northwest United States, located in University Place, Washington, on the Puget Sound southwest of Tacoma. The British links-style course is owned by Pierce County and opened for play on June 23, 2007. [3] It hosted the U.S. Amateur in 2010 and the U.S. Open in 2015. [1] [4]

Contents

Design

Chambers Bay was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. [3] [5] The 250-acre (100 ha) course is the centerpiece of a 930-acre (380 ha) county park. Pierce County bought the land for $33 million in 1992; the property was formerly a sand-and-gravel quarry, popular with off-road four-wheelers and dirt-bikers. [3]

John Ladenburg Sr. was the Pierce County Executive who brought forward the idea to build the course and to build it to host the United States Open golf championship and other championships. Ladenburg was the Pierce County Executive at the time and the construction of the course and it's expense to construct was very controversial. [6] Ladenburg used his political capitol from having won six straight elections in the County. He selected the design team and the management team for the course. By the end of August 2022, it will have hosted four USGA national championships in its first 15 years. [7] [8] [9] The course cost over $20 million to build and many thought it a waste of money and "Ladenburg's Folly". However the landing of the U.S. Open by Ladenburg silenced those critics when it was reported that the Open generated $134 million in local economic development. [10] [11]

Construction

During construction, 1.4 million cubic yards (1.1 million m³) of dirt and sand (over 100,000 truckloads) were removed, cleaned off site, and returned to sculpt the course. [12] [13] At the time, it was still permitted as a working mine, which meant fewer restrictions for the course architects. [3] [14]

Layout

Five sets of tees are available, ranging from 5,250 to 7,585 yards (4,800 to 6,935 m), and as a municipal course, Pierce County residents receive discounted rates. The course is for walkers only, caddies are available but are optional. Motorized carts are permitted only for those with medical conditions or disabilities, and a caddie must be hired as the driver.

The greens do not have fringes - it is a transparent transition from fairway to green.

Card of the course

Chambers Bay
Tee Rating/Slope 123456789Out101112131415161718InTotal
Navy75.6 / 139559395167530465418482557227380039845728148549613939617254133657165
Sand72.4 / 135501365145480441369449523202347536042526245340711635914251430386513
WhiteM:70.2/127 L:76.2/137465337130424423315435488168318533040224643738310332311948728306015
SI Men's313175911711510814261812164
Par543544453374444434353572
SI Women's311177913511584146101612182
Blue71.5 / 1284363011113473232834154411322789311378219348309912799246224895278

Championship Tees [15]

HoleNameYardsParHoleNameYardsPar
1Puget Sound598/4965/410High Dunes4364
2Foxy399411Shadows5374
3Blown Out198312The Narrows3114
4Hazard's Ascent495413Eagle Eye5344
5Free Fall488414Cape Fear5464
6Deception Point495415Lone Fir246/1673
7Humpback508416Beached4234
8High Road Low Road614517Derailed2183
9Olympus224/217318Tahoma604/5255/4
Out4,019/3,91036/35In3,855/3,69735/34
 Championship tees: Rating=78.1,  Slope=146Total7,874/7,60770

Navy Tees

HoleNameYardsParHoleNameYardsPar
1Puget Sound559510High Dunes3984
2Foxy395411Shadows4574
3Blown Out167312The Narrows2814
4Hazard's Ascent530513Eagle Eye4854
5Free Fall465414Cape Fear4964
6Deception Point418415Lone Fir1393
7Humpback482416Beached3964
8High Road Low Road557517Derailed1723
9Olympus227318Tahoma5415
Out3,80037In3,36535
 Navy tees: Rating=75.6,  Slope=139 [2] Total7,16572

Source: [16] [17]

Chambers Bay has just one tree, a Douglas fir behind the 15th green. [18]

Operation

The course is operated by Kemper Sports Management of Northbrook, Illinois, which also operates Bandon Dunes on the southern Oregon coast. [3]

The course is part of the Chambers Creek Properties which includes numerous non-golf recreational opportunities including a three-mile loop (5 km) walking trail, part of which travels through the west side of the golf course. [3]

In 2016, a resort was proposed by a private developer, including an 80-room hotel, event and meeting space, and a Tom Douglas restaurant. [19]

After the 2015 U.S Open was played at Chambers Bay, the local economy realized an estimated revenue increase of approximately $150 million, primarily sourced from gains within the tourist and service industries. Although Pierce County taxpayers were solely responsible for security costs and course preparation for the US Open, other adjoining counties also benefitted economically. [20]

Events

Chambers Bay was the site of the U.S. Amateur in 2010 and hosted the U.S. Open in 2015; these events were awarded by the United States Golf Association (USGA) in early 2008. [4] [21] Chambers Bay was set as a par-71 at 7,742 yards (7,079 m) for the U.S. Amateur in 2010, [22] the longest course in USGA history. [23] The record only lasted until the following year when Erin Hills surpassed it by 18 yards. [23]

Eleven months prior to the event, the USGA announced in July 2014 that all final round tickets and weekly ticket passes for the 2015 U.S. Open were sold out. [24] The tournament was eventually won by Jordan Spieth. [25] Chambers Bay Golf Course hosted the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship in 2021. [26] Established in 2015, the "Four-Ball" as it is known, is the newest USGA championship and replaces the now-retired U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship which was established in 1922.

In May, 2021, the USGA selected Chambers Bay to host the 2022 United States Women's Amateur Golf Championship, scheduled for August 8–14, 2022. The tournament was won by Saki Baba. [27]

In March, 2023, the USGA selected Chambers Bay to host the 2027 U.S. Junior Amateur and 2033 U.S. Amateur. [28]

Criticism

During the 2015 U.S. Open, Chambers Bay was subject to criticism for its bumpy greens, unfair course design, and poor accessibility for spectators. [29] Nine-time major champion Gary Player called it "the worst golf course I might've ever seen in the 63 years as a professional golfer," and Henrik Stenson said that the greens were like "putting on broccoli." [30]

In 2017, the fine fescue greens were allowed to transition to poa annua, the dominant species. [31] [32] [33] [34] In the weeks leading up to the 2015 U.S. Open, warm and dry weather forced extra watering of the greens, which allowed the invasive poa to thrive. [1] [34] [35]

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References

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  2. 1 2 3 "Course rating and slope database, Chambers Bay". USGA. Archived from the original on April 16, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
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  10. "Pierce County, WA".
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  14. Kelley, Steve (February 17, 2008). "Bruce Charlton felt the sand and saw a U.S. Open". Seattle Times. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  15. Chambers Bay Yardage Guide with US Open Tees Sold at Club 4/4/2015
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  26. http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/articles/2017/12/bandon-dunes-to-host-2019-u-s--amateur-four-ball--chambers-bay-i.html
  27. "17-year-old wins U.S. Women's Amateur with wild 11&9 beatdown at Chambers Bay". Golf.com. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  28. https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/articles/2023/03/two-future-usga-amateur-events-headed-to-chambers-bay.html
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