I was driving by Chambers Bay GC today on my way home and thought i would stop and snap a few pics with my cell. I hope to play here some day, but i have only been playing golf since june. I have a long way to go with my game before i can justify paying over $100 to play 18 holes.





Here is a small panoramic shot of the course.

Yeah... it's pretty fun.

I was like a 20 hcp when I went there last year and shot about 110. I'll probably go back this year before it gets too much colder to see how far I've come.

Thanks for the pics!

gorgeous...

BMP, was it windy when you went by?

I played last August and it was stifling hot the first 2/3 of the round, got incredibly windy for 2-3 holes, and then died down again, a bit cool as the sun got ready to go down.

very nice. I would pay the 100 bucks.

it was pretty windy when i was up there.

I average around 112 -118 for 18 holes.

wow, your cell phone certainly takes better photos than mine!

Amazing photos for how rainy it's been today in the NW.

Man, here in DC you pay about $100 for anywhere decent on a weekend.

Great pics. That place is going to look amazing on TV when the open goes there. I wonder how much that played into the decision to put it there.

DH

It was actually $169 plus tax that day, unless you live in that county.....Now would you pay that amount?

Here are a few pics I took back in early 2009.........they have started to let the rough grow since then.

http://gallery.me.com/bobgom#100037

http://gallery.me.com/bobgom#100052

I'd probably pay it. I've paid more to play courses that aren't as nice.

I just spent a weekend playing Chambers Bay and wanted to offer my opinions on the experience. First, the setting is absolutely spectacular. The views of the Sound and the mountains beyond are breathtaking, and there are several points on the course where you can see the entire panoramic. Second, the course while very playable is quite immature. The fescue grass has not firmly taken hold and the greens, in particular, are sparse. Still, the greens are very playable albeit they play very "soft."

I guess my biggest disappointment is that I did not find the course to play as a true links course. The course was built in an old mining area. However, what is amazing is that that area was essentially the side of a mountain. There is a good 500 foot drop from the top of the property (where the restaurant is-the food is great by the way) to the holes that border the railroad and the Sound. The result of this elevation change is that virtually every green complex is uphill and sloping "down the mountain." I found it very difficult to play shots low and run them in, which to me is the essence of links golf. I even found the lob wedge the club of choice around the greens. Many of the greenside mounds are so severe that running the ball along them makes it virtually impossible to get the ball really close to the hole (even with the slow green speeds the slope was so severe that the ball would gain too much momentum and run past the hole). Now because most of the greens had a steep incline behind them you could get the ball moderately close to the hole by run the ball past the hole up these inclines. The greens are quite soft and hold well, however, so I found using a lob wedge to hit over these ridges and mounds much more consistently effective. As the greens mature I suspect they will get much firmer and the lob option will no longer be a viable option. When that happens it will really get interesting!

All in all this is TARGET GOLF not links golf, at least in my humble opinion. Of course, I have not been accross the pond to play the real thing. But I have watched a lot of golf over there and the elevation and grade of this course make this course very different. Bandon, which I have played, is much more of a "true links" test.

Still this is a great ride, and a real b****. I am a 3 and playing the back tees could only muster an 81. On the plus side, I only lost one ball and found three. The fairways are generally fairly wide, and you can generally find your ball in the waste areas and rough (although you won't like what you find).

That about sums up my experience.

Did you play the tips or the blues? I've never seen the tips even set out... probably for good reason. I don't think you need a bunch of wounded wannabes slogging along en route to triple digits.

Wow - those are some sweet pics too. Did I recall the one tree on the place was vandalized this year? Is it gone? Have they replaced it? Or am I senile?

I played the blues. They won't let you play the "teal" unless you have a PGA card. The guys in the pro shop say that the course will play at a maximum of 7713 for the Am and Open. There are several extremely elevated tee boxes, but there are also some very uphill holes so I think the yardage is true. The pro shop says the 7713 will play about 8000 taking into account elevation, FWIW. I do think the course will get faster as it matures, which will make it play much shorter than it is playing now.

The tree is still there and I think it is doing well after the attempt......Thanks BG

Great Pictures.

I was supposed to play here tomorrow (had to cancel due to travel restrictions at work). Will have to make sure I get out there the next time I swing through the NW on business.