Opinion & Analysis
What to do near Chambers Bay at the U.S. Open: Drink, eat and shop
Chambers Bay. YES, we are excited!
For the first time in the history of the Pacific Northwest, we are finally getting a U.S. Open. The 2015 U.S. Open will mark the largest-attended sporting event we’ve ever seen in these parts. If early ticket sales and volunteer applications indicate anything, it’s plain to see the Pacific Northwest is more than thrilled to be hosting such a fine event.
As an Oregon resident for more than 20 years, I’ve had the absolute privilege to visit some of the fine fescue golf establishments in the Pacific Northwest and experience many of our illustrious attractions. Whether you’re coming from far or near, below is a list of places to drink, golf and shop on your visit. I consider myself a part-time professional in each of these capacities… in my own mind anyway.
Beer
One thing folks are somewhat aware of is the fact that the Pacific Northwest is a growing region for a number of crops. Washington’s Yakima Valley and Oregon’s Willamette (pronounced to rhyme with “damn it”) Valley are two of the world’s eminent hop growing regions. While Oregon and Washington have brought to fame the Pacific Northwest style India Pale Ale (IPA), there are a few breweries in the Seattle area to take a look at for a broader sense of the microbrewery scene here.
Pike Brewing Company located right in downtown Seattle, 1st Avenue, has an assortment of Scottish-inspired ales. One in particular, the Kilt Lifter, is a Ruby Ale with a rich malty effervescence and flavour (I just used the u in flavour because it’s cool). The subtle, but apparent smoky finish is the result of a Peated Malt variety that could very well draw comparisons to a highland whisky. The Weisse wheat ale is also a “go to” as winner of the most refreshing in my book.
The second brewery I’d like to highlight is Mac & Jacks and its legendary African Amber. This beer is unfiltered, malty and simply in a class of its own. They do not have a pub and really just sell growlers with some minimal tasting in a retail outlet at the back corner of a corporate park in Redmond, Wash. (home to Microsoft, among other technology giants). If you can find it in a pub, and it’s in most in the Seattle area, that means you are too close for missiles and you need to switch to guns and indulge.
Elysian Brewing Company has brewed more than 350 different types of craft beers since its inception in 1997, including the highly recommended LOSER Pale ale.
The third brewery I’d like to highlight is Elysian. It has pretty much perfected the art of crafting a beer you can fall asleep holding. My favorite is called LOSER. Perhaps it is all marketing, but the beer is a fine Pale ale that is drinkable for all. Believe it or not, you don’t have to be a loser to appreciate this fine beverage.
Wine
East of the Cascades lies the lush growing country of the Columbia Valley. Aside from growing the spuds that feed into about 50 percent of the world’s French fry consumption, the Columbia Valley gets nice and hot in the summers and gives crops a nice freeze in the winters. These factors combined with some others I don’t understand give rise to what would seem to be the ideal circumstances for cultivating Cabernet Sauvignon (among other varietals). There are more than 750 wineries in Washington, so to fully enjoy the wine experience you might have to book a complete separate trip. This site is a great resource for researching Seattle-area wineries.
Domaine Drouhin Winery was established in the late 1980s, but the Drouhin family has been making wine in France and later the U.S. since 1880.
Owing to lack of experience, I can’t speak to the wineries in Washington as well as those in my backyard in the Willamette Valley, which is known for the Pinot Noir. A few of the more serious contenders are Penner Ash, Domaine Drouhin and Erath. These Vineyards are about 45 minutes to an hour southwest of Portland. Of these, I’d highlight the tasting experiences at Domaine Drouin and Ponzi. Views from these tasting rooms are absolutely stunning. Bear in mind that Reidel made a special trip to this region to specially design a Pinot Noir glass that kicks the wine to the back of your tongue where most of your taste buds reside.
Spirits
Established in 2012, Glass Distillery is distinctive because it uses grapes, and not potatoes or grains, to make vodka.
The Pacific Northwest is very serious about their craft movement, and spirits are not about to get left behind. For starters, and contrary to the abundance of whiskey here, we MUST showcase the fine Seattle Glass Distillery and its stunning Glass Vodka. Using Washington Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay grapes, this vodka should be shaken and could even, dare I say, be served neat. This stuff is seriously smooth. The founder, Mr. Ian McNeil, is a wonderful fellow, fine ambassador of golf, and great to chat with.
If you should meander to Portland, the big buzz here is letting locally distilled whiskey or vodka sit in used Pinot Noir Oak barrels. While you read that again and ponder how awesome it could be, the best next step is to turn to Bull Run Distillery and Burnside Distillery to learn about their offerings and put some in your belly… or your flask for the next Birdie Train.
Coffee
Yes. Seattle is the home to Starbucks. Go to Pike Place and visit the first location, where I swear the Pike Street blend is bolder, richer, and simply more delicious. The line isn’t as long as it looks …. OK maybe it is. Outside of Starbucks, should you wander, a plethora of anal baristas can be found all over Ballard. Ask for an iced espresso and they will scoff, on the basis that it could SHOCK the espresso and ask you to leave. Closer to the core of Seattle, I always have to mention Stumptown, since it’s Portland-based and has built a cult-like following. Also Caffe Vita is worth trying for its mild and delicious blends, but honestly it’s such a fast moving and growing space that there will invariably be a brand new shop not far from where you’re staying.
Caffe Vita imports its coffee beans directly from farms, and brews them on-site at their nine locations in Washington and Oregon.
Golf
Unless you are one of the elite exempt or resilient qualifiers, there is a low likelihood of having your chance to play Chambers Bay the week of the U.S. Open. Before you begin booking in the surrounding area, bear in mind that more than 200,000 golf-minded folk will also be interested in …. well you guessed it … GOLF. Getting out won’t be an issue in every case and there is one course and project creating a ton of excitement not more than three driving hours away.
Gamble Sands, located in Brewster, Wash., is a David McLay Kidd gem. This course is an absolute must and imperative to play if this is your one and only trip to the Pacific Northwest. The course has impressive 360-degree views and is downright awesome. Kidd describes it as “pure, unadulterated golf.”
Gamble Sands sits high above the Columbia River and is surrounded by the Cascade Mountains, thousands of acres of manicured apple and cherry orchards, multiple river vistas and mountains of black basalt.
Others courses worth checking out include: Wine Valley, in wine country, designed by Links master Dan Hixson. I’ve heard the new Salish Cliffs is stunning, but haven’t had the chance to make the trek there yet. TPC Snoqualmie wraps a majestic mountain, boasts amazing views of the Cascades and is host to the Boeing Champions Tour event.
Wandering types with extra time could make a trek down to Bandon. A short three-hour flight from Seattle to North Bend can solve the time or driving concerns.
Man Shopping: Effing Made in the USA
Between all the drinking and golfing, you might have time to do some shopping. Here are a few of my recommendations for top quality goods with Pacific Northwest roots.
Filson: Durable. Quality. Heavyweight. Filson is headquartered in Seattle and committed to making some of the finest hunting inspired bag and accessory lines. Wax Canvas, heavy cotton twill and Pacific Northwest wool are combined to make some of the very essentials to for the well-accessorized gentleman.
Alial Fital: Gibran Hamden, founder and designer, makes some of the most exhilarating polos with contrasting, patterned, collars and bright colors. A stretchy fit and available man sizing make these shirts very appropriate for the discerning golfer. Let’s not forget that touring professional Bo Van Pelt started buying these stylish shirts and wearing them unendorsed. You can schedule an appointment to visit the showroom of this Seattle-based brand for a one of a kind shopping experience.
Alial Fital was founded by former NFL quarterback Gibran Hamdan in 2011.
HAMMER + AWL: Cool-crafted things are not just for hipsters. The accessories stocked here are tailored and designed to the exacting specifications of their makers. The well-vetted and curated brands in this shop are there for a reason, a commitment to making only the highest-quality goods.
Tanner Goods: If you do make it to Portland, a must visit is Tanner Goods. I get giddy whenever I step foot in this place. A good friend and local saddle maker hero LP Streifel helped a group of artisans start one of the finest leather craft companies we’ve seen in some time. Tanner Goods makes belts, wallets, and bags from the most gorgeous hand selected hides and natural materials. If you are on Instagram, search the hashtag for #worthholdingonto where fans share the nicely broken in leather goods.
At the Portland Tanner Goods location, you can get your purchase monogrammed, and you can find goods exclusively there before they get shipped to Tanner Goods’ three other locations in the U.S.
As you can see, there’s a wealth of goodness in the Pacific Northwest, much more than I’ve mentioned here. We’re happy a prestigious event such as the U.S. Open provides an opportunity for visitors to discover the great golf and more of that this region has to offer.
Hopefully we’ll prove reason for visitors and high profile golf to come back again.
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s LIV Golf Singapore betting preview: Course specialist ready to thrive once again
After another strong showing in Australia, LIV Golf will head to Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore looking to build off of what was undoubtedly their best event to date.
Sentosa Golf Club sits on the southern tip of Singapore and is one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The course is more than just incredible scenically; it was also rated 55th in Golf Digest’s top-100 courses in 2022-2023 and has been consistently regarded as one of the best courses in Asia. Prior to being part of the LIV rotation, the course hosted the Singapore Open every year since 2005.
Sentosa Golf Club is a par 71 measuring 7,406 yards. The course will require precise ball striking and some length off the tee. It’s possible to go low due to the pristine conditions, but there are also plenty of hazards and difficult spots on the course that can bring double bogey into play in a hurry. The Bermudagrass greens are perfectly manicured, and the course has spent millions on the sub-air system to keep the greens rolling fast. I spoke to Asian Tour player, Travis Smyth, who described the greens as “the best [he’s] ever played.”
Davis Love III, who competed in a Singapore Open in 2019, also gushed over the condition of the golf course.
“I love the greens. They are fabulous,” the 21-time PGA Tour winner said.
Love III also spoke about other aspects of the golf course.
“The greens are great; the fairways are perfect. It is a wonderful course, and it’s tricky off the tee.”
“It’s a long golf course, and you get some long iron shots. It takes somebody hitting it great to hit every green even though they are big.”
As Love III said, the course can be difficult off the tee due to the length of the course and the trouble looming around every corner. It will take a terrific ball striking week to win at Sentosa Golf Club.
In his pre-tournament press conference last season, Phil Mickelson echoed many of the same sentiments.
“To play Sentosa effectively, you’re going to have a lot of shots from 160 to 210, a lot of full 6-, 7-, 8-iron shots, and you need to hit those really well and you need to drive the ball well.”
Golfers who excel from tee to green and can dial in their longer irons will have a massive advantage this week.
Stat Leaders at LIV Golf Adelaide:
Fairways Hit
1.) Louis Oosthuizen
2.) Anirban Lahiri
3.) Jon Rahm
4.) Brendan Steele
5.) Cameron Tringale
Greens in Regulation
1.) Brooks Koepka
2.) Brendan Steele
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Cameron Tringale
5.) Anirban Lahiri
Birdies Made
1.) Brendan Steele
2.) Dean Burmester
3.) Thomas Pieters
4.) Patrick Reed
5.) Carlos Ortiz
LIV Golf Individual Standings:
1.) Joaquin Niemann
2.) Jon Rahm
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Louis Oosthuizen
5.) Abraham Ancer
LIV Golf Team Standings:
1.) Crushers
2.) Legion XIII
3.) Torque
4.) Stinger GC
5.) Ripper GC
LIV Golf Singapore Picks
Sergio Garcia +3000 (DraftKings)
Sergio Garcia is no stranger to Sentosa Golf Club. The Spaniard won the Singapore Open in 2018 by five strokes and lost in a playoff at LIV Singapore last year to scorching hot Talor Gooch. Looking at the course setup, it’s no surprise that a player like Sergio has played incredible golf here. He’s long off the tee and is one of the better long iron players in the world when he’s in form. Garcia is also statistically a much better putter on Bermudagrass than he is on other putting surfaces. He’s putt extremely well on Sentosa’s incredibly pure green complexes.
This season, Garcia has two runner-up finishes, both of them being playoff losses. Both El Camaleon and Doral are courses he’s had success at in his career. The Spaniard is a player who plays well at his tracks, and Sentosa is one of them. I believe Sergio will get himself in the mix this week. Hopefully the third time is a charm in Singapore.
Paul Casey +3300 (FanDuel)
Paul Casey is in the midst of one of his best seasons in the five years or so. The results recently have been up and down, but he’s shown that when he’s on a golf course that suits his game, he’s amongst the contenders.
This season, Casey has finishes of T5 (LIV Las Vegas), T2 (LIV Hong Kong), and a 6th at the Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour. At his best, the Englishman is one of the best long iron players in the world, which makes him a strong fit for Sentosa. Despite being in poor form last season, he was able to fire a Sunday 63, which shows he can low here at the course.
It’s been three years since Casey has won a tournament (Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2021), but he’s been one of the top players on LIV this season and I think he can get it done at some point this season.
Mito Pereira +5000 (Bet365)
Since Mito Pereira’s unfortunate demise at the 2022 PGA Championship, he’s been extremely inconsistent. However, over the past few months, the Chilean has played well on the International Series as well as his most recent LIV start. Mito finished 8th at LIV Adelaide, which was his best LIV finish this season.
Last year, Pereira finished 5th at LIV Singapore, shooting fantastic rounds of 67-66-66. It makes sense why Mito would like Sentosa, as preeminent ball strikers tend to rise to the challenge of the golf course. He’s a great long iron player who is long and straight off the tee.
Mito has some experience playing in Asia and is one of the most talented players on LIV who’s yet to get in the winner’s circle. I have questions about whether or not he can come through once in contention, but if he gets there, I’m happy to roll the dice.
Andy Ogletree +15000 (DraftKings)
Andy Ogletree is a player I expected to have a strong 2024 but struggled early in his first full season on LIV. After failing to crack the top-25 in any LIV event this year, the former U.S. Amateur champion finally figured things out, finished in a tie for 3rd at LIV Adelaide.
Ogletree should be incredible comfortable playing in Singapore. He won the International Series Qatar last year and finished T3 at the International Series Singapore. The 26-year-old was arguably the best player on the Asian Tour in 2023 and has been fantastic in the continent over the past 18 months.
If Ogletree has indeed found form, he looks to be an amazing value at triple-digit odds.
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In Tampa, there is a golf course that boasts carts that do not work, a water range, and a group of players none of which have any chance to break 80. The course is overseen by a staff of crusty men who have succeeded at nothing in life but ending up at the worst-run course in America. However, this place is no failure. With several other local courses going out of business — and boasting outstanding greens — the place is booked full.
While I came for the great greens, I stayed to watch our resident instructor; a poor-tempered, method teacher who caters to the hopeless. At first, it was simply hilarious. However, after months of listening and watching, something clicked. I realized I had a front-row seat to the worst golf instructor in America.
Here are some of my key takeaways.
Method Teacher
It is widely accepted that there are three types of golf instructors: system teachers, non-system teachers, and method teachers. Method teachers prescribe the same antidote for each student based on a preamble which teachers can learn in a couple day certification.
Method teaching allows anyone to be certified. This process caters to the lowest caliber instructor, creating the illusion of competency. This empowers these underqualified instructors with the moniker of “certified” to prey on the innocent and uninformed.
The Cult of Stack and Jilt
The Stack and Tilt website proudly boasts, “A golfer swings his hands inward in the backswing as opposed to straight back to 1) create power, similar to a field goal kicker moving his leg in an arc and 2) to promote a swing that is in-to-out, which produces a draw (and eliminates a slice).”
Now, let me tell you something, there is this law of the universe which says “energy can either be created or destroyed,” so either these guys are defying physics or they have no idea what they are taking about. Further, the idea that the first move of the backswing determines impact is conjecture with a splash of utter fantasy.
These are the pontifications of a method — a set of prescriptions applied to everyone with the hope of some success through the placebo effect. It is one thing for a naive student to believe, for a golf instructor to drink and then dispel this Kool-Aid is malpractice.
Fooled by Randomness
In flipping a coin, or even a March Madness bet, there is a 50-50 chance of success. In golf, especially for new players, results are asymmetric. Simply put: Anything can happen. The problem is that when bad instructors work with high handicappers, each and every shot gets its own diagnosis and prescription. Soon the student is overwhelmed.
Now here’s the sinister thing: The overwhelming information is by design. In this case, the coach is not trying to make you better, they are trying to make you reliant on them for information. A quasi Stockholm syndrome of codependency.
Practice
One of the most important scientists of the 20th century was Ivan Pavlov. As you might recall, he found that animals, including humans, could be conditioned into biological responses. In golf, the idea of practice has made millions of hackers salivate that they are one lesson or practice session from “the secret.”
Sunk Cost
The idea for the worst golf instructor is to create control and dependency so that clients ignore the sunk cost of not getting better. Instead, they are held hostage by the idea that they are one lesson or tip away from unlocking their potential.
Cliches
Cliches have the effect of terminating thoughts. However, they are the weapon of choice for this instructor. Add some hyperbole and students actually get no information. As a result, these players couldn’t play golf. When they did, they had no real scheme. With no idea what they are doing, they would descend into a spiral of no idea what to do, bad results, lower confidence, and running back to the lesson tee from more cliches.
The fact is that poor instruction is about conditioning players to become reliant members of your cult. To take away autonomy. To use practice as a form of control. To sell more golf lessons not by making people better but through the guise that without the teacher, the student can never reach their full potential. All under the umbrella of being “certified” (in a 2-day course!) and a melee of cliches.
This of course is not just happening at my muni but is a systemic problem around the country and around the world, the consequences of which are giving people a great reason to stop playing golf. But hey, at least it’s selling a lot of golf balls…
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The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.
TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.
Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.
However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.
Past Winners at TPC Louisiana
- 2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
- 2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
- 2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
- 2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
- 2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
- 2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)
2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks
Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)
Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.
This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.
McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.
Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)
Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.
Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.
Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)
Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.
NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.
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Jwowzer
Jun 14, 2015 at 1:07 am
Mac & Jacks getting some love!
Chris
Jun 12, 2015 at 12:30 am
I really University Place. It can get rough heading east toward Tacoma, but every time I’ve been I wish I could stay longer. Washington is a beautiful state. Best to make a trip north to Seattle if you want social life.
cwbam
Jun 11, 2015 at 12:15 am
Shopping: some nice used clubs, wedges, putters at Highland Golf Course a nice 9 hole venue.
Puetz golf, Sportco Warehouse (hunt & fish)
Some great parks
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium , park ect.. some great exhibits and people watching
Browns Point Park
JBLM can have lots of traffic early in am along with traffic headed to Seattle and Bellevue
Afternoon traffic leaving Seattle and Bellevue
Mariners games around 7pm Wed-Sat
Matt Pugh
Jun 10, 2015 at 6:26 pm
Okay, I’d like to clarify a few things about this post for those who are traveling to Tacoma to watch the US Open at Chambers Bay, or are not from the Pacific Northwest.
First off, the distance between Pike Place Market and Chambers is roughly 42 miles. This isn’t an altogether big distance to travel, but the stretch of I-5 between Seattle and Tacoma is often pretty slow moving, and traffic jams are not uncommon. Though, you can’t go wrong at Pike Brewery (check out: Kilt Lifter), or walking around the Seattle Waterfront and Pike Place Market, especially if this is your first trip to the area.
Along with Elysian, and the other breweries listed above, another great choice would be Georgetown Brewing in Georgetown (south Seattle). Here you will find an offering of beers for many different palettes, including Mannys Pale Ale, Choppers Porter, and Lucille IPA. Also, Two Beers Brewing in south Seattle, is another great option. If spirits are your thing, why not check out Westland Distillery, who is the biggest distillery on the west coast.
One of the pioneers of Craft brewing is Red Hook, which is located north east of Seattle(further from Tacoma) in Woodinville. The distance between Woodinville and Chambers is 55 miles. If wine is your thing, Woodinville is a great place on the west side of the mountains, and there are a bunch of wineries in the surrounding area, including the Chateau Ste. Michelle.
Down in Tacoma, Ruston Way is a great place to check out. There is a 2 mile long park on the waterfront, as well as many different restaurant options as well. A little further south from Ruston is the Museum of Glass which features many of Dale Chihuly’s creations. Some great place to eat and drink in the greater Tacoma area are Harmon Brewery and Eatery, Crockett’s Public House, The Red Hot (try the Hilltop Hot Dog), The Parkway Tavern, Pint Defiance, Engine House #9, and my inside sources tells me that the Golf Channel will be set up at Doyles Public House.
The distance between Portland and Chambers is 169 miles.
The distance between Chambers Bay and Gamble Sands is 235 miles.
If you are looking to play some golf while you are in the area, rest assured there are many good courses much, much closer. The Home Course is about 12 miles south of Chambers in DuPont. Washington National is about 27 miles to the north east in Aubrun. Across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge are both Gold Mountain(a 2 course complex), and Trophy Lake, and neither will disappoint. The Olympic Course at Gold Mountain is in fantastic shape having just recently held an NCAA sectional tournament. Further up towards Bellevue (due east from Seattle) are Maplewood Golf Course, Newcastle Golf Course, and Willows Run(another 2 course complex). If you are looking for great views of Seattle, and want to play some great golf on a budget, in my opinion, the best Seattle Municipal course is West Seattle Golf Course (when you reach the switchbacks on the back 9 you will see what I’m talking about).
Andy Gold
Jun 10, 2015 at 11:02 pm
Wow, what a great comment. Seems like you should have written the post in the first place. Thanks for the awesome tips Matt!
Matthew H.
Jun 11, 2015 at 12:56 am
@Matt Pugh – I wouldn’t assume everyone is flying, let alone into SeaTac. I know plenty that are flying into PDX and making a short commute (Might even be less than the stretch that you mention at rush hour). Who in the area of Chambers Bay would have known about David Mclay Kidd’s Gamble Sands from a simple google search? Minimal in my opinion. I enjoy articles that aren’t stating the obvious. I’d be lying if I don’t drive an extra 50+ Miles for a hidden gem every once in a while. I’ll be up in the area and hope to get to Seattle for a night and peak around some of your suggestions as well as Mr. Chisti’s. Thanks for the info in your comment.
Jimmy O
Jun 10, 2015 at 4:32 pm
Some additional local beer recommendations for the bold. Freemont Brewing Sister Imperial IPA, Elysian Dragonstooth Stout and Elysian Spacedust IPA. Just like our tastes in golf clubs, everyone has different tastes in beer! Enjoy!
myron miller
Jun 10, 2015 at 12:15 pm
There are a ton of other elite courses on the wet side of the mountains, not just the ones in Eastern Washington that are being overlooked by Mr. Chisti. Olympic course at Gold Mountain, The Home Course Dupont, Trophy course Port Orchard, amongst others are a few exceptional courses in the area. One doesn’t have to drive as far as he’s driving to play top quality courses. Loomis trail, Semiahmoo are not that far away either. And by no means is this a comprehensive list of very good courses available in the area.
What I’m saying is certainly the courses in Eastern Washington are fine but one doesn’t have to drive that far to play some pretty decent courses.
Double Mocha Man
Jun 10, 2015 at 12:56 pm
Careful with Semiahmoo. It has been built up so much there are now houses (closely) lining every golf hole. Feels like you are playing on people’s lawns.
Matthew H.
Jun 10, 2015 at 11:45 am
If you happen to be flying into Portland and like coffee, check out Barista. By far the best coffee in Portland. Their Valrhona Mocha is life changing as well. Check them out at http://baristapdx.com/
Michael
Jun 10, 2015 at 11:02 am
For hop heads out there head up to Ballard, about 15 minutes north of downtown Seattle. Some of the best breweries in the city (and state) have popped up there in the last few years:
http://www.myballard.com/breweries/
My favorites are Reuben’s Brews (Crikey IPA and the Imperial Black IPA are amazing) and Stoup Brewing (Citra IPA and Mosaic Pale).
MJS
Jun 10, 2015 at 10:39 am
Regarding your opening few lines, didn’t Sahalee host the 1998 PGA Championship, or am I missing some nuanced definition of the Pacific Northwest?
Zak Kozuchowski
Jun 10, 2015 at 10:46 am
You’re right, MJS, and this is the first U.S. Open.
Double Mocha Man
Jun 10, 2015 at 10:48 am
Nah, that was some small potatoes, side show tournament that Vijay Singh won.
AKBAR
Jun 10, 2015 at 6:12 pm
MJS: On the subject of majors, lest not forget the 1946 PGA Championship at Portland Golf Club, where Ben Hogan won his first major. Double Mocha Man: The Ryder Cup almost died until a local grocer Mr. Hudson footed the bill to bring a dozen europeans to Portland Golf Club in 1947. Not a Major (with a capital EMMM), but hardly side show and bears some significance.