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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Of all the clubs in our bags, wedges are almost always the simplest in construction and, therefore, the easiest to analyze what might make one work differently from another if you know what to look for.
Wedges are a lot less mysterious than drivers, of course, as the major brands are working with a lot of “pixie dust” inside these modern marvels. That’s carrying over more to irons now, with so many new models featuring internal multi-material technologies, and almost all of them having a “badge” or insert in the back to allow more complex graphics while hiding the actual distribution of mass.
But when it comes to wedges, most on the market today are still single pieces of molded steel, either cast or forged into that shape. So, if you look closely at where the mass is distributed, it’s pretty clear how that wedge is going to perform.
To start, because of their wider soles, the majority of the mass of almost any wedge is along the bottom third of the clubhead. So, the best wedge shots are always those hit between the 2nd and 5th grooves so that more mass is directly behind that impact. Elite tour professionals practice incessantly to learn to do that consistently, wearing out a spot about the size of a penny right there. If impact moves higher than that, the face is dramatically thinner, so smash factor is compromised significantly, which reduces the overall distance the ball will fly.
Every one of us, tour players included, knows that maddening shot that we feel a bit high on the face and it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s not your fault.
If your wedges show a wear pattern the size of a silver dollar, and centered above the 3rd or 4th groove, you are not getting anywhere near the same performance from shot to shot. Robot testing proves impact even two to three grooves higher in the face can cause distance loss of up to 35 to 55 feet with modern ‘tour design’ wedges.
In addition, as impact moves above the center of mass, the golf club principle of gear effect causes the ball to fly higher with less spin. Think of modern drivers for a minute. The “holy grail” of driving is high launch and low spin, and the driver engineers are pulling out all stops to get the mass as low in the clubhead as possible to optimize this combination.
Where is all the mass in your wedges? Low. So, disregarding the higher lofts, wedges “want” to launch the ball high with low spin – exactly the opposite of what good wedge play requires penetrating ball flight with high spin.
While almost all major brand wedges have begun putting a tiny bit more thickness in the top portion of the clubhead, conventional and modern ‘tour design’ wedges perform pretty much like they always have. Elite players learn to hit those crisp, spinny penetrating wedge shots by spending lots of practice time learning to consistently make contact low in the face.
So, what about grooves and face texture?
Grooves on any club can only do so much, and no one has any material advantage here. The USGA tightly defines what we manufacturers can do with grooves and face texture, and modern manufacturing techniques allow all of us to push those limits ever closer. And we all do. End of story.
Then there’s the topic of bounce and grinds, the most complex and confusing part of the wedge formula. Many top brands offer a complex array of sole configurations, all of them admittedly specialized to a particular kind of lie or turf conditions, and/or a particular divot pattern.
But if you don’t play the same turf all the time, and make the same size divot on every swing, how would you ever figure this out?
The only way is to take any wedge you are considering and play it a few rounds, hitting all the shots you face and observing the results. There’s simply no other way.
So, hopefully this will inspire a lively conversation in our comments section, and I’ll chime in to answer any questions you might have.
And next week, I’ll dive into the rest of the wedge formula. Yes, shafts, grips and specifications are essential, too.
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Golf's Perfect Imperfections
Golf’s Perfect Imperfections: Amazing Session with Performance Coach Savannah Meyer-Clement
In this week’s episode, we spent some time with performance coach Savannah Meyer-Clement who provides many useful insights that you’ll be able to implement on the golf course.
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s 2024 RBC Heritage betting preview: Patrick Cantlay ready to get back inside winner’s circle
Just a two-hour drive from Augusta National, the PGA TOUR heads to Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Hilton Head Island is a golfer’s paradise and Harbour Town is one of the most beautiful and scenic courses on the PGA TOUR.
Harbour Town Golf Links is a par-71 that measures 7,121 yards and features Bermuda grass greens. A Pete Dye design, the course is heavily tree lined and features small greens and many dog legs, protecting it from “bomb-and-gauge” type golfers.
The field is loaded this week with 69 golfers with no cut. Last year was quite possibly the best field in RBC Heritage history and the event this week is yet another designated event, meaning there is a $20 million prize pool.
Most of the big names on the PGA Tour will be in attendance this week with the exceptions of Hideki Matsuyama and Viktor Hovland. Additionally, Webb Simpson, Shane Lowry, Gary Woodland and Kevin Kisner have been granted sponsors exemptions.
Past Winners at Harbour Town
- 2023: Matt Fitzpatrick (-17)
- 2022: Jordan Spieth (-13)
- 2021: Stewart Cink (-19)
- 2020: Webb Simpson (-22)
- 2019: CT Pan (-12)
- 2018: Sotoshi Kodaira (-12)
- 2017: Wesley Bryan (-13)
- 2016: Branden Grace (-9)
- 2015: Jim Furyk (-18)
In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).
Key Stats For Harbour Town
Let’s take a look at key metrics for Harbour Town Golf Links to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their past 24 rounds.
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes Gained: Approach is exceedingly important this week. The greens at Harbour Town are about half the size of PGA TOUR average and feature the second-smallest greens on the tour. Typical of a Pete Dye design, golfers will pay the price for missed greens.
Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Scottie Scheffler (+1.27)
- Tom Hoge (+1.27)
- Corey Conners (+1.16)
- Austin Eckroat (+0.95)
- Cameron Young (+0.93)
Good Drive %
The fairways at Harbour Town are tree lined and feature many dog legs. Bombers tend to struggle at the course because it forces layups and doesn’t allow long drivers to overpower it. Accuracy is far more important than power.
Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds
- Brice Garnett (88.8%)
- Shane Lowry (+87.2%)
- Akshay Bhatia (+86.0%)
- Si Woo Kim (+85.8%)
- Sepp Straka (+85.1%)
Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs
Pete Dye specialists tend to play very well at Harbour Town. Si Woo Kim, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk and Webb Simpson are all Pete Dye specialists who have had great success here. It is likely we see some more specialists near the top of the leaderboard this week.
SG: TOT Pete Dye per round over past 36 rounds:
- Xander Schauffele (+2.27)
- Scottie Scheffler (+2.24)
- Ludvig Aberg (+2.11)
- Brian Harman (+1.89)
- Sungjae Im (+1.58)
4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)
Strokes Gained: Short Game factors in both around the green and putting. With many green-side bunkers and tricky green complexes, both statistics will be important. Past winners — such as Jim Furyk, Wes Bryan and Webb Simpson — highlight how crucial the short game skill set is around Harbour Town.
SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds
- Jordan Spieth (+1.11)
- Taylor Moore (+1.02)
- Wyndham Clark (+0.98)
- Mackenzie Hughes (+0.86)
- Andrew Putnam (+0.83)
5. Greens in Regulation %
The recipe for success at Harbour Town Golf Links is hitting fairways and greens. Missing either will prove to be consequential — golfers must be in total control of the ball to win.
Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:
- Brice Garnett (+75.0%)
- Scottie Scheffler (+69.9%)
- Corey Conners (+69.0%)
- Shane Lowry (+68.3%)
- Patrick Rodgers (+67.6%)
6. Course History
Harbour Town is a course where players who have strong past results at the course always tend to pop up.
Course History over past 24 rounds:
- Patrick Cantlay (+2.34)
- Cam Davis (+2.05)
- J.T. Poston (+1.69)
- Justin Rose (+1.68)
- Tommy Fleetwood (+1.59)
The RBC Heritage Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (24%), Good Drives (20%), SG: SG (14%), SG: Pete Dye (14%), GIR (14%), and Course History (14%)
- Shane Lowry
- Russell Henley
- Scottie Scheffler
- Xander Schauffele
- Corey Conners
- Wyndham Clark
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout
- Matt Fitzpatrick
- Cameron Young
- Ludvig Aberg
2024 RBC Heritage Picks
Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)
With the exception of Scottie Scheffler, the PGA Tour has yet to have any of their star players show peak form during the 2024 season. Last week, Patrick Cantlay, who I believe is a top-5 players on the PGA Tour, took one step closer to regaining the form that’s helped him win eight events on Tour since 2017.
Cantlay limped into the Masters in poor form, but figured it out at Augusta National, finishing in a tie for 20th and ranking 17th for the week in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. The former FedEx Cup champion will now head to one of his favorite golf courses in Harbour Town, where he’s had immaculate results over the years. In his six trips to the course, he’s only finished worse than 7th one time. The other finishes include three third places (2017, 2019, 2023) and one runner-up finish (2022). In his past 36 rounds at Harbour Town, Cantlay ranks 1st in Strokes Gained: Total per round at the course by a wide margin (+2.36).
Cantlay is winless since the 2022 BMW Championship, which is far too long for a player of his caliber. With signs pointing to the 32-year-old returning to form, a “signature event” at Harbour Town is just what he needs to get back on the winning track.
Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)
I truly believe Tommy Fleetwood will figure out a way to win on American soil in 2024. It’s certainly been a bugaboo for him throughout his career, but he is simply too talented to go another season without winning a PGA Tour event.
At last week’s Masters Tournament, Fleetwood made a Sunday charge and ended up finishing T3 in the event, which was his best ever finish at The Masters. For the week, the Englishman ranked 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 10th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking and 16th in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Harbour Town is a perfect layout for Fleetwood, and he’s had relative success at this Pete Dye design in the past. In his four trips to the course, he’s finished inside of the top 25 three times, with his best finish, T10, coming in 2022. The course is pretty short and can’t be overpowered, which gives an advantage to more accurate players such as Fleetwood. Tommy ranks 8th in the field in Good Drive % and should be able to plot his way along this golf course.
The win is coming for Tommy lad. I believe there’s a chance this treasure of a golf course may be the perfect one for him to finally break through on Tour.
Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)
Cameron Young had a solid Masters Tournament last week, which is exactly what I’m looking for in players who I anticipate playing well this week at the RBC Heritage. He finished in a tie for 9th, but never felt the pressure of contending in the event. For the week, Young ranked 6th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.
Despite being one of the longest players off the tee on the PGA Tour, Young has actually played some really good golf on shorter tracks. He finished T3 at Harbour Town in 2023 and ranks 20th in the field in Good Drive% and 16th in Greens in Regulation in his past 24 rounds. He also has strong finishes at other shorter courses that can take driver out of a players hand such as Copperhead and PGA National.
Young is simply one of the best players on the PGA Tour in 2024, and I strongly believe has what it takes to win a PGA Tour event in the very near future.
Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)
Corey Conners has had a disappointing year thus far on the PGA Tour, but absolutely loves Harbour Town.
At last week’s Masters Tournament, the Canadian finished T30 but ranked 20th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach. In his past 24 rounds, Conners ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 3rd in Greens in Regulation % and 24th in Good Drive %.
In Conners’ last four trips to Harbour Town, his worst finish was T31, last season. He finished T4 in 2021, T12 in 2022 and ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course over his past 36 rounds.
Conners hasn’t been contending, but his recent finishes have been encouraging as he has finished in the top-25 in each of his past three starts prior to The Masters, including an impressive T13 at The PLAYERS. His recent improvement in ball striking as well as his suitability for Harbour Town makes Conners a high upside bet this week.
Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)
When these odds were posted after Lowry was announced in the field, I have to admit I was pretty stunned. Despite not offering much win equity on the PGA Tour over the last handful of years, Shane Lowry is still a top caliber player who has the ability to rise to the top of a signature event.
Lowry struggled to score at The Masters last week, but he actually hit the ball really well. The Irishman ranked 1st for Strokes Gained: Approach on the week and 7th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. As usual, it was the putter that let him down, as he ranked 60th in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Harbour Town is most definitely one of Lowry’s favorite courses on the PGA Tour. In his six starts there, he’s finished in the top 10 three times, including third twice. Lowry is sensational at Pete Dye designs and ranks 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in his past 36 rounds on Dye tracks.
Lowry is perfect for Harbour Town. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 5th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 2nd in Good Drive% and 5th in Green in Regulation %. If he figures it out on the greens, Shane could have his first win in America since 2015.
Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)
This is one of my weekly “bet the number” plays as I strongly believe the odds are just too long for a player of Glover’s caliber. The odds have been too long on Glover for a few weeks now, but this is the first event that I can get behind the veteran being able to actually contend at.
Glover is quietly playing good golf and returning to the form he had after the understandable regression after his two massive victories at the end of 2023. He finished T20 at The Masters, which was his best ever finish at Augusta National. For the week, Lucas ranked 18th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 20th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.
Over his past 24 rounds, Glover ranks 9th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th in Good Drive %. Harbour Town is a short course that the 44-year-old will be able to keep up with the top players on Tour off the tee. He’s played the course more than 20 times, with mixed results. His best finishes at Harbour Town include a T7 in 2008, but recently has a finish of T21 in 2020.
Glover has proven he can contend with the stars of the Tour on any given week, and this number is flat out disrespectful.
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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.