Washington Golf Course Reviews
Chambers Bay Golf Course ReviewUniversity Place, WA
|
Chambers Bay Golf Course Overview: Site of the 2015 U.S. Open, this golf course is very tough, but features ocean views on every hole to soften the pummeling the golfer is likely taking. Fairly hilly, there are a lot of undulations in the fairways and, more importantly, around the greens that the player needs to take advantage of. Getting the ball next to the pin doesn't always involve hitting it there and inginuity will be rewarded. Staying out of the numerous bunkers is also critical to scoring well. The best of the golf holes are reviewed below:
Chambers Bay Golf Course Hole 2: This is the shortest par four on the front nine and actually isn't too difficult, so the golfer needs to take advantage of a good drive and try to find the right section of the tiered green.
Chambers Bay Golf Course Hole 3: This short par three has a enormous section of bunkers short, left and long that must be avoided. The green slopes heavily from right to left, with any pin placement left and long being the most difficult as that section is smallest and tough to get to, even from putting from the upper section to the right.
Chambers Bay Golf Course Hole 4: This uphill par five has a nasty slope from left to right that will make shots move laterally more than most golf holes on earth. Thus, the player must organize their approaches well to avoid a ball that rolls 50 yards right into the wasteland of bunkers that is the right side of this hole. There is room left of the green, but missing any shot to the right on this golf hole is a big mistake.
Chambers Bay Golf Course Hole 5: Long and straight, this downhill par four has one of the best views on the golf course and requires a big drive to the undulating fairways between the massive bunkers on either side. The cunning of the hole, however, resides in the green complex that uses a deep central bunker to create havoc. A longer approach shot will require a shot to run up either side of the trap, which is tough because the back half of the green runs away from the player, down into a low chipping area. Higher, shorter shots have a better chance of stopping, but working the way around the undulations for different pin placements requires pure perfection.
Chambers Bay Golf Course Hole 6: The other "breather" golf hole on the front nine has a relatively flat and wide drive that sweeps right around the fescue. However, the appraoch is not so easy as the green is very skinny and sandwiched between bunkers left and right that will make up and down perilous. The putting surface also is multi-tiered and slopes severely from back to front.
Chambers Bay Golf Course Hole 7: The seventh golf hole is a titan of a challenge. As if the front nine didn't offer enough brutality, this uphill dogleg right is long and very difficult. If the player can cut the corner and avoid the bunkers, there is still likely at least a mid iron uphill to this green, which sits on the edge of a thinly mowed fringe that will take any shot that comes up short and send it back down the hill 40 yards into the bunker or possibly even more down the fairway. Long story short, taking 3 extra clubs and going long of the green is the safest option.
Chambers Bay Golf Course Hole 9: This hole affords views of the Bay and even beyond to Mount Olympus as the tee is really elevated. The green is surrounded by trouble and has significant break, mostly left to right. There are many ways to attack the green, but the safest is to aim for the front left section and hope the ball rolls to the middle.
Chambers Bay Golf Course Hole 10: Reminiscent of many dune-lined golf holes in Ireland, the 10th heads its way downhill between bunkers and this tall dunes, but the drive need just stay straight. The second shot, however is tough, as the dunes pinch in and the green is very narrow with trouble on every side.
Chambers Bay Golf Course Hole 13: This dogleg sweeps right along the contours the land gives and, given its length, requires a big drive, ideally down the right side. The approach must then carry the bunkers and negotiate the false front that will send shots back down into them to find the large, elevated green.
Chambers Bay Golf Course Hole 14: The classic "cape" design, this very long par four goes left around the sea of bunkers. This one also has a conveniently placed pot bunker in the middle of the fairwary that must be avoided. The approach is to a green that undulates, but is also one of the most acessible on the golf course.
Chambers Bay Golf Course Hole 15: This is a much shorter, but similar par three to number nine. Although less elevated and closer to the water, it still features a green surrounded by trouble and one that slopes severely from left to right and has a lot less playable square footage than it appears from the yardage book.
Chambers Bay Golf Course Hole 16: The final par four of the day is not long and bends and slopes slightly from left to right. The obvious trouble is the never-ending bunker to the right, but approaches to the green are much easier from the right side of the fairway, given the counters of the green and the pesky bunker back-left. If the pin is cut on the back part of the green, it is only accessible from the right side.
Chambers Bay Golf Course Hole 18: The last tee shot of the day is not perilous, but has a unique/eerie feel with the old concrete walls lining the right side of the hole. This par five is slightly uphill, but is one of the better birdie chances, unless the pin is put back up on the tier, which is the nastiest tier on the entire golf course.
Good luck to the golfers in the 2015 US Open at Chambers Bay Golf Course.