USGA’s Leap of Chambers Faith

by Blaine Newnham
illustration by Calder Chism

Although men of faith, these Irish clergymen were stretched to believe that Chambers Bay, America’s most celebrated new golf course, was of the old sod. But after climbing over the massive dunes, after seeing sand waste areas tumble toward the waters of Puget Sound, after watching shots skitter across tight, fescue fairways, they were convinced to the point that they sought out Chambers Bay General Manager Matt Allen after their round.

“Ah, praise the Lord,” said the most vocal among them. “She is a true links course.”

Chambers Bay, located just south of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in the town of University Place, has won all the “best new course” awards it needs. It was recently included in Golf Magazine’s Top 100 courses in the world, suggested as a perfect start-or-finish to a Bandon Dunes retreat.

But the test of another type comes this summer when the 3-year-old course will play host to the U.S. Amateur, America’s oldest national championship. It will also serve as prelude to the 2015 U.S. Open, which was awarded to the upstart course eight months after it had opened. For the record, Chambers Bay is the only course built in the past 45 years to get a U.S. Open.

Being blessed by the USGA is one thing, being ready for prime time another. So is convincing locals that a round of golf should cost more than $150.

“I have no concerns about the course being ready for the Amateur, absolutely none,” said Larry Gilhuly, the director of the USGA’s Northwest Green section. “The greens are fabulous.”

But they weren’t exactly fabulous when the course opened. Fescue greens never are. They might have registered 7 on the Stimpmeter and were slow compared to other high-priced traditional courses. “They’ve done a great job with them,” Gilhuly says. “They will roll near 11, and with the contours out there, that will be more than enough.”

He should know. Gilhuly has pored over this course. His inspection has been as meticulous as his assuring the USGA that the areas surrounding the massive greens match the firmness of the greens themselves. All of which is important because in true links golf, it is not significant where a shot lands but where it ends up.

To get ready for the Amateur, new tees have been built on holes 1, 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, 15 and 17. At roughly 7,600 yards, the course will be the longest in U.S. Amateur history. Mike Davis, in charge of majors for the USGA, drew raves for his creative set up of Torrey Pines for the Open. “I’ve never seen a course with as many possibilities as Chambers Bay,” he says. “They are almost endless. We can play No. 1 as a par 5 one day, and a par 4 the next. The same with 18. When is the last time we had a choice of which green to use as we have on No. 5? For me, it’s like being a kid in a candy store.”

Davis has had them grow the rough up in places. In addition, the bunker in the middle of the driving area on No. 14 will be made deeper and the one guarding tee shots on No. 18 made wider. The picture postcard 15th, a 170-yard par 3 down to water’s edge, has a new tee that could make it 240 yards. And the green on No. 4 was rebuilt entirely.

Of course, Chambers Bay has struggled — who hasn’t in this economy? Rounds were down 17 percent last year, leaving the course short of paying off its debt service even though it operated at a “seven-figure” profit. But for now, the difference will be made up by money advanced by the USGA for the championships.

“We’re encouraged,” Allen said in the fall. “Rounds are up from what they were the year we opened.” And publicity surrounding the Am will help. So will the faith of the Fathers. FG

Published in FG Magazine, March 2010

AMERICA'S MOST HONORED MAGAZINE AT ING AWARDS
It’s getting to be a habit, and we can’t seem to help ourselves. For the fourth straight year, FG racked up an impressive load of hardware at the International Network of Golf Media Awards announced at January’s PGA Merchandise Show. We scored six awards in all, besting writers and photographers from such national publications as GolfWeek and Sports Illustrated. First-place honors went to Vic Williams in Competition Writing for his piece on Tiger’s historic U.S. Open victory (July-August 2008), Joann Dost for her epic shot of Tiger’s 72nd hole putt on Open Sunday; and Calder Chism for his “Weekend Wisdom” drawing of Vic in the May-June 2008 issue. Outstanding Achievement awards went to Williams and Darin Bunch for Travel Writing. Other FG contributors who took home awards included Tony Dear and Bob Seligman. Next year, look for the clean sweep.