Review Date
August 14, 2009

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: westhrail, Shoots in the 70s

Summary:
what an outstanding golf course. I shot a 78 from the sand tees, and the only way to play this course is with a caddie. I was lucky enough to be paired with "Dennis", who made the round that much better. Brutal greens, lots of undulations that seem unfair at times. ON number five i found a bunker in my way to the hole and had to putt from the green at a 90 degree angle to the hole. You get alot of roll on the dry fairways. Made 4 birdies, but a handful of boags. If you do not drive it in the fairway, hitting greens in reg can be a challenge. I would definitely play this course again if i am in the area. It will be fun to watch the pros play it at around 7700 yards. a few of the par 3s had alternate tee boxes growing for the open to be held in 2015. try playing 15 or 17 from the tips.... nuts.

Customer Service:
great

Similar Courses Played:
spanish bay

Review Date
July 24, 2009

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Reviewed by: golfer425, Scratch Golfer

Summary:
This course will likely be in fantastic shape for those who qualify to play in the 2010 Am or the 2015 Open. Unfortuntely for the rest of us we get stuck paying $180 to play a fantastic layout w/ not so good conditions. Played in July 09 for the 3rd time and the greens were the best ever, unfortunatley they were still very poor (although faster than normal, around 8.5 to 9.5), with holes, limited consistency, excessive top dressing on some and then properly top dressed on others. Some greens had sand literally dumped in some areas then bare in others, leaving a completely horrible puting surface to play on for $180 in the middle of summer (???). Tee'd off at 1:45 and most water jugs were empty. Not a $170 experience. The staff thinks very highly of themselves and ability to asses the golf course. The bus driver indicated greens were "perfect" and running at 10 to 11. Try not even close to perfect, some at 8, some at 9 and others ran 10 on top of the course grain top dressing sand. I would have prefered to pay $50 or $60 and played Gold Mntn. I felt as though the public is being taken advantage or (price and expectations) due to forthcoming US Open publicity. In the end, I'll probably not waste $170 and find somewhere less full of themselves. Don't even get me started on the ridiculous comments about "easy to walk"...this course is a bear of a walk and a caddy adds another $50 + tip to the $170 green fee.

Similar Courses Played:
Most municipals for under $45 were of similar caliber in conditioning to this $180 track.

Review Date
July 22, 2009

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Reviewed by: ehings, Shoots in the 80s

Summary:
I've played Chambers Bay three times now and each time was in different conditions. The first time, in April 2009, the course played fairly slow, although the fairways and greens are always firm. The greens putted so slow, maybe a 6 on the stimpmeter. In May 2009, I played it again and it played faster but still relatively slow. I played again in July 2009 and the course was really running fast. The fairways and greens were firm and fast and the greens were playing more like 11. It was finally playing as a true links so I guess this is really a midsummer course.

The back nine is so clearly better than the bland front nine. There are maybe only a couple of real pot bunkers, otherwise it is waste bunkers that really add nothing to the course.

I've never gotten the feeling that I'm playing in Scotland or any place other than Tacoma. However, the views are beautiful, but only on a clear day.

The course advertises itself as "easily walkable," but I don't know what course they're talking about. There are quite a few significant climbs and everyone I've played with have complained about the long hauls between green and tee.

Customer Service:
Everything is done well.

Review Date
June 21, 2009

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: The Shoe, Shoots in the 80s

Summary:
Dont know if this is the right forum, but here goes. Creighton is the best caddy you can get out here. Played out here a couple times and the guy is money. He knows every hole, is not afraid to tell you to back off....etc. Listen to him and you will go low. Period, end of story. The only time I didnt listen to him I made bogey. The dude is awesome. Shot 81 from the sands today. 39 on the back and loved every minute of it. The guy is seriously smart. Will request him every time.

Review Date
June 18, 2009

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Reviewed by: chuckytb, Shoots in the 80s

Summary:
The golf course was okay. Having to walk the course was something akin to torture. We played it twice and the second day I could barely make it and did not enjoy the round at all.

Some of the holes border on unfair. You can land on the green and still have impossible two and three putts. I am not a fan of having to putt the ball sideways to get the ball near the hole.

The opening hole is an uphill 465 yard par 4(Sand tees). I hit a good drive and still could not get the ball near the green with a three wood.

There are places on the golf course where you literally cannot hit a second shot. I hit a shot that was 5 feet off the fairway and it took ten minutes to locate the ball.

A gentleman who worked there said the course was going to play "around 8000 yards" for the US Open in 2015. He went on to say that he figured that the winning score would be "even and 7 over". After playing it I would agree with him.

I played it twice but will not go back until carts are introduced.

Customer Service:
The people were extremely friendly and hospitable.

Similar Courses Played:
Lahinch (Ireland), Old Head (Ireland), Waterville (Ireland)