(Puget Sound, WA) There has never been a USGA U.S. Open Tournament in the Northwest … ever.
The trouble is, when you tune in to the biggest golf tournaments in the history of Northwest golf, you may not recognize it is being played in the Northwest.
This link-style golf course could have been plucked out of Great Britain. This U.S. Open could easily be confused for a British Open event if it weren’t for the American flags everywhere.
Chambers Bay was awarded the U.S. Open in early 2008 and opened in June of 2008. I would say it is fairly easy to conclude that this course was designed and built to host this tournament, this weekend.
Despite having some very cool features and its own kind of beauty, Chambers Bay lacks all things that scream Northwest.
The course is bordered on the west by the Puget Sound and the property is surrounded by trees but as for the 380 acre course, there are more holes than there are trees. Being known in the Northwest for the abundance of trees and greenery, it is a disappointment that this course has a complete void in each area.
I am not saying the course is ugly, far from it, but the course does not represent any local identity. Maybe that is what they were trying for, obviously it worked. Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed this course and was awarded this tournament. That is accomplishment enough to call it a success.
My gripe is that, for how great golf is in the Pacific Northwest, we still don’t have a regular PGA tour stop, and this is the first major ever in this part of the world. I am afraid that all of the momentum that should be gained by hosting a major tournament will be lost because of the uniqueness of Chambers Bay.
It does nothing to highlight the lush and green environment we all love to golf in.
The lone positive that the golf community should be able to take from this weekend is the beautiful weather that is on tap. The world can see that no, it doesn’t rain all year round in the Northwest.
As I walked around the practice rounds on Monday I was amazed at the degree of difficulty, the ungulations of the greens and fairways, and the monstrosity of a show that the USGA puts on. After a while though, I did start to realize no part of the course resembled anything I had seen in the Northwest.
Some may enjoy that.
But call me selfish, because I was hoping I could relate to this course as I watched this weekend, and maybe, just maybe it would build some momentum for future golf events in the Northwest.
A few takeaways from Monday practice rounds:
– HDTV has spoiled me. My dad and I left Portland about 5 a.m., my wife gave us tickets for Father’s Day so we made the trip up north. Got to the course about 8. Only to be turned around and sent to a parking lot roughly 5 miles away. No signs anywhere telling you where parking was available. After hoping in a school bus, we made the trip back to the course. As we wandered the course we realized just how much nicer it is on T.V. Yes there is something cool about being there and seeing the best golfers in the world, but that little white ball is hard to follow. The quality of television coverage has lessened the incentive to battle crowds and high ticket prices to attend these events live. This weekend I will happily skip the lines and crowds to watch the Open at home.
– This course is NASTY! I am truly grateful that this weekend I will be playing at Glendoveer or Mountain View because I would quite possibly quit golf forever if I tried to make my way around Chambers Bay. It will be interesting to see what the USGA does with hole placement. I truly think this tournament will be played around par. The course is LONG, the greens are fast, and there isn’t a flat spot on the course.
– Those PGA pros are good!! I have never seen these guys play live but it is incredible to see them rip the ball but still have such control. For amateurs, it is usually one or the other, power or control. For the best players in the world, the combination of the two is astounding. There’s a reason they get paid to play a game. And for that, I envy them.
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