Chambers Bay Roundup: Imagination Edition

There are a couple of post-Chambers Bay/U.S. Amateur items touching on the topic many of us wanted to hear about: how did the course perform and what kind of play did it expose.

The fact that two of the best amateurs in the land rose to the top certainly won't hurt the course in the eyes of most, but early in the week it was hard not to wonder if perhaps the design wasn't cut out for firm, fast golf. Then we learned the USGA overcooked it and by the weekend it was looking just right, rewarding well-struck pitches while in no way discouraging the ground game.

Jim Nugent offers a few thoughts on the week (subscription required) and noted this about the players who liked the course versus those who were keeping quiet:

A USGA official told me he was sitting with eight college age kids at the pre-tournament banquet, and that four were grousing about the course and four were tight-lipped. When quizzed, the four quiet kids turned out to be international players. The four complainers were all Americans.

I think American college golfers should spend a year abroad in Scotland, studying Golf Origins 101. Fairness seems to be a particularly American expectation on the course. Never have I heard so many say they hit "quality" shots, only to see the ball go somewhere other than intended. These players watch too much PGA Tour golf.

And look how the finalist seemed to embrace the cerebral qualities of Chambers Bay in this Dave Bolling story:

“Imagination is paramount,” said Chung, who, on No. 12 in the morning, drove past the green by a good 30 yards to have the ball leak back down the “fall line” and miss a hole-in-one on the par 4 by only a few inches.

“It’s a trait you have to have to play this course. It’s something that Peter is really good at, and I think I’m pretty good at it too, seeing the different ways to approach a shot and then figuring out which you’re most comfortable with. That’s the fun playing this course … you have to be creative and imaginative.”

Global Golf Post also ran this beautiful uncredited image (subscription required) of the course during match play.

Comments

[Jim]

I thought Chambers performed well. Sure there are a few tweaks here and there but overall it is a course that I believe could go down as one of the greats. Is it as good as Shinnecock? I am not convinced yet but it has the potential to be one of the greats. It is really worth the trip to play it. I am looking forward to an incredible US Open in 5 years. The PGA would be wise to drop Whistling in the future and take the Ryder Cup and the PGA to a real golf course like Chambers.

[tlavin]

I thought the Chambers Bay US Amateur was an unqualified success for the USGA. They took a big leap of faith in awarding the Amateur and the US Open to this new golf course. Some might even say blind faith, because there is no way that they could accurately predict the condition of the turf because the course was either brand new or not quite complete when they made the announcement. They had some issues with the turf being a bit too firm here and there and it seems that they had a great couple weeks of agronomy lessons near Puget Sound that should pay off in spades when the Open is contested five years hence. I observed more than a few wacky results from shots that looked pretty good, but nothing like the jokefest we just witnessed at Pebble Beach. If they get just the right firmness, it has every chance of being a special US Open, because this golf course is one giant, amped-up links-a-thon with an emphasis on the ground game that could produce some thrills and spills.

[Jim]

TOTALLY agree tlavin!!!

[Smolmania]

Just finished playing in the Bolingbrook GC Club Championship over the weekend -- yet another faux links course here in the Chicago area. The video of the US Am at CB should be required viewing for all superintendents of this type of golf course (and we have a bunch of them in this area). What great fun that golf course looked like. Let's hope that the "brown is the new green" movement gained just a bit more of a foothold in the US golf consumer's mindset. Kudos to the USGA and the super at Chambers Bay for a great event.

Wanna bet they're watering those mounds of tall grass at Harborside right now?

[Amen Coroner]

How many other true links golf courses exist in this country other than CB and Bandon's four or five?
Does Sh'cock count as "true" links? Loved this year's amateur cause it was so different than any other. Finally they get it really right!

[Jim]

I would say that Shinnecock is not a true links. It is a great course but you are correct in my opinion. Geoff, what do you think? I totally loved this year's Am as well. Amazing players, great golf course. It just doesn't get much better........................

[Taylor Anderson]

Geoff, the link to the image doesn't work. Try this one:

http://digital.globalgolfpost.com/globalgolfpost/20100830/?pg=3&pm=1&u1=friend

[BenSeattle]

I took in all of Thursday's double round. In the wind, the layout was especially challenging, but I was still amazed at the caliber of golf on display. Golfers can cry and moan all they want but at Chambers Bay, those who played well also had to THINK well. Yes, "dormant fescue" is much like Texas "hardpan," meaning very short dead brown grass but even the top amateurs were able to display a full variety of shots. Most fun was watching a player hit AWAY from a green, only to watch the ball bounce and funnel down next to the hole... only because he allowed himself to IMAGINE what might happen. Of course, in Match Play the course is always "fair" because BOTH players are facing the exact same conditions. The place might offer some bigger problems when in 2015 half the field plays in a windless morning while the 'second wave' is sent out in a stiff breeze.

One thing sure... it's going to be waaaay different than what the pros have seen seen before. And I pray that there is NO replacing the fescue greens with nice, predictable Bent.

[BenSeattle]

One more note about my day spent traipsing around the dunes of Chambers Bay: BRING YOUR METAL GOLF SPIKES. (Or track shoes. Or the crampons you used to climb Everest.) I consider myself fit, careful and sure-footed but I took two tumbles just walking down the steep Jones-created, fescue-covered dunes and saw many more do the same. Including golfers. Unless the USGA institutes the new "walking in the fairway" edict for 2015, spectating at the Bay will be yet one more challenge, especially to anyone over the age of 17. Perhaps the answer will be massive grandstands from fairway to green on virtually EVERY hole but I also fear that you'll have more than a few trips to the emergency room for galleryites who never had the sure-footedness of a mountain goat.

[Sammy]

It's a golf course with too many flukes. USGA will have to deeply amend their sweetheart (and maybe a few rules) for 2015, or dearly pay the price in player furor, and court of public opinon. The latter will defend their beloved pros more than amateurs.

[Joey P.]

CB is closer to a pinball machine than a true links.

[Taylor Anderson]

America isn't going to have a true links golf course, so the obsessing over how the faux links courses don't play like St. Andrews needs to stop.

I thought CB was a great test and will be an interesting courses for the US Open. Just like WS is and continues to be an interesting test for the PGA.

Let's appreciate the courses for what they are instead of condemn them for what they're not. They're interesting and different courses that I'll take any day over another trip to AAC, Medinah, Hazeltine, Oakland Hills or Oak Hill.

[Floyd R. Turbo]

Again, we can love 'em all, 'cause they're in the greatest country in the world. Give 'em hell, Coach Pavin. I'm pumped!

[OWGR Fan]

Taylor thanks for the link to the picture. Did notice on another page from the link that the Heritage event will be coming back next year although not the week after the Masters as usual.