How Chambers Bay Got Its Name (Back Then)

Feliks Banel at MyNorthwest.com explains how Chambers Bay got its name thanks to a settler chasing off some "Brits" with a rifle back in 1849.

Banel, a local historian, writes (thanks reader Tobin for this):

In those early years of the 19th century, British and American interests were battling for domination of all of what's now Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, along with parts of Montana, Wyoming, and British Columbia. The area was known then as the "Oregon Country;" a treaty signed in 1819 allowed the British and the Americans to jointly occupy the land.

The Hudson's Bay Company was here to collect animal skins for sale in Asia, but Americans came here, too, as missionaries and settlers looking to homestead on the land. Under joint occupation, it was essentially a numbers game — if more Americans than British settled here, it would create the political will necessary for Oregon to become part of the United States.

Thomas M. Chambers was one of the tens of thousands of Americans who headed west to the Oregon Country in the 1840s. Chambers, along with his wife and six sons, left their native Kentucky and hit the Oregon Trail in 1845.

"All are welcome at the home of golf on Sundays. Except golfers."

I haven't a clue why, on the eve of the U.S. Open with St. Andrews hosting The Open in a month, the New York Times felt compelled to run Sam Borden's piece on Sundays at The Old Course. Even ill-timed, it's an enjoyable read.

Borden writes:

Sunday activities on the Old Course over the years have run the gamut. A local woman named Marie-Noel, who declined to give her surname, said she recalled members of her family laying out their laundry on the course some weeks and added, with a mixture of sheepishness and pride, that she and her friends used to participate in an on-course drinking game known as Port Golf when she was attending a university nearby.
Matheson, one of four guides handling the daily tours, recalled seeing fishermen spread their nets on the fairways so they could mend them. He shook his head when relating a story about a woman in high heels trying to walk across one of the greens.

“That happens more than you would think,” he said. “Then you sometimes see some of the boys out with a football trying to have a proper game before they get chased away.”

Matheson said he had never heard of any serious discussion about changing the Sunday rule. He noted that Old Tom Morris, the legendary player and greenskeeper who revitalized the Old Course in the mid-1800s, was said to have preached, “Even if the golfers don’t need a rest, the course does.”

Rio Fun: Turkey Test And A Competing Golf Event!?

Golfweek’s Forecaddie reports a few tidbits about the upcoming Rio golf course test event in preparation for the 2016 Games. The event still looks likely for Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 26-29), may be a very casual competition and remains course condition dependent.

The most depressing reminder from the Forecaddie: the PGA Tour intends to conduct events during the Rio Games.

I certainly understand that taking two weeks off will deprive players of opportunities, and just taking the week off of the men's event would be rude to the women.

But this could also mean an international player could face a decision: play the Olympics or show up at the Wyndham or whatever the event is that is played, and try to retain my card.

That scenario, plus the optics of playing events during a once-every-four-year event that has been billed as triumphant for the game, can only undermine the golf-in-the-Olympics cause.

2015 U.S. Open Groupings Announced

Nice touch putting University Place's Michael Putnam off first.

As always, your thoughts on the deep, hidden meaning of these groups is welcomed.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

USGA Announces Groupings and Starting Times
for 115th U.S. Open Championship
2015 U.S. Open Championship
June 18-21, 2015
Chambers Bay, University Place, Wash.

www.usopen.com
Twitter: @usopengolf; Facebook: facebook.com/usopen; Instagram: @USGA; #USOpen

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. (June 12, 2015) – The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced groupings and starting times for the first two rounds of the 2015 U.S. Open Championship, Thursday (June 18) and Friday (June 19), at par-70 Chambers Bay, which will be set up daily between 7,200 and 7,600 yards.

The U.S. Open is a 72-hole, stroke-play competition. A field of 156 players will play 18 holes of stroke play on June 18 and 19, after which the field will be reduced to the low 60 scores and ties. Those players making the cut will play 18 holes on June 20 and 21. If there is a tie upon the completion of 72 holes, a scheduled 18-hole playoff will be played on June 22 at 9 a.m. If this playoff results in a tie, the tied players will immediately continue to play off hole-by-hole until the winner is determined.

All Times PDT

Thursday (June 18), hole #1 / Friday (June 19), hole #10

7 a.m. / 1 p.m. – Michael Putnam, University Place, Wash.; Marcus Fraser, Australia; TBD

7:11 a.m. / 1:11 p.m. – Garth Mulroy, South Africa; Richard Lee, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Lucas Bjerregaard, Denmark

7:22 a.m. / 1:22 p.m. – Jason Allred, Scottsdale, Ariz.; (a) Kyle Jones, Snowflake, Ariz.; Cody Gribble, Dallas, Texas

7:33 a.m. / 1:33 p.m. – Phil Mickelson, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.; Bubba Watson, Bagdad, Fla.; Angel Cabrera, Argentina

7:44 a.m. / 1:44 p.m. – Wen-Chong Liang, People's Republic of China; David Hearn, Canada; Hiroyuki Fujita, Japan

7:55 a.m. / 1:55 p.m. – Robert Streb, Shawnee, Kan.; (a) Lee McCoy, Athens, Ga.; TBD

8:06 a.m. / 2:06 p.m. – George McNeill, Fort Myers, Fla.; Masahiro Kawamura, Japan; Cameron Tringale, Mission Viejo, Calif.

8:17 a.m. / 2:17 p.m. – Henrik Stenson, Sweden; Francesco Molinari, Italy; Brandt Snedeker, Nashville, Tenn.

8:28 a.m. / 2:28 p.m. – Jim Furyk, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; Miguel Angel Jimenez, Spain; Colin Montgomerie, Scotland

8:39 a.m. / 2:39 p.m. – Brooks Koepka, West Palm Beach, Fla.; Russell Henley, Macon, Ga.; Byeong-Hun An, Republic of Korea

8:50 a.m. / 2:50 p.m. – Jason Dufner, Cleveland, Ohio; Marc Warren, Scotland; Matt Every, Jacksonville, Fla.

9:01 a.m. / 3:01 p.m. – Brandon Hagy, Los Angeles, Calif.; (a) Matthew NeSmith, North Augusta, S.C.; Sebastian Cappelen, Denmark

9:12 a.m. / 3:12 p.m. – (a) Nick Hardy, Northbrook, Ill.; Alex Kim, Fullerton, Calif.; Rich Berberian Jr., Derry, N.H.

Thursday (June 18), hole #10 / Friday (June 19), hole #1

7 a.m. / 1 p.m. – Troy Kelly, Lakewood, Wash.; Seuk Hyun Baek, Republic of Korea; Cameron Smith, Australia

7:11 a.m. / 1:11 p.m. – John Parry, England; TBD; (a) Jack Maguire, St. Petersburg, Fla.

7:22 a.m. / 1:22 p.m. – Timothy O'Neal, Savannah, Ga.; Stephan Jaeger, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Kurt Barnes, Australia

7:33 a.m. / 1:33 p.m. – Gary Woodland, Topeka, Kan.; Victor Dubuisson, France; John Senden, Australia

7:44 a.m. / 1:44 p.m. – TBD; Morgan Hoffmann, Jupiter, Fla.; Bernd Wiesberger, Austria

7:55 a.m. / 1:55 p.m. – Marcel Siem, Germany; Alexander Levy, France; Brian Harman, St. Simons Island, Ga.

8:06 a.m. / 2:06 p.m. – Hideki Matsuyama, Japan; Graeme McDowell, Northern Ireland; Matt Kuchar, St. Simons Island, Ga.

8:17 a.m. / 2:17 p.m. – Dustin Johnson, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Adam Scott, Australia; Sergio Garcia, Spain

8:28 a.m. / 2:28 p.m. – Martin Kaymer, Germany; (a) Gunn Yang, Republic of Korea; Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland

8:39 a.m. / 2:39 p.m. – Patrick Reed, Houston, Texas; Chris Kirk, Milton, Ga.; Jamie Donaldson, Wales

8:50 a.m. / 2:50 p.m. – Webb Simpson, Charlotte, N.C.; Keegan Bradley, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Kevin Na, Diamond Bar, Calif.

9:01 a.m. / 3:01 p.m. – (a) Sam Horsfield, England; Shunsuke Sonoda, Japan; Oliver Farr, Wales

9:12 a.m. / 3:12 p.m. – Kevin Lucas, Folsom, Calif.; Pat Wilson, Andover, N.J.; (a) Cole Hammer, Houston, Texas

Thursday (June 18), hole #1 / Friday (June 19), hole #10

1 p.m. / 7 a.m. – Jason Palmer, England; Roberto Castro, Atlanta, Ga.; Andres Romero, Argentina

1:11 p.m. / 7:11 a.m. – (a) Denny McCarthy, Rockville, Md.; D.A. Points, Windermere, Fla.; Shiv Kapur, India

1:22 p.m. / 7:22 a.m. – (a) Bryson DeChambeau, Clovis, Calif.; Blayne Barber, Auburn, Ala.; Billy Hurley III, Annapolis, Md.

1:33 p.m. / 7:33 a.m. – Geoff Ogilvy, Australia; Ernie Els, South Africa; Retief Goosen, South Africa

1:44 p.m. / 7:44 a.m. – Bo Van Pelt, Jenks, Okla.; Charlie Beljan, Mesa, Ariz.; Tony Finau, Lehi, Utah

1:55 p.m. / 7:55 a.m. – Lee Janzen, Orlando, Fla.; (a) Oliver Schniederjans, Powder Springs, Ga.; Darren Clarke, Northern Ireland

2:06 p.m. / 8:06 a.m. – Daniel Summerhays, Fruit Heights, Utah; Thomas Aiken, South Africa; Danny Lee, New Zealand

2:17 p.m. / 8:17 a.m. – Jordan Spieth, Dallas, Texas; Jason Day, Australia; Justin Rose, England

2:28 p.m. / 8:28 a.m. – Tiger Woods, Hobe Sound, Fla.; Rickie Fowler, Murrieta, Calif.; Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa

2:39 p.m. / 8:39 a.m. – Jimmy Walker, Boerne, Texas; Zach Johnson, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Ian Poulter, England

2:50 p.m. / 8:50 a.m. – Ryan Moore, Las Vegas, Nev.; Anirban Lahiri, India; Erik Compton, Coral Gables, Fla.

3:01 p.m. / 9:01 a.m. – (a) Jake Knapp, Costa Mesa, Calif.; Tyler Duncan, Columbus, Ind.; Matt Mabrey, Little Rock, Ark.

3:12 p.m. / 9:12 a.m. – Michael Davan, Hoopeston, Ill.; (a) Davis Riley, Hattiesburg, Miss.; Andrew Pope, Orlando, Fla.

Thursday (June 18), hole #10 / Friday (June 19), hole #1

1 p.m. / 7 a.m. – Tom Hoge, Fort Worth, Texas; Brad Fritsch, Holly Springs, N.C.; Tjaart van der Walt, South Africa

1:11 p.m. / 7:11 a.m. – Brad Elder, Dallas, Texas; (a) Beau Hossler, Mission Viejo, Calif.; Jamie Lovemark, Scottsdale, Ariz.

1:22 p.m. / 7:22 a.m. – Ryo Ishikawa, Japan; Luke Donald, England; J.B. Holmes, Campbellsville, Ky.

1:33 p.m. / 7:33 a.m. – Lucas Glover, Tequesta, Fla.; (a) Bradley Neil, Scotland; Marc Leishman, Australia

1:44 p.m. / 7:44 a.m. – Ryan Palmer, Colleyville, Texas; Joost Luiten, Netherlands; Danny Willett, England

1:55 p.m. / 7:55 a.m. – TBD; George Coetzee, South Africa; Alexander Noren, Sweden

2:06 p.m. / 8:06 a.m. – Brendon Todd, Atlanta, Ga.; Branden Grace, South Africa; Thongchai Jaidee, Thailand

2:17 p.m. / 8:17 a.m. – Billy Horschel, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; Paul Casey, England; Lee Westwood, England

2:28 p.m. / 8:28 a.m. – Bill Haas, Greenville, S.C.; Charl Schwartzel, South Africa; Hunter Mahan, Dallas, Texas

2:39 p.m. / 8:39 a.m. – Shane Lowry, Republic of Ireland; Ben Martin, Greenville, S.C.; Stephen Gallacher, Scotland

2:50 p.m. / 8:50 a.m. – Charley Hoffman, Las Vegas, Nev.; Camilo Villegas, Colombia; Tommy Fleetwood, England

3:01 p.m. / 9:01 a.m. – Mark Silvers, Thunderbolt, Ga.; (a) Brian Campbell, Irvine, Calif.; Cheng-Tsung Pan, Chinese Taipei

3:12 p.m. / 9:12 a.m. – TBD; Jared Becher, Reno, Nev.; Samuel Saunders, Fort Collins, Colo.

Reminder: "U.S. Open Groupings" Show On Fox Sports 1 Friday

Reminder is probably a tad strong since this is likely the first you've heard about the inaugural pairings party U.S. Open style.

Trying to keep an open mind here, but I'm fearing that the first ever USGA groupings show airing Friday on Fox Sports 1 is little more than a chance for Executive Committee members to get some air time and fumble names.

From Fox's press release today on US Open air times and announce teams (a later post on that and other viewer news is coming):

Build-up to the championship begins Friday, June 12 at 2:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1, with a special “U.S. Open Groupings” edition of AMERICA’S PREGAME, where groups for the following Thursday’s opening round are revealed on the air. On Sunday, June 14 at 10:00 PM ET, THE DRIVE TO THE OPEN special airs, spotlighting some of the amateurs and professionals that won sectional qualifiers to earn their way into the major championship field.

State Of The Game Podcast 57: Jay Blasi And Chambers Bay

Credit is always a fickle topic in golf architecture and in our brand name universe, more often than not the primary creators are generally overlooked. While Robert Trent Jones Jr. II is the architect of record, his staff obviously does most of the vital work while Bobby travels the world wooing clients. In the case of Chambers Bay, host of the 2015 U.S. Open, Jay Blasi was the on-site man who practically lived in University Place and sweated over the construction details. He's now on his own and involved with some exciting projects.

He joins Rod Morri, Mike Clayton and myself to talk about the course, the politics, the strategies and the upcoming U.S. Open. The MP3 link is here. The permanent link here. Or you can listen below, and wherever podcasts are provided.