Doing It Right

[JPsuff]

I’ve been watching the U.S. Amateur and from what I’ve seen, Chambers Bay is the nearest thing that the United States has to a genuine links course. I love the look and I love the fact that there’s no irrigation. Granted, the overall look is somewhat “brown” but it’s real and I think it’s gorgeous. It kind of makes me think that that’s the way Whistling Straits ought to look and play if they’d just let it become a links course instead of treating it like a parkland course near the water.

Chambers Bay will be hosting the 2015 U. S. Open and I can’t wait to see how that works out. I just hope that the PGA or the USGA don’t insist on "setting it up" or trying to tame it in any way. From what I'm seeing now, I think the course would be fine just as it is.

Sometimes they get it right and it looks as if they've done just that with Chambers Bay.


-JP

 

[Dazinkster]

Yep, as a Brit I couldn't believe when watching the USPGA and hearing the commentators talk whistling straits up as a "links" course. Lol.

I'm sure Paulo being north of the border in Scotland would feel the same (if not stronger)

 

[Lefty_JW]

Yeah calling Whistling Straits a links course is very misleading to say the least; it's a parkland course designed to look a bit like a links course in an artificial way. Links golf is played along the (hard) ground not with high flop shots...

Yep, as a Brit I couldn't believe when watching the USPGA and hearing the commentators talk whistling straits up as a "links" course. Lol.

I'm sure Paulo being north of the border in Scotland would feel the same (if not stronger)

 

[the_paulo]

Yep, as a Brit I couldn't believe when watching the USPGA and hearing the commentators talk whistling straits up as a "links" course. Lol.

I'm sure Paulo being north of the border in Scotland would feel the same (if not stronger)

I actually find it quite amusing. No matter how hard you try, or how much money you spend, you can't create linksland. It's probably flattering to see them copy the layout, but I think the courses could do better playing to their strengths.
A golf course should be all about taking a beautiful piece of land, and improving it! Use what nature provides and build the course around that, and that's what a links course is about. There are many courses in the US which do this well - Pebble Beach springs to mind right away.

 

[JB]

I would call Bandon Dunes links as well.

 

[Chorister]

I really hope I get to play a real links course before I cash in my chips.

 

[the_paulo]

I think a lot of people over this way can be quite protective of the term 'links'. It's accurate to say that there's no 'true' links course outside of our area, due to the way the terrain was formed and the absolute definition of it. But, if a course is set up like a links, plays like a links, then why not call it a links?

 

[johnblah]

What course a few years back did they cut down nearly all the trees between the fairways before the US open...or Masters to try and make it more as it was originally designed in the 50s as a links-like course?

 

[Bignose]

What course a few years back did they cut down nearly all the trees between the fairways before the US open...

Oakmont. They still mowed the fairways insanely tight and grew very thick rough; it was bomb-n-gouge all day. I feel the spirit of link golf has typically very wide fairways, and the player should be deciding which side or part of the fairway gives him the best approach to the green.

 

[NFender]

One of the interesting things about Chambers Bay is that most people in the NW were concerned that they wouldn't be able to firm the place up enough to challenge truly good players. For the first couple of years the greens rolled slower than you can imagine at times . . . maybe 6 or 7 on a Stimpmeter. They also had to blow up one of the green complexes (#4) because it was nearly unplayable. Also, originally, they did not seed any rough, but various problems with that approach made them decide to overseed the dunes with fescue. There was a fear here in the Seattle area that the USGA would pull out of Chambers Bay for the 2015 Open if the course played the way us locals saw it in 2008 and 2009. It sounds, however, like the USGA is pretty happy.

Between now and 2015 they will have to make some major improvements and modifications to spread out the wear and tear around the greens. Perhaps you noticed a lot of large patch jobs on the greens during the US Am telecast; those are mostly due to humps, hollows and bunkers that force all the foot traffic into relatively small areas as you enter and exit the greens.

Chambers is a very artificial environment executed pretty well. The comparison to Bandon/Pacific Dunes is apt in that both facilities offer a links-style game, however, the setting at Bandon is much more natural and the holes on the ocean are truly spectacular. Also, I think you are much more likely to face links-style wind and weather at Bandon.

If you get a chance, I would definitely play Chambers Bay, but I'd look for a twilight or off-season deal, because the regular rate for non-residents is something like $165.