CHAMBERS BAY

Site of the 2015 U.S. Open / 2010 U.S. Amateur / 2021 USGA Four Ball

 

Location: University Place, WA

Client: Pierce County, Washington

Opened: June 2007

Budget: $21 million

www.chambersbaygolf.com

Designers: Robert Trent Jones II (Jay Blasi / Bruce Charlton)

Contractor: Heritage Links

Summary: 18-hole municipal course created to reclaim an abandoned sand /gravel mine and drive tourism to Pierce County, Washington. The pure links design, on the shores of Puget Sound, is one of only a few fescue golf courses in the United States. 1.4 million cubic yards of sand were shifted in order to create the golf landscape and provide a suitable base for firm / fast conditions.

MY EXPERIENCE

Chambers Bay was the project of my dreams. It was my first opportunity to be a Project Architect at RTJII, guide a design from start to finish and introduce my own design ideas. It was links golf, truly public, a reclamation project and it was intended to drive tourism and fuel economic development, all things I admired greatly. The process, which consumed most of my time and almost all my thoughts from 2004-2007, was great fun and offered valuable lessons and even better friends. Through our work at Chambers Bay I was able to fulfill my childhood dream of designing a course that would host the U.S. Open. Dreams do come true!

BEFORE & AFTERS

GALLERIES

Hidden Custom Script is Here

HIDDEN GALLERIES GO HERE

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COURSE PROFILES & AWARDS

  • Links Magazine – Chambers Bay Chambers BayChambers Bay provides a unique golf experience alongPuget Sound that is challenging, enthralling and aboveall, great funBy: Hunki Yun… READ MORE
  • Chambers Bay Editor’s note: This story was originally published June 16, 2007 Chambers Bay is the most carefully crafted and well-designed municipal… READ MORE

  • 2015 U.S. Open

  • 2010 U.S. Amateur

  • #2 Best Course in Washington State – Golfweek Magazine, 2019
  • #50 Best Modern Course – Golfweek Magazine, 2019
  • #21 Greatest Public Courses – Golf Digest, 2019
  • #2 America’s Best Municipal Courses – Golfweek Magazine
  • #30 Best Modern Courses – Golfweek Magazine, 2016
  • #1 Golf Course in Washington State – Golfweek Magazine, 2015
  • #26 America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses – Golf Digest, 2015-16
  • #130 America’s Greatest Golf Courses – Golf Digest, 2015-16
  • #1 Public Golf Course in Washington State – Golf Digest
  • #76 Best Golf Course in the United States – GOLF Magazine, 2015
  • #84 Top 100 You Can Play – GOLF Magazine, 2014
  • #27 Top 50 Golf Courses of the Last 50 Years – GOLF Magazine
  • Recipient of the Audubon International Silver Signature Sanctuary Award Program Certification
  • Top Ten Green Golf Courses – LINKS Magazine
  • America’s Best New Public Course for 2008 – Golf Digest
  • Best New Course You Can Play – GOLF Magazine
  • Best New Golf Course Opened in 2007 – Golfweek Magazine
  • Course of the Year – Travel + Leisure Magazine
  • Top Newcomer in Zagat’s 2009 Top Golf Course Guide
  • Golf Odyssey’s list of “Platinum Places: Best New Courses to Put on Your Travel List”
  • 2007 Golf Inc. Development of the Year (Daily Fee category)
  • Society of American Travel Writers Phoenix Award In the News
  • GRAA Top 50 Public Ranges
  • 2013/2014/2015 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence recipient

MY ROLE

Tasks Performed as Project Architect for RTJII

  • Served as a key designer & day-to-day manager of the project
  • Involved from initial site visit to opening and beyond
  • Prepared initial interview presentation
  • Participated in all consultant meetings throughout project
  • Established the golf course routing
  • Developed the strategy for each hole and each course feature
  • Conceptualized and implemented the look of the course
  • Created the golf course grading plan
  • Prepared all construction drawings
  • Coordinated and prepared specifications and bidding documents
  • Researched U.S. Open infrastructure requirements during design
  • Helped facilitate contact with USGA regarding the project
  • Served as key designer in the field throughout construction
  • Painted every bunker line and flagged all grassing lines
  • Designed tee markers, hole signs, flags and provided content for website