Chambers Bay Course
University Place, WA, USA
Chambers Bay, carved from a former gravel mine along the Puget Sound, is a stark and challenging test of golf born of a landscape transformed. Its faux-links style, conceived by Robert Trent Jones Jr., sprawls across wildly undulating terrain, rewarding strategic play and punishing wayward shots with unforgiving fescue and daunting elevation changes. The wide fairways belie the challenges that await, with blind shots and demanding approaches becoming a feature of a layout known to reward faders. Hosting the 2015 U.S. Open, where Jordan Spieth claimed victory in a controversial finish, Chambers Bay immediately etched itself into major championship lore, even if the notoriety proved divisive. The club, a public facility nestled near University Place, offers a raw and rugged golfing experience unlike any other in the Pacific Northwest, eschewing manicured perfection for a wild and untamed character. While its championship pedigree is undeniable, Chambers Bay offers a democratic accessibility seldom found at courses of similar stature. It's a place where weekend golfers can test their mettle against a course designed to challenge the world's best, all while enjoying stunning views of the Sound and the distant Olympic Mountains. Players come from around the globe to experience the unique layout and the spirit of the game as it was meant to be played - on the ground, with imagination, and with a touch of grit.
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Public: #34
Best in USA
Public: #9
Best in WA
Public: #1
Golfers say Chambers Bay delivers a spectacular and memorable experience with stunning views of Puget Sound that many describe as jaw-dropping and visible from nearly every hole. Reviewers consistently praise the thoughtful, challenging routing through the former quarry property, noting wide fairways that invite aggressive play off the tee but demand precision on approach shots to sloped, tricky greens. Most find the walking-only policy enhances the authentic links-style feel, though nearly all acknowledge the hilly terrain makes for a demanding trek that can be exhausting, with several recommending a caddie for first-timers to navigate optimal lines and read the greens. The par-3 collection earns special mention as among the best players have encountered, and golfers highlight the course's strong value at its price point, calling it a must-play destination and one of America's top public courses.
9.1
332 players
tough walk, love tje layout.
Incredible golf course, perfect day. Very fun design, beautiful views on the water. The views get better and better the farther away from the water you go, which is a surprise. Walking only, not the easiest walk but at the end of the round I was still tempted to ask about a replay. 10/10 recommend if you’re in the area you MUST go. Well worth the price.
Wow. What a golf course. Views of the bay from EVERYWHERE!
What an incredible golf course. Thoughtful/challenging design, great conditioning, and beautiful views/aesthetics. Getting a caddy is a must out here when you play it for the first time. Many holes where he had me play an unorthodox line that paid off. Plus it’s a pretty demanding walk. Walking only course is always a plus as it adds to the “true” golf feel. Must play if you are in the area.
Challenging and inviting all in one with beautiful views. Truly a unique and really fun course to play.
My favourite walk in the game. The views you get because of the routing are unparalleled. It forces you to play such a wide variety of shots & each hole is distinctly memorable. #10 is my favourite hole on the course, the hole is a crescendo of increasingly narrow fairway up to an arena green with punishing bunkers surrounding. Shoutout to caddy Beau for being an absolute gem & picking great lines all day.
RTJ 2 version of a links course and former US Open site. Very cool course in an old rock quarry up against the Puget Sound. Definitely a must play and a destination golf course. Washington is a very underrated golf state. Don’t recommend walking here it’s very hilly. Lot of fun holes and shots to try if you’re lucky the train will come through when you’re playing
Every single hole requires thought as to where to play each shot. So many jaw dropping views! This course has the single best set of par threes that I have played. It’s an incredible piece of property that should be experienced by golf enthusiasts before they die.
Chambers Bay has been a course on the bucket list for awhile especially given the value and ability to get on. Priced at 230 it is very affordable for the quality of course that you play. Located right on the water there are plenty of elevation changes and views to capture the beauty of the layout. Links style golf with waste area's for bunkers gives many different ways to route yourself around the course. Wide open fairways on most holes makes it appealing off the tee box but the second shot is where the course shows its teeth. Miss on the wrong side and you will have some challenging putts. I will definitely be back again to play when in the area.
Walk kicked my ass. Always fun aiming 20 feet right of a green and watching that sucker feed to the pin. Super good experience and will always jump at the chance to go back.
Public courses closest to Chambers Bay.
Most visitors to Chambers Bay Golf Club arrive through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), a straightforward 35-minute drive south along Interstate 5 before peeling west toward the Puget Sound shoreline. The route transitions from urban corridor to residential hillside, then drops suddenly toward the water, where the course reveals itself in dramatic fashion - a sweeping links carved into a former gravel quarry, its fairways tumbling across raw, windswept bluffs with views stretching to the Olympic Mountains and Vashon Island. The final descent feels less like arriving at a golf course and more like discovering a hidden amphitheater of land and sea, where the roar of freight trains along the beach mingles with the cry of gulls overhead.
FAQ
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Chambers Bay has a Course Vaults score of 9.1 out of 10 based on 157 explicit golfer ratings.
Chambers Bay was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr..
Yes. Chambers Bay is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Chambers Bay is 72.
Chambers Bay plays 7,165 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Chambers Bay is 139.
