How to Play Chambers Bay: Ground Game, Big Slopes and the Lone Fir

Chambers Bay is one of the great stories in American public golf. Pierce County bought an old sand-and-gravel quarry on the shores of Puget Sound, hired Robert Trent Jones Jr., and opened a links-style course in 2007 that critics initially mocked. Within a few years it had hosted the 2010 U.S. Amateur, and in 2015 Jordan Spieth won the U.S. Open there. Today it remains a county-owned course that anyone can book.

What sets it apart is the scale. Fairways roll across huge dunes, greens are enormous and full of contour, and the train line running along the water gives the back nine a uniquely Pacific Northwest feel. There's famously just one tree on the property. If you like creativity, bump-and-runs and using slopes to your advantage, you'll love it. If you prefer target golf with soft greens, prepare to adjust your mindset. The fescue fairways are firm, and the ball keeps rolling.

Before you go

• It's walking only, and it's a real hike. The course covers nearly 250 hilly acres and is regularly listed among the toughest walks in golf. Wear supportive shoes and pace yourself.
• Use the free pull cart. Push carts are included with your green fee, and you can bring your own. Approved motorized trolleys are also allowed.
• Consider a caddie. Single-bag caddies and group forecaddies are available. On a course this full of optical illusions and big slopes, a caddie's reads can save you several strokes.
• Locals save money. Pierce County residents get discounted rates with valid ID. Visitors should book early for the summer season.
• Choose tees modestly. Tee yardages vary wildly because the setup changes, and some holes swap between par 4 and par 5 depending on tees. Most mid-handicappers should play somewhere around 6,000 to 6,400 yards.
• Bring layers. Weather on Puget Sound can turn from sunny to cool and breezy within a few holes, and afternoons often bring wind off the water.

Hole-by-hole strategy

Hole 1: a gentle welcome

The opener can play as a par 4 or par 5 depending on the setup, and it's one of the more forgiving starts you'll find on a major venue. Your second shot may be partly blind, so pay attention to the aiming lines. Favoring the right side generally sets up the best angle into the green. Use this hole to learn how far the ball rolls on these fairways. It's usually farther than you expect.

Hole 9: the big drop

The 9th is a par 3 with a tee perched nearly 100 feet above the green. The drop means you'll need noticeably less club than the yardage suggests, but the wind up on that tee can be stronger than it feels down below. The green is large and slopes from left to right, so aim left of the flag and let the contour work. Take a moment to enjoy the view across the Sound before you hit.

Hole 12: the drivable par 4

This short par 4, around 300 yards from the back, plays uphill through a gap between two large dunes. Long hitters with the wind behind them will be tempted to go for it. For most mid-handicappers, the better play is a comfortable club to the widest part of the fairway, leaving a short pitch. A bunker on the left can block the view of the green, so check the line before you hit.

Hole 13: long and doglegged

At the 2015 U.S. Open this was one of the longest par 4s in championship history. It doglegs right, and your tee shot needs to be placed so you have a clear angle in. From forward tees it's much more manageable, but treat it as a likely bogey and you won't be disappointed.

Hole 15: the Lone Fir

The signature par 3 sits below an elevated tee fully exposed to the prevailing wind, with the course's only tree standing behind the green and Puget Sound beyond. A large bunker complex sits in front, and a tongue of the green spills toward the right, sending balls away into sand. Club selection is everything here: watch the treetops and the flag, take what you trust, and aim for the safest part of the green rather than the flag.

Hole 16: along the railroad

This par 4 runs alongside the railway and the water. The green is small by Chambers Bay standards, with a narrow opening, bunkers on both sides and a strong left-to-right tilt. It's arguably the most demanding approach on the course. If you're in doubt, play short of the green and leave yourself an uphill chip rather than risking a miss on the wrong side.

Hole 17: the best par 3

Another elevated tee, another sweeping view. A massive bunker runs down the right, and a smaller one guards the front left. The contours on this green are creative, so look at where the slopes will take your ball before choosing a target. Middle of the green is a good score.

Hole 18: the uphill finish

The closing hole can play as a par 4 or par 5 and climbs toward a large, multi-level green. Watch out for the infamous deep bunker in the fairway roughly 100 yards short of the green, often called the "Chambers Basement." If you're laying up, stop well short of it. Then pick the correct tier and land your approach there.

Scoring tips for mid-handicappers

• Play the ground game. Firm fescue means bump-and-runs and putts from off the green are often your best options. Practice a few low chips before your round.
• Aim for the fat part of the green. Greens here are huge, and a ball on the putting surface almost always beats a short-sided chip.
• Use the slopes. Many greens are designed to feed balls toward certain pin positions. Your caddie or the yardage book will show you where to land the ball.
• Manage your energy. The walk is demanding. Eat and hydrate on the front nine so you have legs left for the dramatic finish.
• Expect blind shots. Trust the aiming lines and commit. Indecision on blind shots is a bigger problem than the shots themselves.

Chambers Bay rewards imagination. Treat it like a links course, keep the ball low when the wind is up, and enjoy one of the most distinctive public courses in the country.