Monday 15 June 2015 13:53, UK
Chambers Bay will be an unknown quantity to the majority of players when they arrive this week for the US Open. Here are 10 things you need to know about the course.
1) Chambers Bay was designed by noted architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. The land first found use as a rock quarry as far back as the Steilacoom Indian Tribe and the first European settlers in 1832.
2) Overlooking Puget Sound near Tacoma and based around 30 miles away from Seattle, the course was opened in 2007 and will be the first Pacific Northwest venue for the US Open.
3) The municipal course is owned by Pierce County, whose residents receive discounted green fees. Only players with medical conditions or disabilities are allowed to use carts, and a caddie must be hired as the driver.
4) The golf course will be in the range of 7,200 to 7,600 yards for this week’s tournament, with the first hole and 18th alternating between par-four or a par-five during the week.
5) It also features the three longest par fours in US Open history with the 546-yard 14th, the 537-yard 11th and the 13th at 534 yards.
6) There is only one tree on the entire course, a Douglas Fir behind the 15th green. There have been suggestions it should be removed, but Trent Jones said: “It appeals to me from an aesthetic view. Sometimes you leave things alone. There were discussions that you could see the Sound better if you took it out, but I think it highlights Puget Sound."
7) The venue is home to deepest bunker in US Open history, with the 10ft deep ‘Chambers Basement’ situated just over 100 yards short of the 18th green. The USGA doesn’t expect anyone to land in the sand though, although they’ll have a tough task to get out if they do!
8) Chambers Bay hosted the 2010 US Amateur championship, which was won by American Peter Uihlein on his 21st birthday. Other notable names to play in the event were BMW PGA Championship winner Byeong Hun An, who reached the semi-finals as defending champion, Masters champion Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed, Harris English and Brooks Koepka.
9) During the two days of strokeplay at the 2010 US Amateur, the scoring average was 79.25 (Spieth shot 72-83). There were more rounds in the 90s (six) than there were under par (five). Only four players broke 70 and only Patrick Reed shot three under.
10) Looking more suited to Scotland than the States, Chambers Bay is the first US Open venue to have the tricky fescue grass located across the course. With four of the five last winners being European and conditions similar to those seen on British links courses, could we see another winner from this side of the Atlantic this week?
Watch the US Open live throughout the week on Sky Sports 4 – your home of golf
