Chambers Bay US Open/US Am Preparations

[Richard Choi]

The Chambers Bay website is now publishing a regular feature on preparations for upcoming US Amateur (2010) and US Open (2015).

http://www.chambersbaygolf.com/layout10.asp?id=173&page=5507

Interesting nuggets:

-New tees on holes 1, 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, 15, and 17
-Rebuilding many of the sand bunkers to develop and maintain the "Tillinghast-like bunker edges" envisioned by RTJII
-Enlarging the green of hole 15
-Removing noxious and invasive broadleaf weeds in dunes as well as planting new fine fescue turf to cover dunes where planting has been sparse.
-During the Championships, holes 13 and 18 will both be played as par 4s. 

[Dean Stokes]

Amazing how much change needs to be made to accomodate these long knockers. Can you say 'TOURNAMENT BALL'. Stop changing golf courses just change the ball.

[Sean Leary]

I wonder if for those new tees whether they are just going to make the back part of the back tees larger to handle a larger volume of play.

[Garland Bayley]

...
-During the Championships, holes 13 and 18 will both be played as par 4s. 

Do I remember incorrectly, or isn't 18 already 600 yards from the tips?

[BVince]

I am disappointed to hear a few of these changes...both 13 and 18 are great par 5s with plenty of length.  I do like the fact that they are  undergoing a plan for strengthing the conditions of the greens with the top dressing program. 

Do you think they will do anything to narrow the fairways? 

[Garland Bayley]

...
-During the Championships, holes 13 and 18 will both be played as par 4s. 

It's match play. Why are they even concerned with par?

[Kalen Braley]

...
-During the Championships, holes 13 and 18 will both be played as par 4s. 

It's match play. Why are they even concerned with par?

Garland, It will also host the US Open, not just the US Am...

But either way, it doesn't really matter even though I think it does affect thier mindset when playing the hole.  I dont' see how any of these guys can back away in thier mind that they shouldn't at least make 4 on either of those holes.

[Mark Bourgeois]

If these guys affirm their commitment to fescue, nobody should complain about anything!

[Richard Choi]

The prevailing wind at 18th is a tailwind so 18th actually plays shorter than the yardage indicates. I don't think the pros would have too difficult of a time reaching the green in two even from 600 yards.

What I am guessing is that they will set it up as a 500 or 515 yard par 4, which will put the second bunker that pinches the fairway severely at about 260 to 290 yards away. If you bomb it, you should be able to carry that bunker. Of course they can make it a 530 yard par 4 and make that a bit more difficult.

[W.H. Cosgrove]

Richard the typical June prevailing wind is not actually a tailwind, it is a wind from the left.  To be honest outside of the winter months there isn't a lot of wind. In the 8-10 rounds I have played at Chambers the wind has been a non factor. Nonetheless, you might be correct that 18 will become a long par 4.  Or it could be a long par 5 set up behind the trail and the seventeenth green. 

My next trip to Chambers is scheduled for early October, I look forward to seeing the continuing progress toward improving the putting surfaces and hopefully seeing improved ingress and egress from the green surfaces to improve the excessive wear they have encountered. 

[Ian_L]

The fact that the USGA is so concerned about making par 5's into par 4's seems to show that the USGA is more concerned about keeping players near or above par than providing a test with variety.