I think the USGA would think that Gold Mountian is too far away. I actually think that Gold Mountain or Home Course is a toss up. Hell Sean, lets do it at Oakbrook or Fircrest. They are both closer. And both provide a strong test of golf, Fircrest as a PGA stop years ago and Oakbrook having withstood the Pacific Am and the Washington Open.
Gold Mountain is probably more inconsistent with weak holes at 4,14,17,and 18. And very good par threes and a strong 7 and 9.
Home course is more consistent with fewer weak holes and not as many really strong holes. It does posess prodigious length at 7400 possible yards.
After all of the commentary, I think you would find the competition is between the Home Course because of it being owned by the association and Tacoma Country and Golf as a reward for having held so many previous USGA events.
Sean I don't care where the second venue is, I'm still trying to get over the shock of having Chambers get the Am and the Open. That may take until 2015 to actually believe. We'll have to have some of that conversation over a round of golf and a beverage.
Cos,
Maybe 2 beverages. Need more than that to determine who is more shocked, you or me.
Funny story. Two weeks ago, I was having dinner with some buddies at Daniels in Bellevue and the topic of golf comes up with the waiter. He says he doesn't know much about golf, but heard that Chambers Bay was getting the US Open in 2015 (This was a full week before the announcement). I didn't disagree with him out loud, but after he left, I said to my friends that there was no way it was true, and there was no way that that course would get an Open. No way, no how.
Would being the second course be that prestigious of a reward for Tacoma CC?