Chambers Bay Financial Update

[W.H. Cosgrove]

Chambers continues to buck the trend and operate with positive cash flow, according to this mornings Tacoma News Tribune. 

http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstory/story/642009.html

[Jeff_Brauer]

Interesting article.  The Best New award will keep play going strong for a few years and pub from the upcoming tournaments will help, too.  For most acclaimed courses, the early buzz does wear off and then they are subject to the market conditions just like everyone else.  As can be seen from the fact that more rounds were expected at the off season and off peak rates, they are already subject to golfers spending wisely, but at least they still want to play.

As the USGA moves towards more public courses, and naming them 6-7 years in advance, is it possible that someday an Open will have to move because a course goes under before the tournament is played?  Or would someone just subsidize it (perhaps written into the Open contract) for those few years?

[Mike Wagner]

Interesting article indeed.  Any word on how the greens are holding up?  I'm only 45 minutes from Chambers and would play it much more if they extended the pierce county rate to King, and the greens are decent.  I notice most weekdays are completely empty.

If the greens are good, they'll get even more Seattle play - one of my favorite courses in the nation!

[Michael Dugger]

I was told by someone affiliated with Chambers Bay they are going to have to completely rebuild the 4th green.

This was just two weeks ago.

[John Kirk]

That makes sense to me, Michael.  The way #4 green was designed, everybody took the same walk between the green and front right bunker to get to the next hole.  It was in poor shape when I last saw it.

[Carl Johnson]

I wish the Chambers Bay course good luck, but the nonresident fees are steep.  Summer rates for visitors are $150 during the week and $170 on the weekends and holidays.  Recently I've visited Seattle (from Charlotte) once or twice a year (my daughter lives in Seattle) and thought about taking my clubs this past Christmas to take advantage of the relatively low winter rate at Chambers Bay.  Fortunately, I left them at home.  The immediate Seattle area was cold and covered with snow,  and I expect the Chambers Bay course was, too.  I'd have to think long and hard before paying their summer rates.

[Sean Leary]

Interesting that for a municipal course, only 22% came from Pierce County......

[Scott Stambaugh]

I was told by someone affiliated with Chambers Bay they are going to have to completely rebuild the 4th green.

This was just two weeks ago.

From the PNGA's Pacific Northwest Golfer magazine today-

To prepare for next year's U.S. Amateur, Chambers Bay will redo its 4th green this spring.  "Gravity was taking the well-placed shots where we didn't want them to go," said Bruce Charlton, the president of Robert Trent Jones II architects.

[Jonathan Cummings]

For comparison how is The Home Course, located right next door to Chambers, doing?

JC

[Garland Bayley]

For comparison how is The Home Course, located right next door to Chambers, doing?

JC

They may be the primary reason only 22% of the golfers at Chambers Bay are from Pierce County.

[Dale Jackson]

I toured the Home Course with Mike Davis and several others last fall.  The fairways on a few holes will be narrowed and some alterations to the cut around a couple of greens and bunkers will be undertaken.  The course is building a new tee on #5 and substantially altering #11 and 12 because of liability issues with nearby houses.  Currently a Par 3, #11 will be a Par 4, and #12 will become a Par 3 - of the Redan variety I think.

Conditioning and maintenance are not issues.

[Paul Jones]

I wonder how many rounds The Home Course does compared to Chambers Bay

[Dale Jackson]

The rounds would be similar, the Home Course is a great fun course to play and less than a third of what Chambers Bay would charge someone from outside the county.

The Home Course is about 5 miles south of CB, and well worth the visit.