Public Golf near Chambers Bay?

[Ian_L]

Hi all,


I am planning a weekend trip to Seattle in September that will include a morning round at Chambers Bay. I will have time for an afternoon round. Are there any public courses that would pair well for a 36-hole day? I am entirely unfamiliar with the area but will have a rental car.


Thank you!


Ian

[Brent Carlson]

Ian,


I enjoy Gold Mountain Olympic quite a bit.  It's a nice Harbottle course in the trees that feels very Northwest.  Another option is the Home Course.  I find it less interesting than Olympic, but it has excellent views with a more open feel.  Salish Cliffs is a distant third for me and a nice option if you want to play well conditioned cart golf.  Have fun.

[Steve Lang]

   We played/toured Gold Mountain while waiting to get on CB for twilight rate... a bit of a drive between, but hey, beautiful country to visit..

[Dan Gallaway]

Where are you coming from Ian?  Chambers is the only "destination" spot in the area, so if you're unlikely to be back, I would suggest a second round on Chambers.  The course plays extremely different from between the white tees and the tan tees (or blue and tan if you’ve got the game) and would feel like a different experience.


But if you're looking for a different course. Gold Mountain (Olympic), Salish Cliffs, and The Home Course would be the 3 to pick from and you'll enjoy each.

[Ian_L]

Thank you Brent, Steve, and Dan! Great suggestions.


Dan, I'll be coming from the SF Bay Area. I'll probably be back someday but I am not up in Seattle often. Will give thought to a second round at Chambers - not sure I want to pay $275 twice in a day but I do see the appeal of getting a second crack at the course.


Ian

[Brent Carlson]

Thank you Brent, Steve, and Dan! Great suggestions.


Dan, I'll be coming from the SF Bay Area. I'll probably be back someday but I am not up in Seattle often. Will give thought to a second round at Chambers - not sure I want to pay $275 twice in a day but I do see the appeal of getting a second crack at the course.


Ian

My pleasure Ian.  I used to play a lot of golf that way.  Doak scale wise I give Chambers 7.5-8.  Love the very firm conditions.  Olympic is a 6 in my book with the Home Course & Salish at 5.  Enjoy

[Pete_Pittock]

Hawks Point Links?
Washington National?
Haven't played either, but they are much closer than Golf Mtn.
Eagles Pride if you are military.

[Adam Lawrence]

Chambers Bay is a long walk. Maybe I'm a wimp but I'm not sure I'd be up for a 36 hole day.

[Joe Zucker]

I think the Home Course is the best option. The back 9 has an awkward walk because they were forced to shorten a par 4 to a par 3 at some point, but the other 17 holes are good.  It's generally in good shape and run by the WSGA.  Lake Spanaway and some of the Tacoma munis like Meadowbrook are fine, but not as good as the Home Course.

[Bill Buthorn]

I have lived in the area for years.  Played every course near here numerous times.  My thoughts.
Home Course.  Great property, always in good shape.  But every time I play it I leave thinking how much better it could be.  It is less than 15 minutes from Chambers.


Eagles Pride, formerly Ft. Lewis.  Open to the public, it is not restricted to military.  Wonderful course, good mix of old holes and some newer.  A classic northwest course with huge trees.  Not always in great shape but very challenging.  Pretty much next door to The Home Course.


Hawks Prairie.  A thirty six hole complex through houses.  Excellent courses, the Woods was intended as a private course, but did not materialize.  Probably 30 minutes from Chambers.


Gold Mountain.  As previously mentioned, really good John Harbottle design.  Very northwest, big trees some steep climbs, very fun to play, and always in good shape.  Has a sister course that is never mentioned but is very good as well.  It seems far, but the drive over there from Chambers is not much more than thirty minutes.


Someone mentioned Washington National.  John Fought designed it, and it is really good.  It is close in quality to Gold Mtn.  But to get there from Chambers is a hike through very unpredictable traffic.


If I were you, I would try to get on Fircrest Golf Club.  It is only a few minutes from Chambers, and is terrific.  AV Macan did the original design, GCA member Jeff Mingay has been heading a restoration project there.  Chambers Bay, Fircrest would be a fantastic one two punch, and would fit your timeline perfectly.  Enjoy your visit.


There are some other good spots, but not in the same class as these.

[Scott Stambaugh]

Ian-


To not deal with having to travel north of the south sound, and keeping to public recommendations, I might suggest Lake Spanaway.  Not sure of conditioning, it's been a long time since I've played there but, it would be be quite a mix of golf between treeless Chambers and opposite-of-treeless Spanaway.  If you want something closer to Chambers for your afternoon round, I'd skip The Home Course and play Fort Lewis (Eagles Pride.)  If privates are on the table, the previous recommendation of Fircrest is good.....

[Ben Sims]

If I were you, I would try to get on Fircrest Golf Club.  It is only a few minutes from Chambers, and is terrific.  AV Macan did the original design, GCA member Jeff Mingay has been heading a restoration project there.  Chambers Bay, Fircrest would be a fantastic one two punch, and would fit your timeline perfectly.  Enjoy your visit.

This is the best advice that’s been dispensed. Fircrest is criminally underrated, particularly post-Mingay, and would likely be a top 100-150 US course if it were east of the Mississippi. It’s superior to Gold Mt or The Home Course by a decent margin in my opinion. It so close to Chambers Bay that you could easily have a good lunch between rounds and not feel rushed. University Place is a terrific area and I miss it a lot.

[Mike Hendren]

2nd Fircrest. The quirky downhill 2nd and volcano 17th green stand out.  I’m also a fan of nearby Tacoma Country & Golf Club.  A not too taxing great walk in the beautiful area.  The 16th is a top notch par 5.  Both privates are a clear notch above Gold Mountain which is good enough. 


Have fun at CB -a great set of 2 shotters. 

[Garland Bayley]

For those of you having trouble understanding the Amerglish language, Fircrest and Tacoma are not public. Perhaps you were confused by public schools in England that are private in Amerglish.

Lake Spanaway would be A. V. Macan's last design.

[Bill Buthorn]

For those of you having trouble understanding the Amerglish language, Fircrest and Tacoma are not public. Perhaps you were confused by public schools in England that are private in Amerglish.

Lake Spanaway would be A. V. Macan's last design.

Garland,
Not sure why the put down response, however I guess it is normal for this day and age.  I understand Amerglish perfectly well, I taught it to school kids here in this country for many years.  I am also well aware of the status of both Fircrest and Tacoma.  My suggestion was based on finding access to Fircrest which would make a great one two punch. 


You are correct about Spanaway, which is very good.  But it is a ways away, through often difficult traffic, which is why I left it off my original list.


Cheers

[Garland Bayley]

Bill,

Just trying to make a little fun. Please don't feel put down.

[John Kirk]

Ian,

Lots of Fircrest fans here.  It has nice topography with a tight routing that plays fast.  I think you've got a good chance to play there if you ask nicely.