Comments on: UPDATE- CHAMBERS BAY http://punchbowlgolf.com/2009/05/update-chambers-bay/ Videos, Images and Essays on Golf Course Design, Construction, and Maintenance Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:09:11 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: HD http://punchbowlgolf.com/2009/05/update-chambers-bay/comment-page-1/#comment-105 HD Thu, 21 May 2009 06:10:49 +0000 http://punchbowlgolf.com/?p=890#comment-105 I've played Chambers 6 times, the most recently in April. I find it funny that everybody complains about the greens being too slow. Most of the time I hear this complaining because after a very poor day of putting by a playing partner. They will get them faster but they will never be at 14 due to the massively large and complex contours. One of their A caddies told me that they finally figured out the top dressing, they apparently had not found the right mix until early this year... they had too much of some ingredient in it. This will be the first full growing season with the proper top dressing which should help drastically. They also started covering some of the greens on the east edge of the property on the hill in winter because they were not seeing sunlight until late in the day and suffering badly as a result. I don't like the artificial fairway width reductions, that's a shame, and didn't catch the grass between fairway and bunker but that would be a disservice to many of the creative shots required (bump and runs, putting out of greenside bunkers like on hole 16, etc.) Overall, I enjoy playing Chambers, it's a fantastic layout and environment. The maturing will come I have no doubt. I find it especially ironic that there are numerous Seattle people I know who will pay virtually the same price to play one of the Newcastle courses which are gimmicky glorified resort courses with relatively poor house lined layouts. Chambers is head and shoulders the best layout and setting in the area. I’ve played Chambers 6 times, the most recently in April. I find it funny that everybody complains about the greens being too slow. Most of the time I hear this complaining because after a very poor day of putting by a playing partner. They will get them faster but they will never be at 14 due to the massively large and complex contours.

One of their A caddies told me that they finally figured out the top dressing, they apparently had not found the right mix until early this year… they had too much of some ingredient in it. This will be the first full growing season with the proper top dressing which should help drastically. They also started covering some of the greens on the east edge of the property on the hill in winter because they were not seeing sunlight until late in the day and suffering badly as a result.

I don’t like the artificial fairway width reductions, that’s a shame, and didn’t catch the grass between fairway and bunker but that would be a disservice to many of the creative shots required (bump and runs, putting out of greenside bunkers like on hole 16, etc.)

Overall, I enjoy playing Chambers, it’s a fantastic layout and environment. The maturing will come I have no doubt. I find it especially ironic that there are numerous Seattle people I know who will pay virtually the same price to play one of the Newcastle courses which are gimmicky glorified resort courses with relatively poor house lined layouts. Chambers is head and shoulders the best layout and setting in the area.

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