Commentary: Time for Chambers Bay to sever one-sided “partnership” with USGA

Commentary: Time for Chambers Bay to sever one-sided "partnership" with USGA

The U.S. Open now has venue sites solidified through 2043 and U.S. Women's Open sites through 2036. The lack of love from the USGA after the renovation of greens at Chambers Bay is disappointing to say the least.

Father’s Day will always be a reminder of the incredible spectacle we enjoyed nine years ago in University Place, with the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay.

But it’s a bittersweet memory, knowing that it’s now looking like it might never come back.

While many of us weren’t paying attention, the USGA has filled in a number of future U.S. Open sites on their schedule, leaving 2043 as their next available year for the open to return to Chambers. That’s another 19 years – and a full 28 years after the 2015 event. In other words, this isn’t happening folks – and it’s an absolute shame.

And frankly, from my standpoint, I believe Pierce County, which owns the course, has been played – that we’ve all been strung along by lip service from the USGA for the last nine years.

We all know what went wrong in 2015, from the condition of the greens, to the poor sight lines for spectators. But we’ve continually been led to believe that those things were fixable, and the overall positives far outweighed the negatives. Listen to my interview with John Bodenhamer, Chief Championships Officer from the USGA, just four years ago.

"It was just super exciting, super successful," Bodenhamer told me about the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers. "We look at metrics – tickets selling out as quickly as they did. Record-breaking sales in terms of merchandise. And just really the energy around the whole event was something I’ll never forget. I think it changed the region and elevated golf to a whole new level in the Pacific Northwest."

And yet, Chambers seems poised to be the first one-and-done venue since 1976 (Atlanta Athletic Club) to host a men’s open and never get the opportunity to host either a Men’s or Women’s Open going forward. Did I mention, the Women’s Open sites are fully booked through 2036?

And this was after Pierce County made the significant investment, with the USGA’s blessing, to replace their greens six years ago to Poa Annua grass that has made a huge difference. By all accounts, the quality of greens passed their biggest tests with flying colors, hosting the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship in 2021 and the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in 2022.

The transformation of greens even prompted former Chambers Bay general manager Zac Keener to tell GolfPass three years ago, "I would be willing to bet with certainty that we will host another U.S. Open."

Instead, all they’re getting is a U.S. Junior Amateur Championship there in 2027 and another U.S. Amateur Championship in 2033. I’ll call it what it really is: Dog scraps. And frankly, it’s insulting.

Pierce County officials have continually referred to the USGA as a great partner. But it’s time for the folks down there to stop worrying about fracturing this fairly one-sided partnership and start pursuing events that could actually make significant headlines. It’s time to approach the PGA Tour, the LIV Tour, the LPGA Tour, or the PGA of America to see whether a PGA Championship or Ryder Cup might be possible one day.

And if the USGA doesn’t like it? Who cares. It’s not like they’ve shown Chambers the love it deserves!

Even former USGA CEO Mike Davis, who is arguably largely responsible for ruining the course conditions in the lead-up to the Open nine years ago, said of Chambers "It’s too special, and the course is too unique to not have more U.S. Opens. We want to come back."

Looking back, it’s all been lip service. An affront to the efforts put in specifically to become a major championship venue contender again. And a slap in the face to all the golf fans who made the 2015 event special, and who’ve been waiting patiently for a return that may never come.