TACOMA, Washington — Chambers Bay will always be one of the main draws attracting golfers to the Pacific Northwest.
The experience playing the 2015 U.S. Open venue in University Place has never been better thanks to revamped greens and the addition of The Landing, a bar and halfway house built last year near the first and 10th tees.
There’s also a new option just a few miles away. A $7.5-million redesign has transformed the North Shore Golf Club into the rebranded Cedar Irons Golf Club. Architect Dan Hixson, best known for designing Wine Valley in Walla Walla and Bandon Crossings in Oregon, takes pride in the altered 6,109-yard routing. He credits the course’s ownership, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, for the willingness to invest in his vision.
“It was such a huge change,” Hixson says. “It went from a pretty poor golf course to a pretty good one. We made it a lot more playable golf course.”
Many bucket-list chasers visiting greater Seattle will play Chambers Bay and quickly move on. Given all the quality golf surrounding Tacoma, it would be wise to stick around for a long weekend.
The improvements at Cedar Irons could entice groups to stay for a 54-hole getaway that includes a third round at the celebrated Home Course, owned by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association and Washington Golf in DuPont. Staying at Cedarbrook Lodge, just minutes from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, provides an ideal home base with its peaceful, forested setting, excellent restaurant and comfortable rooms.
CHANGES AT CEDAR IRONS
Like many courses built in the 1960s, the original North Shore course had become an overgrown, tired facility in dire need of investment and infrastructure upgrades. Removing more than 300 trees and clearing brush expanded playing corridors, allowing the turf to receive more sunlight and fresh airflow. Every bunker was completely rebuilt, and all 18 green complexes were reconstructed, recontoured or refined.
Reconfiguring several holes eliminated the original routing’s most awkward moments. For example, the old first hole was a short par 4 where players often tried to drive the green, causing immediate logjams. The new opener eases players into the round with a gentle 320-yard dogleg right. Hixson called the old No. 17 an “impossible” uphill par 3 that played two strokes higher for the average player. It was converted into a thrilling, risk-reward short par 4 stretching 263 yards to an elevated green perched atop a ridgeline.
Minor tweaks flip-flopped the pars of the par-4 third hole (formerly a par 5) and the par-5 fifth hole (formerly a par 4), partially to ease the demanding climb to the elevated fifth green. An enhanced practice facility features new covered hitting stalls with artificial turf, plus separate open-air grass tees for lessons. A new restaurant adjacent to the pro shop will debut next year.
Although Cedar Irons is 1,000 yards shorter than Chambers Bay, its rolling terrain keeps it challenging. With green fees at roughly 25% of the cost to play Chambers Bay, it offers outstanding value.
“We’re not trying to compete with Chambers Bay,” Hixson says. “Cedar Irons is not on the radar for a lot of people, but I think it’s really important to the public golf scene to improve courses within city limits with so much population nearby.”
THE CHAMBERS BAY EXPERIENCE
Despite being a demanding walk, Chambers Bay has blossomed into one of the game’s best strolls.
It did not happen without growing pains. Maintaining consistent speeds and conditions on the original fescue greens proved problematic early on. A 2021 renovation introduced poa annua onto the putting surfaces, bringing much-needed stability.
When the sun is shining, few places are as scenic as Chambers Bay, a brawny, links-style playground overlooking the Puget Sound. Owned by Pierce County and managed by KemperSports, Chambers Bay is the centerpiece of a 930-acre county park. It’s not uncommon for golfers to encounter dogwalkers and runners sharing the public trails weaving between holes.
The Robert Trent Jones Jr. design will celebrate its 20th birthday next year by hosting the 2027 U.S. Junior Amateur, its fifth USGA Championship. Following the 2033 U.S. Amateur, a second U.S. Open could be on the horizon. The striking views seem tailor-made for television, though logistics remain a consideration for spectators on a site that once operated as a sand-and-gravel mining operation.
Hiring a caddie is highly recommended for first-timers, not only to assist with the walk but to decipher so many hidden nuances. Mounds and slopes on fairways and green surrounds tend to kick the ball toward the hole one minute and into trouble the next. That’s the rub of Chambers Bay: Good bounces make your day, while bad ones can test your patience. It is best to lean on someone who knows how to approach each shot.
Memorable moments will dot the round. The dizzying downhill tee shot on the par-3 ninth hole at the top of the quarry’s rim often inspires a group selfie. The uphill, go-for-broke drive on the 295-yard 12th hole yielded the most eagles in U.S. Open history, though most players should be happy with par after putting on such a topsy-turvy green. The par-3 15th hole, known as “Lone Fir,” showcases the only tree on the entire property, while shots on the 16th and 17th hole along the water feel extra special when a train rolls by.
Whether the world’s top professionals get another shot at Chambers Bay remains to be seen. Until then, it stands as a public playground worthy of high praise.
CHAMBERS BAY
6320 Grandview Drive West
University Place, Washington, 98467
Yards: 7,158
Par: 74.4
Slope: 138
Green Fees: $149-$325
CEDAR IRONS GOLF CLUB
4101 North Shore Blvd. NE
Tacoma, Washington, 98422
Yards: 6,109
Par: 69.7
Slope: 126
Green Fees: $79
