The untold Story of Chambers Bay

A few weeks ago the US Open concluded with heart break for Dustin Johnson, but a well-earned trophy for young Jordan Speith, who played consistently through the four days, on a course that was grueling. This edition of the US Open was played at Chambers Bay. The golf course is only seven years old and is the youngest golf course to ever host the US Open Championship.

An Aerial view of the property 

This years edition grabbed lots of media attention, not just for the golfing spectacle unfolding on the greens, but the for the golf course itself. It would be only modest to say that a few players were totally dissatisfied at the conditions offered by Chambers Bay, the most vocal professional was Ryan Palmer, who stated ‘its not a championship (level) golf course’ when asked about the condition of the greens. This best captures the attitude of many professionals going into the tournament.

What I felt was lacking at during this time was any discussion on the amazing environmental achievements of Chambers Bay. From a design and sustainability point of view, what Robert Trent Jones Jr. achieved on this site is quite remarkable; and mind you this is a municipal golf course not a private club.

The Chambers Bay Golf course is part of a 950-acre property located near Tacoma, Washington. The golf course itself is 250 acres and was built on an old gravel-mining site. In fact in the early century, this site has been used for numerous industries like, paper mill, lumberyard, railroad center, even a wasteland treatment center!

By design, this golf course is one of the finest examples in the US of blending the artificial environment of the golf course with natural terrain of the land. In fact the choice of grass on the golf course ‘Fine (chewing) Fescue was used because it blends with the coastal grass land eco system prevalent in the region There are a diverse number of flaura and fauna on the property and the golf course features a 5 mile trail for visitors to appreciate the natural beauty.  

A view of the Golf Course 

Going forward golf courses need to be sustainable, where they blend in to the natural environment. Typically the green carpets that most golfers demand is extremely difficult to achieve and over time damages the natural surroundings. For the good of the game, golf designers need to push themselves to create international standard courses on tracks that may have otherwise been left unkempt. This was a very bold and brave move by the USGA to host its marquee event on such a golf course, but it was needed for the good of the game.  This body is leading from the front in an effort to make the game more environmentally sensitive.

And… to all the naysayers, I think it is worth remembering a quote from Mr. Jack Nicklaus ‘The course is not meant to suit your game, you are meant to suit your game to the golf course’.

The Panchkula Club - An Interesting Precedent

The union territory of Chandigarh has 2 18-hole golf courses, the Chandigarh Golf Club, located in the hart of the city (Sector 6) and the Panchkula Golf club. The Panchkula Club is outside the union territory, in Haryana approximately 14 km from the heart of Chandigarh. The golf course was created by the state of Haryana and is maintained by the city. It is public golf course that also offers membership.

Unlike the Chandigarh golf club the Panchkula Club features wide fairways with a water hazard on the 9^th hole and the 18^th hole. The greens are moderately sloped, but offer interesting pin locations that can penalize wayward approach shots. There are not as many trees on the course as CGC and even a miss-placed tee shot can be easily recovered. All in all this is a great practice golf course and quite impressive that a golf course of such caliber was created by state.

In the future the need for public golf courses is will greatly influence the popularity of the sport. Especially n India, where there are more private association style clubs that restrict guest players and charge Green fees that are in the premium range. The Panchkula club offers a great example of what can be achieved with the will of the government. Clubs such as these will play a pivotal role in encouraging and promoting the game amongst the wider section of the community.

It is my hope that tier 2 and tier 3 cities embrace golf courses not just as a draw for business but even as centers for bio and environmental diversity, sewage treatment, beautification and contributing to the public lung space. It can be used to preserve monuments and even be developed on disregarded pieces of land.

There are urban legends about foreign companies preferring land around the golf course as opposed to an industrial area. As the government develops ‘Smart Cities’ and ‘Port Cities’, golf will be a highly valued amenity by the prospective developers and investors. In this case the Panchkula Golf Club will make an excellent precedent for governments to follow. 

The game of golf is a great leveler, it is one of the few sports where a professional and club golfer can play together and it can be a competitive game. I hope government bodies recognize this and leverage this sports positive value. The few states that have done so… have never looked back. 

Lessons learned from my visit to the Chandigarh Golf Club

The city of Chandigarh was created after partition, because the large state of Punjab had lost its original capital, Lahore to Pakistan. The displacement of many people (and villages) coupled with the loss of the capital, forced the then central government to create an iconic Capital City for the people that lost so much.  When Haryana broke away from the state in 1966 Chandigarh became a Union Territory and now serves as the joint capital for both states. The city is 4.5 hours from Delhi and is a preferred ‘retirement paradise’ for individuals and government officers from Delhi; with the result that the ‘Golf culture’ caught on early here and remains well entrenched, unlike anywhere else in India.

The Chandigarh Golf Club was created in 1950 and is an association style golf course. It has 18 holes with a monstrous 7^th hole Par 5 that is one of the longest in India at 610 yards when played from the ‘Back’ Tees. The golf course is designed in a traditional style, narrow fairways that are lined with old trees and native shrubs and bushes; the course does not feature many water hazards. However, the steep bunkers and sloping fairways demand accurate approach shots from the golfer. The best way to tackle this course is to play it with a 3 wood or driving iron, which will eliminate most trouble.

This golf course is home to some of India’s most successful golfers on the international circuit, Jeev Milkha Singh and Gaganjeet Bhullar.  

Chandigarh has a vibrant golfing population; it is not uncommon to find parents on the driving range straight after work with their children. Even the number of amateurs here, out number those found in the metros of Mumbai or Bangalore. What could be the reasons for this? Could be a cultural difference that sways the perception of golf in the eyes of the population?

To further grow the game in India it is necessary to understand the impact of society and culture. The tendency has been to apply cookie cutter strategies and principles that have worked in one region. Going forward this approach will need to change. As one travels within India, the cultures and social dynamics change quite dramatically and more so in the Southern States. As a first step towards achieving integration Regional Centers of national golfing bodies need to be created. From here, programs, tournaments, seminars can be tailor-made to suit the needs of the area. The creation of standalone practice areas (like the Chandigarh Golf Association) needs to be developed and supported by the industry bodies.  

In this manner the cities of India can create and actively engage with the golfing community, which will go a long way in the development of the sport in India.