A few times during my mid-October golf round at Chambers Bay, I found myself thinking about how cool it is that golfers come from all over the world to play this course in our backyard.

From start to finish, it’s an incredible golf experience. The University Place course, which is owned by Pierce County and managed by KemperSports, opened in 2007.

I won’t go too deep into the history of the course, but most Pierce County residents are well aware the course hosted the 2015 U.S. Open, one of professional golf’s four major championships.

Designed by renowned course architect Robert Trent Jones II, Chambers is a links-style course with massive bunkers, sloping fairways and breathtaking views of Puget Sound and the Olympic mountains. There’s a ton of elevation change and carts aren’t allowed, so prepare for a solid workout walking the course.

We had perfect Pacific Northwest golf weather that day: foggy and chilly in the morning before the sun came out on the back nine.

The course, which spans 249 hilly acres, is impeccably maintained and offers a unique challenge. A few memorable holes: the Par 3 No. 9, which has a tee perched high above the hole. It’s a dramatic visual drop-off and tricked me into clubbing down, which was a mistake.

I also love the stretch of holes on the back nine — Nos. 15, 16 and 17 — that run parallel to the train tracks near Puget Sound.

My driver was working well that day, which kept me out of too much trouble, but inevitably, I found a few bunkers along the way. I broke 90 thanks to a 42 on the back nine. The winner in our group was good friend Justin Schauer, who powered through the round after slicing his thumb with a kitchen knife while prepping dinner a few days earlier. That, folks, is commitment to the game.

When talking about a course of this caliber, value is relative, but rounds in October are under $200 for Pierce County residents, which I think is a great value. For most of us, this isn’t a weekly stop, but the price is accessible for people to play a few times a year.

Having a world-class golf course in our backyard is something we probably take for granted. We shouldn’t.

THE REVIEW

Pros: Hilly, challenging, breathtaking views, impeccably maintained, massive bunkers, memorable holes, great value for Pierce County residents.

Cons: Not senior friendly with no carts allowed.

MANLEY’S SCORE

Quality: 10

Value: 8

Overall: 9

This story was originally published October 22, 2026 at 10:33 AM with the headline "What playing a round at Chambers Bay reminded me about local treasures."