Opinion & Analysis

What to do near Chambers Bay at the U.S. Open: Drink, eat and shop

Published

11 years ago

Jun 10, 2015

Chambers Bay. YES, we are excited!

For the first time in the history of the Pacific Northwest, we are finally getting a U.S. Open. The 2015 U.S. Open will mark the largest-attended sporting event we’ve ever seen in these parts. If early ticket sales and volunteer applications indicate anything, it’s plain to see the Pacific Northwest is more than thrilled to be hosting such a fine event.

As an Oregon resident for more than 20 years, I’ve had the absolute privilege to visit some of the fine fescue golf establishments in the Pacific Northwest and experience many of our illustrious attractions. Whether you’re coming from far or near, below is a list of places to drink, golf and shop on your visit. I consider myself a part-time professional in each of these capacities… in my own mind anyway.

Beer

One thing folks are somewhat aware of is the fact that the Pacific Northwest is a growing region for a number of crops. Washington’s Yakima Valley and Oregon’s Willamette (pronounced to rhyme with “damn it”) Valley are two of the world’s eminent hop growing regions. While Oregon and Washington have brought to fame the Pacific Northwest style India Pale Ale (IPA), there are a few breweries in the Seattle area to take a look at for a broader sense of the microbrewery scene here.

Pike Brewing Company located right in downtown Seattle, 1st Avenue, has an assortment of Scottish-inspired ales. One in particular, the Kilt Lifter, is a Ruby Ale with a rich malty effervescence and flavour (I just used the u in flavour because it’s cool). The subtle, but apparent smoky finish is the result of a Peated Malt variety that could very well draw comparisons to a highland whisky. The Weisse wheat ale is also a “go to” as winner of the most refreshing in my book.

The second brewery I’d like to highlight is Mac & Jacks and its legendary African Amber. This beer is unfiltered, malty and simply in a class of its own. They do not have a pub and really just sell growlers with some minimal tasting in a retail outlet at the back corner of a corporate park in Redmond, Wash. (home to Microsoft, among other technology giants). If you can find it in a pub, and it’s in most in the Seattle area, that means you are too close for missiles and you need to switch to guns and indulge.

Elysian Brewing Company has brewed more than 350 different types of craft beers since its inception in 1997, including the highly recommended LOSER Pale ale.

The third brewery I’d like to highlight is Elysian. It has pretty much perfected the art of crafting a beer you can fall asleep holding. My favorite is called LOSER. Perhaps it is all marketing, but the beer is a fine Pale ale that is drinkable for all. Believe it or not, you don’t have to be a loser to appreciate this fine beverage.

Wine

East of the Cascades lies the lush growing country of the Columbia Valley. Aside from growing the spuds that feed into about 50 percent of the world’s French fry consumption, the Columbia Valley gets nice and hot in the summers and gives crops a nice freeze in the winters. These factors combined with some others I don’t understand give rise to what would seem to be the ideal circumstances for cultivating Cabernet Sauvignon (among other varietals). There are more than 750 wineries in Washington, so to fully enjoy the wine experience you might have to book a complete separate trip. This site is a great resource for researching Seattle-area wineries.

Domaine Drouhin Winery was established in the late 1980s, but the Drouhin family has been making wine in France and later the U.S. since 1880.

Owing to lack of experience, I can’t speak to the wineries in Washington as well as those in my backyard in the Willamette Valley, which is known for the Pinot Noir. A few of the more serious contenders are Penner Ash, Domaine Drouhin and Erath. These Vineyards are about 45 minutes to an hour southwest of Portland. Of these, I’d highlight the tasting experiences at Domaine Drouin and Ponzi. Views from these tasting rooms are absolutely stunning. Bear in mind that Reidel made a special trip to this region to specially design a Pinot Noir glass that kicks the wine to the back of your tongue where most of your taste buds reside.

Spirits

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Established in 2012, Glass Distillery is distinctive because it uses grapes, and not potatoes or grains, to make vodka.

The Pacific Northwest is very serious about their craft movement, and spirits are not about to get left behind. For starters, and contrary to the abundance of whiskey here, we MUST showcase the fine Seattle Glass Distillery and its stunning Glass Vodka. Using Washington Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay grapes, this vodka should be shaken and could even, dare I say, be served neat. This stuff is seriously smooth. The founder, Mr. Ian McNeil, is a wonderful fellow, fine ambassador of golf, and great to chat with.

If you should meander to Portland, the big buzz here is letting locally distilled whiskey or vodka sit in used Pinot Noir Oak barrels. While you read that again and ponder how awesome it could be, the best next step is to turn to Bull Run Distillery and Burnside Distillery to learn about their offerings and put some in your belly… or your flask for the next Birdie Train.

Coffee

Yes. Seattle is the home to Starbucks. Go to Pike Place and visit the first location, where I swear the Pike Street blend is bolder, richer, and simply more delicious. The line isn’t as long as it looks …. OK maybe it is. Outside of Starbucks, should you wander, a plethora of anal baristas can be found all over Ballard. Ask for an iced espresso and they will scoff, on the basis that it could SHOCK the espresso and ask you to leave. Closer to the core of Seattle, I always have to mention Stumptown, since it’s Portland-based and has built a cult-like following. Also Caffe Vita is worth trying for its mild and delicious blends, but honestly it’s such a fast moving and growing space that there will invariably be a brand new shop not far from where you’re staying.

Caffe Vita imports its coffee beans directly from farms, and brews them on-site at their nine locations in Washington and Oregon.

Golf

Unless you are one of the elite exempt or resilient qualifiers, there is a low likelihood of having your chance to play Chambers Bay the week of the U.S. Open. Before you begin booking in the surrounding area, bear in mind that more than 200,000 golf-minded folk will also be interested in …. well you guessed it … GOLF. Getting out won’t be an issue in every case and there is one course and project creating a ton of excitement not more than three driving hours away.

Gamble Sands, located in Brewster, Wash., is a David McLay Kidd gem. This course is an absolute must and imperative to play if this is your one and only trip to the Pacific Northwest. The course has impressive 360-degree views and is downright awesome. Kidd describes it as “pure, unadulterated golf.”

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Gamble Sands sits high above the Columbia River and is surrounded by the Cascade Mountains, thousands of acres of manicured apple and cherry orchards, multiple river vistas and mountains of black basalt.

Others courses worth checking out include: Wine Valley, in wine country, designed by Links master Dan Hixson. I’ve heard the new Salish Cliffs is stunning, but haven’t had the chance to make the trek there yet. TPC Snoqualmie wraps a majestic mountain, boasts amazing views of the Cascades and is host to the Boeing Champions Tour event.

Wandering types with extra time could make a trek down to Bandon. A short three-hour flight from Seattle to North Bend can solve the time or driving concerns.

Man Shopping: Effing Made in the USA

Between all the drinking and golfing, you might have time to do some shopping. Here are a few of my recommendations for top quality goods with Pacific Northwest roots.

Filson: Durable. Quality. Heavyweight. Filson is headquartered in Seattle and committed to making some of the finest hunting inspired bag and accessory lines. Wax Canvas, heavy cotton twill and Pacific Northwest wool are combined to make some of the very essentials to for the well-accessorized gentleman.

Alial Fital: Gibran Hamden, founder and designer, makes some of the most exhilarating polos with contrasting, patterned, collars and bright colors. A stretchy fit and available man sizing make these shirts very appropriate for the discerning golfer. Let’s not forget that touring professional Bo Van Pelt started buying these stylish shirts and wearing them unendorsed. You can schedule an appointment to visit the showroom of this Seattle-based brand for a one of a kind shopping experience.

Alial Fital was founded by former NFL quarterback Gibran Hamdan in 2011.

HAMMER + AWL: Cool-crafted things are not just for hipsters. The accessories stocked here are tailored and designed to the exacting specifications of their makers. The well-vetted and curated brands in this shop are there for a reason, a commitment to making only the highest-quality goods.

Tanner Goods: If you do make it to Portland, a must visit is Tanner Goods. I get giddy whenever I step foot in this place. A good friend and local saddle maker hero LP Streifel helped a group of artisans start one of the finest leather craft companies we’ve seen in some time. Tanner Goods makes belts, wallets, and bags from the most gorgeous hand selected hides and natural materials. If you are on Instagram, search the hashtag for #worthholdingonto where fans share the nicely broken in leather goods.

At the Portland Tanner Goods location, you can get your purchase monogrammed, and you can find goods exclusively there before they get shipped to Tanner Goods’ three other locations in the U.S.

As you can see, there’s a wealth of goodness in the Pacific Northwest, much more than I’ve mentioned here. We’re happy a prestigious event such as the U.S. Open provides an opportunity for visitors to discover the great golf and more of that this region has to offer.

Hopefully we’ll prove reason for visitors and high profile golf to come back again.

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Akbar Chisti

Akbar Chisti is president and co-founder of SEAMUS GOLF, a craft maker of fine goods for the enthusiast golfer including its signature golf head covers hand cut and sewn in Oregon. Featured in some of the finest golf shops in the U.S., including Bandon Dunes, Pebble Beach, and Harbor Town, SEAMUS is proud to be the first Oregon-based woolen golf accessories brand where each product is carefully designed, cut, sewn and packaged by hand for each individual customer. SEAMUS is named after the family Irish Terrier, and was founded in 2011 by married couple Megan and Akbar Chisti. SEAMUS will present collaborations with Pendleton and a Portland artisan blacksmith during the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay with head covers, pouches, ball marks, bag tags and blankets.

15 Comments

Jwowzer

Jun 14, 2015 at 1:07 am

Mac & Jacks getting some love!

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Chris

Jun 12, 2015 at 12:30 am

I really University Place. It can get rough heading east toward Tacoma, but every time I’ve been I wish I could stay longer. Washington is a beautiful state. Best to make a trip north to Seattle if you want social life.

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cwbam

Jun 11, 2015 at 12:15 am

Shopping: some nice used clubs, wedges, putters at Highland Golf Course a nice 9 hole venue.
Puetz golf, Sportco Warehouse (hunt & fish)
Some great parks
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium , park ect.. some great exhibits and people watching
Browns Point Park
JBLM can have lots of traffic early in am along with traffic headed to Seattle and Bellevue
Afternoon traffic leaving Seattle and Bellevue
Mariners games around 7pm Wed-Sat

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Matt Pugh

Jun 10, 2015 at 6:26 pm

Okay, I’d like to clarify a few things about this post for those who are traveling to Tacoma to watch the US Open at Chambers Bay, or are not from the Pacific Northwest.

First off, the distance between Pike Place Market and Chambers is roughly 42 miles. This isn’t an altogether big distance to travel, but the stretch of I-5 between Seattle and Tacoma is often pretty slow moving, and traffic jams are not uncommon. Though, you can’t go wrong at Pike Brewery (check out: Kilt Lifter), or walking around the Seattle Waterfront and Pike Place Market, especially if this is your first trip to the area.

Along with Elysian, and the other breweries listed above, another great choice would be Georgetown Brewing in Georgetown (south Seattle). Here you will find an offering of beers for many different palettes, including Mannys Pale Ale, Choppers Porter, and Lucille IPA. Also, Two Beers Brewing in south Seattle, is another great option. If spirits are your thing, why not check out Westland Distillery, who is the biggest distillery on the west coast.

One of the pioneers of Craft brewing is Red Hook, which is located north east of Seattle(further from Tacoma) in Woodinville. The distance between Woodinville and Chambers is 55 miles. If wine is your thing, Woodinville is a great place on the west side of the mountains, and there are a bunch of wineries in the surrounding area, including the Chateau Ste. Michelle.

Down in Tacoma, Ruston Way is a great place to check out. There is a 2 mile long park on the waterfront, as well as many different restaurant options as well. A little further south from Ruston is the Museum of Glass which features many of Dale Chihuly’s creations. Some great place to eat and drink in the greater Tacoma area are Harmon Brewery and Eatery, Crockett’s Public House, The Red Hot (try the Hilltop Hot Dog), The Parkway Tavern, Pint Defiance, Engine House #9, and my inside sources tells me that the Golf Channel will be set up at Doyles Public House.

The distance between Portland and Chambers is 169 miles.

The distance between Chambers Bay and Gamble Sands is 235 miles.

If you are looking to play some golf while you are in the area, rest assured there are many good courses much, much closer. The Home Course is about 12 miles south of Chambers in DuPont. Washington National is about 27 miles to the north east in Aubrun. Across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge are both Gold Mountain(a 2 course complex), and Trophy Lake, and neither will disappoint. The Olympic Course at Gold Mountain is in fantastic shape having just recently held an NCAA sectional tournament. Further up towards Bellevue (due east from Seattle) are Maplewood Golf Course, Newcastle Golf Course, and Willows Run(another 2 course complex). If you are looking for great views of Seattle, and want to play some great golf on a budget, in my opinion, the best Seattle Municipal course is West Seattle Golf Course (when you reach the switchbacks on the back 9 you will see what I’m talking about).

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- Andy Gold
  
  Jun 10, 2015 at 11:02 pm
  
  Wow, what a great comment. Seems like you should have written the post in the first place. Thanks for the awesome tips Matt!
  
  Reply Report comment
- Matthew H.
  
  Jun 11, 2015 at 12:56 am
  
  @Matt Pugh – I wouldn’t assume everyone is flying, let alone into SeaTac. I know plenty that are flying into PDX and making a short commute (Might even be less than the stretch that you mention at rush hour). Who in the area of Chambers Bay would have known about David Mclay Kidd’s Gamble Sands from a simple google search? Minimal in my opinion. I enjoy articles that aren’t stating the obvious. I’d be lying if I don’t drive an extra 50+ Miles for a hidden gem every once in a while. I’ll be up in the area and hope to get to Seattle for a night and peak around some of your suggestions as well as Mr. Chisti’s. Thanks for the info in your comment.
  
  Reply Report comment
Jimmy O

Jun 10, 2015 at 4:32 pm

Some additional local beer recommendations for the bold. Freemont Brewing Sister Imperial IPA, Elysian Dragonstooth Stout and Elysian Spacedust IPA. Just like our tastes in golf clubs, everyone has different tastes in beer! Enjoy!

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myron miller

Jun 10, 2015 at 12:15 pm

There are a ton of other elite courses on the wet side of the mountains, not just the ones in Eastern Washington that are being overlooked by Mr. Chisti. Olympic course at Gold Mountain, The Home Course Dupont, Trophy course Port Orchard, amongst others are a few exceptional courses in the area. One doesn’t have to drive as far as he’s driving to play top quality courses. Loomis trail, Semiahmoo are not that far away either. And by no means is this a comprehensive list of very good courses available in the area.

What I’m saying is certainly the courses in Eastern Washington are fine but one doesn’t have to drive that far to play some pretty decent courses.

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- Double Mocha Man
  
  Jun 10, 2015 at 12:56 pm
  
  Careful with Semiahmoo. It has been built up so much there are now houses (closely) lining every golf hole. Feels like you are playing on people’s lawns.
  
  Reply Report comment
Matthew H.

Jun 10, 2015 at 11:45 am

If you happen to be flying into Portland and like coffee, check out Barista. By far the best coffee in Portland. Their Valrhona Mocha is life changing as well. Check them out at http://baristapdx.com/

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Michael

Jun 10, 2015 at 11:02 am

For hop heads out there head up to Ballard, about 15 minutes north of downtown Seattle. Some of the best breweries in the city (and state) have popped up there in the last few years:

http://www.myballard.com/breweries/

My favorites are Reuben’s Brews (Crikey IPA and the Imperial Black IPA are amazing) and Stoup Brewing (Citra IPA and Mosaic Pale).

Reply Report comment
MJS

Jun 10, 2015 at 10:39 am

Regarding your opening few lines, didn’t Sahalee host the 1998 PGA Championship, or am I missing some nuanced definition of the Pacific Northwest?

Reply Report comment
- Zak Kozuchowski
  
  Jun 10, 2015 at 10:46 am
  
  You’re right, MJS, and this is the first U.S. Open.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Double Mocha Man
  
  Jun 10, 2015 at 10:48 am
  
  Nah, that was some small potatoes, side show tournament that Vijay Singh won.
  
  Reply Report comment
- AKBAR
  
  Jun 10, 2015 at 6:12 pm
  
  MJS: On the subject of majors, lest not forget the 1946 PGA Championship at Portland Golf Club, where Ben Hogan won his first major. Double Mocha Man: The Ryder Cup almost died until a local grocer Mr. Hudson footed the bill to bring a dozen europeans to Portland Golf Club in 1947. Not a Major (with a capital EMMM), but hardly side show and bears some significance.
  
  Reply Report comment

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