Robert Trent Jones Jr audio (8-22)

Because of the rapid change in color and firmness, and as Robert Trent Jones Jr. characterized, in “vast scale,” Chambers Bay Golf Links looks like something transformed overnight on a Hollywood movie set.

It’s certainly not for the waggle-weary golfers who have anything but a confident thought in mind hitting shots off these tee boxes, and on these fairways.

Golfers got a final glimpse of the layout Sunday afternoon in preparation for the 110th U.S. Amateur championship, which begins in the stroke-play round Monday at Chambers Bay and The Home Course.

“Chambers is a little drier, but it’s normally firm and fast,” Bainbridge Island teenager Carl Jonson said. “But they’ve taken it to another level.”

To get a barometer about how the entrants and their coaches and caddies felt about this ever-drying out venue, all you had to do was hang out at the main practice green.

Many would drop balls – on the fringe of greens, or on the putting surface – and just watch the constant movement.

Just for a little off-day fun, one of the golfers challenged his caddie to a putting contest, to which the keen mind replied, “I don’t know if you want to do that on THESE greens.”

Ah, how Puyallup’s Ryan Moore would feel now putting on the first green today. They’re not running slow anymore – not even close.

“On No. 1, a caddie the other day dropped a ball on the right side of the green, and it rolled 60 yards back,” Jonson said. “It’s probably the hardest hole on the golf course.”

In texture, and on the handicap index.

Green speed will be a tender topic all week, I presume. A few weeks ago, talking with regional United States Golf Association agronomist Larry Gilhuly about how fast these greens could get, he said 101/2 to 11 feet on the Stimpmeter would be very acceptable.

Try 12 feet.

That might be all that is needed to scare the living daylights out of the world’s best amateurs this week.

“The greens are firm, and the approach putts will be a little longer,” said George “Buddy” Marucci Jr, playing in his 27th U.S. Amateur. “Approach putting is going to be important, because you’re going to have long putts.”

Other tidbits:

• Medalist score? My first impression before heading out Sunday was 5-under 138. Now I’m not so sure – maybe a stroke higher.

Because of the ample driving room at The Home Course, Marucci thought it would be 3- to 4-under.

“I think somebody is going to shoot under-par, but I don’t think it’s going to be drastically under-par,” Marucci said. “Over there (at Home Course) … I think somebody will get it going and have a real good score. I don’t think anybody is going to do that necessarily here because it’s going to be difficult to get the ball close to the hole.”

The real question is what will the lowest score at Chambers Bay be? A couple people familiar with the layout don’t think anyone will break 70 – and that a golfer could shoot as high as 100.

Jonson disagrees.

“If you get though the tough holes, you get looks like No. 12 where you can drive the green (on a par-4),” Jonson said. “Four birdies, that is easily doable.”

• Eighty-five Chambers Bay caddies have been hired this week. Caddie manager Brian Haines said that number could grow Monday morning before the start of play.

• A few spectators were out and about for practice rounds Sunday. Saw about 10-12 folks in the merchandise tent (open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) by the media center.

• The main putting green will certainly be the most popular place to hang out. Big concessions area. The BIGGEST scoreboard. Outdoor seating. Really cool place to be.

• I get asked all the time about who I think is going to win. Hmm … 312 players, what are my odds of a successful selection? Not good. I think the player best-suited to win is Peter Uihlein, the junior from Oklahoma State (also a shameless plug for my profile piece in Monday’s paper).

But what are his odds? With 311 other guys trying to accomplish the same feat – probably in the same boat as me with one pick.