Fircrest’s Ken Still spent his entire career on the PGA Tour entertaining galleries in all parts of the country.

On Tuesday, his hometown showed him a little of that same love. The Fircrest city council approved a letter of proclamation, declaring Feb. 12 – the golfer’s birth date – as “Ken Still Day.”

As the 77-year-old sat in attendance with his wife, Linda, city council members took turns reading congratulatory letters from golfing peers Jack Nicklaus, Raymond Floyd and Juan “Chi-Chi” Rodriguez.

Still was also hailed in a letter written by Pierce County executive Pat McCarthy as the city’s goodwill …

Read more »

The first shipment of U.S. Open logo clothing is in at Chambers Bay, and starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday, it will be made available for purchase in the pro shop.

Items available include men’s and women’s shirts ($48.95 to $78.95 price range), jackets and sweater vests, and a large assortment of hats ($32).

Other stuff, including golf balls and bags, won’t be in until sometime early in 2012.

Chambers Bay has extended its pro-shop hours from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. through Dec. 24. By USGA merchandising regulations, all items must be purchased in person, and cannot be made over …

Read more »

I posted something about this a month ago. Since a story published today – and we teased to the Green Scene – here is the work expected to be done in each phase:

PHASE I, Oct. 20
First hole - Entire green will have new sod, and the area short right of the putting surface will be softened. The hole will be closed starting Oct. 20 for roughly six weeks. Golfers will play the 10th hole twice.

Read more »

After a lengthy tour Tuesday morning with general manager Matt Allen, I wanted to get at least an overview of the changes that will occur at Chambers Bay over the next few months (and a story will publish next week sometimes):

The tweaks were all highly recommended by United States Golf Association officials on site visits since the 2010 U.S. Amateur in August:

All work will be done in distinct phases:

PHASE I, Oct. 20
First hole - Entire green will have new sod, and the area short right of the putting surface will be softened. The hole will be closed starting Oct. 20 for roughly six weeks. Golfers will play the 10th hole twice.

Read more »

In the tug-o-war among U.S. Open hopeful venues along the West Coast, new USGA executive director Mike Davis made some telling comments about who gets the thumbs-up – and quite possibly the thums-down – for the future.

On the heels of the USGA’s announcement that the U.S. Open will be heading back to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in New York in 2018, Davis was asked point-blank where Torrey Pines South Course fits into the rotation.

Given the USGA likely won’t keep four West Coast courses are part if its 12- to 15-course rotation for the U.S. Open, the suitors are Pebble Beach Golf Links (Monterey Peninsula), The Olympic Club (San Francisco), Torrey Pines South (San Diego) and Chambers Bay Golf Course (University Place).

Historic Pebble Beach will ALWAYS be part of the rotation, and gets another crack at it in 2019. The Olympic Club has been a stalwart for years, and will host it next year. Chambers Bay is front and center in 2015 for the first time as an influx of new courses are starting to crack the lineup.

Read more »

John Bodenhamer’s career in golf has come full circle.

Bodenhamer, the PNGA’s executive director since 1990, was announced Thursday as the United States Golf Association’s new senior managing director of rules, competitions and amateur status.

He will be one of new USGA executive director Mike Davis’ four senior managers – and will do a lot of the same responsibilities with championship-competition management Davis did before his promotion as the head man.

Bodenhamer, 49, will transition into his new job by Aug. 1, and relocate to USGA headquarters in Far Hills, N.J.

It was April when Davis called Bondehamer about the …

Read more »

Sports Illustrated got a hold of NBC on-site reporter Dottie Pepper and asked her observations about Chambers Bay Golf Links during the U.S. Amateur.

She was mildly critical of the course, as seen here.

I will say this, she did walk the course during broadcasts – unlike others who were working in similar capacity.

The mini-crisis, if you want to call it that, has taken a much-bigger-than-it-should life of its own in the past week.

Like with any slight tremor felt, everyone expects an earthquake to follow – all leading to the supposed uncertainty of the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place.

Ever since it was announced in the winter of 2007 that Chambers Bay had been awarded the 2015 U.S. Open by the United States Golf Association, unfounded rumors have cropped up, all stating that, “if this doesn’t happen, or that doesn’t happen” – golf’s top governing body will renege on its agreement.

A clubhouse? Yeah, it would be nice one is built by the next century. But it hasn’t been, or never will be a deal-killer.

Not enough hotels for 70,000 patrons? Golf fans would stay in Aberdeen if it meant not missing one moment of the most stringent test in the sport.

Read more »