University Place Golf Trip Planning Guide
Home to Chambers Bay — the Robert Trent Jones Jr. links that hosted the 2015 U.S. Open and the first major in the Pacific Northwest. It's a walking-only fescue gauntlet on Puget Sound, 20 minutes from Tacoma's bars and a quick run to a dozen more Pierce County tracks. Bucket-list golf without the bucket-list flight.
Quick Facts
Summer, Fall
SEA (40 min drive)
$30–$230
$200/night
4 of 4
~$255/person
Sample 3-Day Itinerary
Here's a realistic 3-day itinerary for a group golf trip to University Place. Every venue below is real and pulled from our curated database — no filler.
Day 1
Chambers Bay — links, $170–$230 · 4.5★
2015 U.S. Open host — fine-fescue links on Puget Sound, walking-only and one of the toughest walks in golf
The Lobster Shop — seafood, $$$ · 4.5★
Waterfront seafood on Commencement Bay — Dungeness crab, lobster, and a sunset view over the water
The Spar Tavern — dive · Open late
Old Town Tacoma institution since 1908 — stiff pours, history on the walls, and burgers till late
Day 2
The Home Course — links, $70–$110 · 4.5★
WA Golf's own links-style course in DuPont — wide fescue fairways and Puget Sound views, a great Chambers Bay companion
Puget Sound Fishing Charter — half day, $150–$250/pp
Chase salmon and bottomfish on Puget Sound — multiple boats can split a big group
El Gaucho Tacoma — steakhouse, $$$$ · 4.6★
Old-school tableside steakhouse with Chateaubriand carved at the table — the big-night dinner spot
7 Seas Brewing — brewpub
Big garage-door taproom in the Brewery District — long tables that swallow a 16-man crew
Day 3
Brookdale Golf Club — parkland, $40–$65 · 4.2★
Classic mature parkland muni in Tacoma — affordable, walkable warm-up before the Chambers Bay grind
Point Defiance Park & Zoo — 2-3 hours, $0–$25/pp
700-acre waterfront park with old-growth trails and Five Mile Drive — easy recovery-day legs
Engine House No. 9 — brewpub, $$ · 4.4★
Historic firehouse brewpub in the 6th Ave district — burgers, house beer, and zero pretension
Doyle's Public House — sports bar · Open late
Downtown Irish pub with 30+ taps and every game on — the default late-round watering hole
Course-by-Course Guide
University Place has 4 courses worth playing, including 1 bucket-list tier layout. 4 are walkable if you want to save on cart fees.
Where to Stay
University Place has 2 group-friendly lodging options in our database, starting at $200/night for the whole house. Several options include hot tubs — a non-negotiable for most groups.
$400–$900 /night
University Place and Tacoma's North End — residential homes minutes from Chambers Bay
$200–$400 /night
Downtown Tacoma hotel block near the waterfront and Stadium District
Group Dining Guide
4 restaurants vetted for group golf trips. Several can handle large parties without a reservation headache.
The Lobster Shop
$$$Waterfront seafood on Commencement Bay — Dungeness crab, lobster, and a sunset view over the water
El Gaucho Tacoma
$$$$Old-school tableside steakhouse with Chateaubriand carved at the table — the big-night dinner spot
Engine House No. 9
$$Historic firehouse brewpub in the 6th Ave district — burgers, house beer, and zero pretension
Pho King
$Beloved Tacoma pho joint — exactly the hangover cure the crew needs before an early tee time
Nightlife
3 bars curated for groups. 2 stay open past midnight.
The Spar Tavern
Late nightOld Town Tacoma institution since 1908 — stiff pours, history on the walls, and burgers till late
7 Seas Brewing
Big garage-door taproom in the Brewery District — long tables that swallow a 16-man crew
Doyle's Public House
Late nightDowntown Irish pub with 30+ taps and every game on — the default late-round watering hole
Activities Beyond Golf
3 off-course activities for rest days or afternoons.
Puget Sound Fishing Charter
Chase salmon and bottomfish on Puget Sound — multiple boats can split a big group
Point Defiance Park & Zoo
700-acre waterfront park with old-growth trails and Five Mile Drive — easy recovery-day legs
Tacoma Brewery Crawl
Hit 7 Seas, Wingman, and Narrows in the Brewery District — walkable craft-beer afternoon
Getting There
Fly into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) — it's a 40-minute drive to University Place. For groups of 8+, consider booking a shuttle or party bus from the airport (local providers include Seattle Party Bus and Northwest Limousine). Renting two SUVs usually works for groups of 4-8.