Public course · University Place, WA
Chambers Bay Weather by Month & Best Time to Play
By OverUnderWeather Research Desk
Monthly rain, wind and temperature to help you pick your dates, the course's walking, booking and rain-check rules, and the next four days of tee-time weather. Chambers Bay is a public course owned by Pierce County above Puget Sound, about 66 ft up at our course point.
Chambers Bay at a glance
Climate sample · 2021–2025Regional ERA5 estimates, not measurements on the course. A low wet-day average does not mean rain is unlikely on your tee time.
Chambers Bay forecast: next four days
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Best time of year to play Chambers Bay
At Chambers Bay the main choice is between rain and the season. In our 2021–2025 model record, July and August were much drier than any other months, and November to March had rain on most days. Average daytime wind changed little across the year, so no month is calm. No single month is "best". It depends on how much rain, cold and demand you're willing to accept.
July–August · driest and warmest
These months averaged 1.2–3.8 days a month with at least 1 mm of precipitation, and daily highs of about 77°F. July also had the lowest average daytime wind in the sample (5 mph). The course says rates vary by month and demand, so expect busy tee sheets in this window.
May, June and September · the in-between months
Wet days ranged from 7–10.2 a month, and highs ran from about 63°F in May to 70°F in September. September averaged 7.2 wet days, close to June (7), before rain picks up in October (13).
November–March · cool and wet most days
These months averaged 16.2–20 wet days a month, with December the wettest (20 days, about 8.3 in) and the windiest by daytime average (7 mph). Highs averaged about 47°F in January. The course generally keeps playing in rain unless conditions become hazardous, so in winter plan to play in wet weather.
Walking only: why the weather matters more here
The course's policy page says Chambers Bay is walking only, across a 249-acre site it calls one of the toughest walks in golf, and offers 9-hole rounds as a shorter option. Push and pull carts are included with the green fee, and you can bring your own. Book caddies at least 48 hours before your tee time. Golf carts are available only to players with permanent disabilities as defined by the ADA, with 48 hours' prior approval and a caddie fee. Bring waterproof shoes and layers you can walk 18 hilly holes in.
Tee times, rates and rain checks
Chambers Bay publishes no fixed rate table. Its policy page says prices vary by residency, month and real-time demand, with discounts for Pierce County residents, Washington State and PNGA members. If no tee time is free, a waitlist can text or email you when one opens. Groups of 12 or more can book up to a year ahead. Cancel more than 7 days out for a full refund. Between 7 days and 48 hours, you pay 50% of the green fee. Inside 48 hours, you pay the full fee.
If weather stops you from starting, you get a rain check for the value of the round. Once you start, you don't get one, unless dangerous conditions such as lightning or snow close the course. The course also offers an optional rainfall "Weather Guarantee" at checkout. Confirm current terms on the official policies page before you book (checked 2026-11-01).
Chambers Bay weather by month
These are five-year averages for 2021–2025 from ERA5 reanalysis, requested at our Chambers Bay course point. ERA5 is a coarse regional model. The nearest grid point is 47.25°N, 122.5°W, a cell that mixes Puget Sound water with land. Treat these figures as a regional guide, not an on-course weather station or 30-year climate normals. Wind on the exposed slopes above the Sound is likely to differ from the grid value.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain | Wet days | Daytime wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 47°F / 8.4°C | 40°F / 4.2°C | 6.8 in | 16.8 | 6 mph |
| February | 47°F / 8.5°C | 39°F / 4°C | 4.6 in | 16.2 | 6 mph |
| March | 52°F / 11.3°C | 42°F / 5.5°C | 4.3 in | 16.6 | 6 mph |
| April | 57°F / 13.8°C | 44°F / 6.9°C | 3.2 in | 14.0 | 7 mph |
| May | 63°F / 17.3°C | 50°F / 10.1°C | 2.2 in | 10.2 | 6 mph |
| June | 70°F / 21°C | 56°F / 13.1°C | 1.8 in | 7.0 | 6 mph |
| July | 77°F / 25°C | 60°F / 15.5°C | 0.2 in | 1.2 | 5 mph |
| August | 76°F / 24.4°C | 60°F / 15.8°C | 0.7 in | 3.8 | 6 mph |
| September | 70°F / 21.2°C | 57°F / 13.7°C | 1.7 in | 7.2 | 5 mph |
| October | 61°F / 15.9°C | 49°F / 9.7°C | 4.3 in | 13.0 | 6 mph |
| November | 51°F / 10.8°C | 44°F / 6.5°C | 7.2 in | 18.4 | 6 mph |
| December | 47°F / 8.5°C | 41°F / 4.9°C | 8.3 in | 20.0 | 7 mph |
Wet days are the average number of days per month with at least 1 mm of precipitation, not your chance of rain on a given day. Wind is the average speed at 10 m during daytime hours (5–7 mph by month), not gusts or wind at ball height. Other sites count rainy days differently, so their monthly figures can differ a lot from ours.
Coastal wind, your tee time and the Tour study
Morning vs afternoon wind at Chambers Bay
The monthly gaps were small—less than 0.7 mph in every month—and afternoons were not consistently windier. This record does not support a blanket recommendation to book mornings for less wind at Chambers Bay.
July: afternoon mean 0.2 mph higher
- Morning · 08:00–12:59
- 4.8 mph
- Afternoon · 13:00–17:59
- 5.1 mph
2021–2025 ERA5 regional estimates of mean 10 m wind, not gusts or measurements on the course. All hours use America/Los_Angeles, with historical daylight-saving adjustments. Each period contains 9,130 hourly readings across 1,826 days; monthly means combine all five years. These fixed periods are not full-round exposures, tournament waves or a forecast of your day. The live forecast above uses different fixed periods (07:00–11:59 / 12:00–16:59); compare its hourly details for your actual tee time.
This separate wind snapshot uses UTC inputs converted to local time; its figures need not exactly average to the older daytime climate table. Hourly source data · Frozen 2026-11-02.
Chambers Bay sits on open, sloping ground above Puget Sound. Check gusts as well as average speed before you pick a tee time, and bring a wind layer. The weather model can't measure shelter, wind at ball height or how exposed each hole is, so we don't label shots as into or down the wind or give yardage effects.
For an upcoming round, use the hourly wind, gusts and rain in the live forecast above, not the monthly averages. Comparing five-hour windows can help you choose between tee times, but it can't guarantee a calmer round.
Chambers Bay hosted the 2015 U.S. Open but has no regular PGA Tour event, so we don't have its scoring history. Our independently reviewed PGA Tour wind and tee-time wave study found about 0.93 extra strokes per Tour player for each 10 km/h difference in wind between waves (95% CI 0.71–1.14), across 456 event-rounds. That's a Tour-wide link. It doesn't predict scores at Chambers Bay or for amateurs, and the independent review covers that study only, not this guide.
Sources and method
- Course point: OpenStreetMap way 26787026 centre (47.20658, -122.57536), checked to sit inside the course outline.
- Reproduce the monthly weather inputs (Open-Meteo ERA5 archive, 2021–2025, local time).
- Official Chambers Bay FAQ and policies (checked 2026-11-01).
More public course weather guides
OverUnderWeather Research Desk
Independent data analysis on public sports and weather records. Studies match historical game outcomes to archived game-window weather, apply pre-set sample and significance rules, and publish null results when that is what the data show. Editorial policy and corrections log.
Frequently asked
What is the best month to play Chambers Bay?
It depends on how much rain you'll accept. In the 2021–2025 ERA5 model sample, July had the fewest wet days (1.2) and December the most (20). The course says rates vary by month and demand.
Can you ride a cart at Chambers Bay?
No. Chambers Bay is walking only. Push and pull carts are included with the green fee. Golf carts are available only to players with permanent disabilities as defined by the ADA, with 48 hours' prior approval and a caddie fee.
What happens if it rains on my Chambers Bay tee time?
The course generally keeps playing unless conditions become hazardous. If weather stops you from starting, you get a rain check for the value of the round. Once you start, you don't get one, unless lightning, snow or similar conditions close the course. You can also cancel more than 7 days ahead for a full refund.
How high is Chambers Bay?
About 20 m (66 ft) at our course point: Open-Meteo/Copernicus gives 18 m and USGS 3DEP gives 22 m. The course has big elevation changes, so this is one point, not its highest tee.