Severe rainstorms last December caused significant flooding in Lewis County, damaging homes, businesses and even golf courses.

The one facility that was ravaged by the flooding was Riverside Golf Club in Chehalis, a 6,155-yard, par-72 course along the Chehalis River.

Under ordinary rainy conditions, this course tends to become mushy. But not like in December.

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News about the 2010 U.S. Amateur and 2015 U.S. Open coming to Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place broke Feb. 8. Needless to say, stories about the appointment have circulated throughout the golf world.

Here is The News Tribune's virtual-tour link on Chambers Bay when the course opened in June of 2007.

GolfWorld certainly liked the USGA's decision to come to Chambers Bay, as does Golf Digest. TravelGolf.com said it's the golfers who don't mind traveling to play a U.S. Open site that benefit.

Other U.S. newspapers have also chimed in. The San Diego Union-Tribune hadn't even heard of its West Coast, public-venue brother from up north, but comments on the choice. The Detroit Free-Press says show this "muni" the money.

When the USGA goes through its decision-making process on whether or not a site is capable of hosting the competitive and corporate rigors of a U.S. Open, it traditionally test drives one of its other championships at the course first.

And if a site is able to host a U.S. Amateur, it can start wondering: Is the U.S. Open next?

Much of the time, yes.

But not all of the time.

'YES' LIST
Pebble Beach (Calif.) hosted the U.S. Amateur in 1999; the U.S. Open in 2000.
Oakmont (Pa.) hosted the U.S. Am in 2003; the U.S. Open in 2007.
Winged Foot (N.Y) hosted the U.S. Am in 2004 (Puyallup's Ryan Moore won in this year); the U.S. Open in 2006.
Merion (Pa.) hosted the U.S. Am in 2005; will host the U.S. Open in 2013.
Olympic (Calif.) hosted the U.S. Am in 2007; will host the U.S. Open in 2012.
Pinehurst (N.C.) will host the U.S. Am this summer; will host the U.S. Open in 2014.
Chambers Bay (Wash.) will host the U.S. Am in 2010; will host the U.S. Open in 2015.

THE 'MAYBE' LIST
Courses such as Oak Hill, N.J. (hosted U.S. Am in 1998, and has hosted U.S. Open thee times), Baltusrol, N.J. (hosted 2000 U.S. Am) and Hazeltine, Minn. (hosted 2006 U.S. Am) have hosted USGA events for a long time, but have also made future agreements with the competing PGA of America for its prestigous championships. It is uncertain when these historic courses will get back into the rotation for another U.S. Open, if ever.

THE 'STILL-WAITING' LIST
Courses such as East Lake Golf Club, Ga. (2001), Pumpkin Ridge, Ore. (1996), Newport CC, R.I. (1995), TPC at Sawgrass, Fla. (1994) and Muirfield Village, Ohio (1992) have hosted a U.S. Amateur, but never a U.S. Open. It's hard to determine if they ever will.

Robert Trent Jones, Sr. designed Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota for a membership that aimed for one goal: Hosting a national championship.

Jones got his wish when Hazeltine GC, which opened in 1962, was selected to be the site of the 1970 U.S. Open, won by Tony Jacklin.

No living course architect has built a course that has hosted the U.S. Open since. And Robert Trent Jones, Jr., the son of the late Hazeltine builder, knew that.

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Why am I on the first tee, and not you?

The question comes up often as to what qualifies a writer to cover what sport. And I am connected with the golf beat.

Brief background: Played since I was 12 (home taught). Competed on the Foss High golf team (18-handicap) – not great, not bad, but good enough for me to comprehend what standout amateurs and professionals are trying to do when they play.

When I arrived to The News Tribune in 1994, we had the region's best golf reporter here in Paul Ramsdell. I was his understudy, and pretty much followed closely how he went about his business in staffing local and national events.

The real test came in the summer of 1998 when the PGA Championship came to Sahalee Country Club in Redmond. We had a team of 10 or so writers, columnists, photographers covering the event. Ramsdell trusted me to staff the "quickie-quote" area – generally the area where the golfers congregate after their rounds before heading off to the lounge, or locker room.

There, I saw Lee Janzen and David Duval tear up after topsy-turvy opening rounds, I confused Stuart Appleby with Robert Allenby in an interview session and heard a few pricless quips from caddies. Officially, that was my baptism in what goes in in big-time tournaments, and a major certainly qualifies as such.

Ramsdell left in 2001, and I assumed the reins of this beat.

Big days are ahead: How locals such as Puyallup's Ryan Moore and Tacoma's Michael Putnam will fare in professional golf, how an event such as the 2010 U.S. Amateur will be received in Pierce County, and if the 2015 U.S. Open will be the resounding success county officials predict it will be.

This blog is designed to keep readers abreast of that type of information, plus local news, course reviews and pro-con arguments on issues. Enjoy and be involved!

Todd Milles