Bryson DeChambeau plays Delray Beach Golf Club to prove point

• DeChambeau’s round of 66 was documented on YouTube as part of an effort to connect with everyday golfers.

DORAL — Bryson DeChambeau, the reigning U.S. Open champion, found himself chasing a course record in December alongside every other weekend hacker at the municipal Delray Beach Golf Club.

DeChambeau documented his attempt to set the course record on his YouTube channel in a video titled, “Can I Break A Random Public Course Record In One Try?” The video has been viewed 1.8 million times.

A century-old golf course designed by famed architect Donald Ross, Delray Beach Golf Club is a local favorite for Palm Beach County golfers thanks to its public access and affordable rates both in and out of season.

It is, however, far from its glory days in terms of condition.

PGA professional Rick Durham told DeChambeau prior to the round that Delray Beach Golf Club was a “great golf course” that had been neglected for more than 20 years. Delray Beach city officials rejected multiple redevelopment plans in the summer of 2023.

The course’s tee boxes and greens have deteriorated in recent years, leaving no shortage of dirt patches, sand top dressing and aeration holes, particularly in the winter months.

Such was the experience DeChambeau said he was looking for in his attempt to connect with the broader golf public through social media.

“We wanted to go to a golf course that wasn’t as pristinely kept on purpose to showcase what it’s like playing normal golf,” Dechambeau said Wednesday at Trump National Doral ahead of LIV Golf Miami. “I think that’s the most important thing we’re trying to show on YouTube is to show what actual golf is.

“I think that’s why it’s so relatable and why the video did so well. It also highlighted a great golf course that’s been there for a long time.”

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DeChambeau ultimately settled for 66 (6-under), finishing four shots off the course record of 62.

His most memorable shot came on No. 17, where he opted to chip on the green to jump over a large sand patch blocking his path to the hole.

DeChambeau said he didn’t have any immediate plan to return to Palm Beach County public golf courses but has no doubt he’ll attempt to break many more public golf course records on YouTube.

“People want more of that,” DeChambeau said. “They want more course records and they want to see me playing their local golf courses.

“The golf we play out here is perfectly manicured and sometimes it’s almost a little easier. I’ve told that to people from Day 1.”

Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [email protected].