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Geoffrey Childs

Yale Redan- from travesty to beauty
« on: July 15, 2005, 06:09:15 PM »
I was going to post this within the courses in need of a makeover discussion but it deserves a seperate view.

The redan at Yale is not the best ever done by Raynor but its a cool hole on its own.  Its more of a downhill punchbowl redan.

It was part of the "restoration project" on the back nine where they were really looking to put the course back to the 1934 aerial.  Roger put in the rear bunkers which I can show another time but I start this really for three reasons.

1- Roger Rulewich botched this job big time and he could not have been thinking restoration when he did the initial work on the redan

2- The Yale committee actually did do quite a bit of good as they forced Roger to redo several of the "restored" bunkers that were obviously a disgrace.  Kudos to them.

3- Most importantly, Yale hired a great superintendent, Scott Ramsay, who through careful and loving care can make the course look great in spite of the bunkers.

I focus on the front left "redan fortress bunker".

Here are three images of Roger Rulewich's first interpretation of the redan bunker







Note that he split the bunker into two bunkers and put a big old ugly mound inbetween them probably to allow a mower or other equipment to enter from that side.   ???  ::)  Why was that necessary?  Was that a restoration?

Here is the aerial view from 1934 that he used as a template. The redan is in the top right of the photo.



The committee thankfully had the common sense, will and knowledge to make him change it and it actually came out pretty darn good.



Finally, Scott Ramsay has firmed up the turf, altered mowing patterns by recapturing greenspace and made it look great



See it is a happy ending of sorts after all.  Never thought I'd say that.  Moral of the story is to have a master plan ahead of time and hire an architect who will do the work in a sensitive manner the first time.





Tim_Weiman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Yale Redan- from travesty to beauty
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2005, 06:44:57 PM »
Geoffrey:

I enjoy your continued concern about Yale and considerable effort to document what is happening.


Looks like a step forward.

Keep up your constructive criticism/encouragement.
Tim Weiman

Geoffrey Childs

Re:Yale Redan- from travesty to beauty
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2005, 07:30:28 PM »
Tim

Nice to hear from you!  Hope all has been well.

Scott Ramsay loves the Yale golf course as much as anyone and his loving care and skills have taken their toll. To their credit, the administration and athletic department have supported his plans and efforts.

As you can clearly see - it has made a difference no thanks to Roger Rulewich who continues to defy all the evidence (he wrote a rebuttal to an article by Tony Pioppi in Golfdom) that his work was as amateurish as anything I have ever wittnessed. Golfdom apparently did not publish my rebuttal to his letter about Pioppi's article. I'll wait but I may have to reproduce it here on GCA  ;D

Don Herdrich

Re:Yale Redan- from travesty to beauty
« Reply #3 on: July 15, 2005, 08:08:56 PM »
Not that I am a fan, but here is what is on his website:

Yale Golf Club

Fully absorbed in our performance, as we make our way around the course, we are rarely aware of the changes that are taking place as we play and how we affect the course. We tend to view golf the course as a permanent, rocklike structure. But that is far from the truth. The course is fragile and subject to the wear and tear of the elements and all who play it and work on it. The course is in constant change, especially at its edges-where the land is pierced open, the bunkers. Yale’s bunkers, renowned for their dramatic scale are particularly vulnerable.

Over the years Yale’s bunkers deteriorated, banks caved in, drainage failed, sand was contaminated and many had lost their definition and were no longer true to the original Macdonald design. Roger Rulewich, Yale class of 58 was called in to help. During his undergraduate years at Yale, Roger played the course many times. Even at that time, long before the seeds of golf course architecture as a career were planted, he was aware of Yale’s historical value as a prime example of early American golf course architecture.

With Roger leading the project, a plan was developed to restore the existing bunkers and replace a number of bunkers that were removed many years ago to ease play. Considerable research went into development of the plans, archives were scoured for early photographs and drawings to help retain the integrity of Macdonald’s original steep, cavernous bunkers. At the same time Roger was aware that changes were necessary to accommodate contemporary golf needs and expedite care of the bunkers. Subtle but vital modifications were made to banks without losing any of Yale’s monumental appearance. These changes permit the use of modern machinery and that ultimately reduce maintenance costs. The highlight of the project was the replacement of the volcanic-like bunker in front of Yale’s twelfth green. Long thought to be too difficult for the average golfer, the new bunker returned power to the original hole. The Yale golf community took easily to the additional challenge of the restored bunkers, and now that project is completed-they are enjoying the improvements.

We applaud the Roger Rulewich Group for their insightfulness and diligence in the restoration. Roger, personally gave much more of his personal attention than anyone would expect. He began the process of moving the Yale Course into the twenty first century, gave us a new look, yet retained every challenge that Macdonald subscribed to and secured Yale’s reputation as one of the finest courses in the world.

David Patterson, Director of golf Emeritus, Yale Varsity Golf Coach.

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Yale Redan- from travesty to beauty
« Reply #4 on: July 15, 2005, 08:42:47 PM »
Emeritus has a good ring to it...
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

corey miller

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Yale Redan- from travesty to beauty
« Reply #5 on: July 15, 2005, 08:52:56 PM »


Can we please get a response form golfer/historian emeritus Dr. Childs to the wonderful letter to golfers from  director of golf emeritus Patterson. :D

Geoffrey Childs

Re:Yale Redan- from travesty to beauty
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2005, 10:36:23 PM »
Don

What do you think of those photos showing the initial redan bunker that Roger built? Would you hire him for a "restoration job" at your club given this evidence?

Were they "Subtle but vital modifications were made to banks without losing any of Yale’s monumental appearance. These changes permit the use of modern machinery and that ultimately reduce maintenance costs."? Please tell me and also look at the evidence I've documented for holes 1,2,4,5,6,7 and 17 in the past.

Don I know you said you were not a fan but speak out please.  This may be an issue Republicans and Democrats alike can agree on and that must be a good thing!  ;D

PS- Dave Paterson (one T) is a wonderful fellow and I've played golf throughout the world with him.  He is so full of crap with regard to the golf course that it saddens me more then anything else.  He is a Scott who has seen the best of links golf and all other types of courses for that matter.  For him to write that is a travesty.  I guess that he is the one responsible for choosing Roger Rulewich for this work and for that he will forever be a blight on the Course at Yale. Rogers' work has been documented here and he is a blight on restoration period.

Thank goodness there must be people with more sense up at Yale. Peter Pulaski is doing fine now and Scott Ramsay is a blessing.

Geoffrey Childs

Re:Yale Redan- from travesty to beauty
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2005, 10:45:45 PM »
Look at that last photo and you can see that thew ugly cart path swings around to the left of the green and any equipment necessary could enter the left side of the green some 30 feet away or approach to the right of the green from #14.

How the hell was that mound segmenting the bunker in two "necessary for reduction of maintenance costs"?  That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.  Scott is doing great in mowing all the very steep slopes on #'2, 8 and 18 that Roger didn't dumb down for "maintenance reasons".  Shame on you Dave Paterson.

Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +2/-1
Re:Yale Redan- from travesty to beauty
« Reply #8 on: July 15, 2005, 10:48:18 PM »
Geoffrey:

Sorry to digress, but that has to be one of the worst cart paths I've ever seen in golf.  Can't they figure out a way to get it out of the middle of the golf hole?

Don Herdrich

Re:Yale Redan- from travesty to beauty
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2005, 11:29:13 PM »
I think his work was sh*t........is that speaking out?

It is also good to see the richest university in the world get behind what is going on there now.....this place should be the palace of all university courses!

Gerry B

Re:Yale Redan- from travesty to beauty
« Reply #10 on: July 16, 2005, 12:21:30 AM »
Looks really good Dr. Childs. Agree it is not the best redan
(Chicago golf club is till my fave as we discussed )but a damn good hole nonetheless. Much better than it was 3 years ago.

#3 is the hole that imho is the hole that needs the most attention.A classic example of a very good hole that if restored to its original specs would be one of the world's best par 4's.

This course with some additional faithful restoration work would be (imho) in the top 50 in the world without much debate.

Interesting fact - There used to be a plaque on the wall in one of the hallways at my home course- listing the top 100 in the world -  Golf or Golf Digest from the 1980's I believe- and Yale was ranked either 52 or 53 at that time. No reason why it should not win the comeback kid award in the next few years

Geoffrey Childs

Re:Yale Redan- from travesty to beauty
« Reply #11 on: July 16, 2005, 09:48:55 PM »
Geoffrey:

Sorry to digress, but that has to be one of the worst cart paths I've ever seen in golf.  Can't they figure out a way to get it out of the middle of the golf hole?

Tom

Agree completely.  It is one of the ugliest cart paths I can think of anywhere.  I've always thought it could be routed to the right and out of sight of the tee and then around to the 14th tee behind the hill on the right of the green. Then they could have a turn around for the carts near the right rear bunker.  The added benefit of that move would be that the rear bunkers "restored" in this past round of bunker work could actually extend back where they were.  Currently they are much smaller because the parth runs around the back of the green.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2005, 09:52:03 PM by Geoffrey Childs »

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