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Patrick_Mucci

A second golf course at Yale
« on: August 03, 2007, 07:09:17 AM »
When Raynor routed and designed the current golf course at Yale, he also designed a second golf course on the property.

Those plans still exist.

Could someone (read George Bahto) post those plans ?

Could you also post them alongside the existing course at Yale ?

Has Yale EVER considered proceeding with the second course ?

Mark Manuel

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Re:A second golf course at Yale
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2007, 07:27:36 AM »
With the way colleges and universities struggle for land these days I didn't think they would have the property available.  But a satellite image from Google maps shows plenty of land and it almost seems to make sense.  But, I wonder if the administration would ever consider putting funds towards something like this?
The golf ball is like a woman, you have to talk it on the off chance it might listen.

Jim Sweeney

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Re:A second golf course at Yale
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2007, 04:39:00 PM »
I'd be very surprised because the golf market in CT is overbuilt. Does the existing course get too much play?
"Hope and fear, hope and Fear, that's what people see when they play golf. Not me. I only see happiness."

" Two things I beleive in: good shoes and a good car. Alligator shoes and a Cadillac."

Moe Norman

Pete Stankevich

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Re:A second golf course at Yale
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2007, 10:52:34 PM »
Connecticut had virtually no courses built for years until a bunch were built over the past 5-10 years.  Certain areas are overbuilt, but others are definitely not.  The western CT area had 2 courses built in the last few years and they're both overpriced private courses.  That area may not have a high population density, but it desperately needs a decent daily fee.
The Golf Course at Oxford Greens is in northern New Haven County (where Yale is located) and has been open since mid- 2005.  I do some independent work for them and I know their tee sheet is very busy.  Partly because it's a very good golf course, partly because the price is right, and partly because of the lack of quality public/daily fees in the area.  And, they draw from all over the state and New England.
Another gem in New Haven County with the name Yale attached somehow would do very well, but I doubt the university would do something at this point.

Tim Gavrich

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Re:A second golf course at Yale
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2007, 01:18:56 AM »
With the way colleges and universities struggle for land these days I didn't think they would have the property available.  But a satellite image from Google maps shows plenty of land and it almost seems to make sense.  But, I wonder if the administration would ever consider putting funds towards something like this?
Well knowing how enormous is the amount of money at Yale's disposal, it seems that such an expansion would hardly make a dent cost-wise.  I'm salivating at the idea of a second Raynor course on that property.
Senior Writer, GolfPass

Daniel_Wexler

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Re:A second golf course at Yale
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2007, 05:47:12 AM »
Pat:

I believe the following link gets you where you want to go:

http://research.yale.edu/wwkelly/Yale-golf/maps/0262.jpg


DW

Daniel_Wexler

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Re:A second golf course at Yale
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2007, 05:50:16 AM »
Or maybe not quite.  

This is just a (large) routing map of the 36 holes.  Raynor actually drew detailed plans for the second 18?  I too would love to see those...if my Uncle George has them.

Mark Bourgeois

Re:A second golf course at Yale
« Reply #7 on: August 04, 2007, 06:45:53 AM »
Pat,

I'm working off memory so my facts and stats may be a little off, but here's what I recall:

I believe the original Greist Estate bequest was 540 acres or something like that.

36 holes originally were planned; however, due to the enormous expense of the first 18 ($495,000 in the 1920s), the second was not built.

At some point, the university sold 250 acres or so of the estate; the remaining property does not contain enough room for another 18.

That said, periodically talk comes up of building a third nine, most recently I believe at the time Rees Jones came in. Golfers would welcome another nine as the course does something like 50,000 to 55,000 rounds annually.

Never say never, but I say it likely will never happen. The uni will not out up the money, so it will take a bequest. And the university even then may discourage such a gift, for they probably wouldn't want to deal with the addl OpEx.

And it would be very expensive the build and maintain: the remaining property is (surprise) severe and drainage will be a challenge; much if not all of the new nine would be built downhill of the existing course and if memory serves a bowl or amphitheater type topography.

I could be wrong on the details, but that's the gist of it...

Mark

Bill_McBride

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Re:A second golf course at Yale
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2007, 10:10:55 PM »
Pat:

I believe the following link gets you where you want to go:

http://research.yale.edu/wwkelly/Yale-golf/maps/0262.jpg


DW

#13 - another Biarritz at Yale!   8)

Patrick_Mucci

Re:A second golf course at Yale
« Reply #9 on: August 04, 2007, 10:54:01 PM »
Paging George Bahto,

George, can you shed some light on the subject.

Mark,

I believe the original parcel was 700 acres.

I don't know if any of it was sold.

Bill_McBride

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Re:A second golf course at Yale
« Reply #10 on: August 05, 2007, 12:44:00 AM »
Looking at a Google Earth map of the Yale Golf Course, there is a lot more undeveloped land in the immediate vicinity than developed, including the existing golf course.

But looking at the proposed course layout, and what's visible on the satellite view today, it appears the land for the second course is now full of houses.  That's the area E and NE and SE of the ninth green of the existing course.  All the undeveloped land is to the W and SW.

So it appears that land was sold by Yale at some point after Raynor drew the routing of the second course.
« Last Edit: August 05, 2007, 12:44:35 AM by Bill_McBride »

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