Old article on Yale golf course

[Charlie Goerges]

I don't know if this has been posted before, but I thought I would put it up.

[Dan_Callahan]

Somewhat relatedly, here's a recent video interview with Scott Ramsey as he prepared the course for the NCAAs:

http://www.nhregister.com/video/media-12796517/yale-golf-course-superintendent-scott-ramsay/

[Mike Sweeney]

This is a picture that I just saw for the first time this week. I don't think I ever saw the squareness of the back green like this before.

[Jim Nugent]

The article says #9's green does not include the swale.  Also that it is patterned after the original at the Biarritz Course in France.  (Not N. Berwick.)  

What they say about the greens space confuses me: not a single green under 100 sqare feet, and their total area (sounds like they mean all of them) is 10,000 square feet.  Dropped a zero?  

[Colin Sheehan]

Judging by the stage of the bunker construction, that image of nine must be one of the very first rounds on the course, perhaps even the very first. Possibly the members of the committee playing the course shortly after they began cutting the greens.

[George_Bahto]

I think this is pre-opening - no bunkering as Colin states

the course was not finished until 1926

Great picture

The verbal description of the 9th hole certainly verifies the "green" was the back portion (at least to me it does)

gb

[Ian Andrew]

So knowing this information - how do you handle Yale if your working with the club?

Ian

[John Mayhugh]

Thanks for posting this Charlie.  I have really enjoyed reading it, especially the hole descriptions.  I would love to have seen the original third hole.

Awesome photo of the 9th green.

[George_Bahto]

So knowing this information - how do you handle Yale if your working with the club?


in what respect Ian?

George

[Donnie Beck]

I think this is pre-opening - no bunkering as Colin states

the course was not finished until 1926

Great picture

The verbal description of the 9th hole certainly verifies the "green" was the back portion (at least to me it does)

gb

I noticed that as well

[Mike Sweeney]

A comparison of opening days!

[Noel Freeman]

I think this is pre-opening - no bunkering as Colin states

the course was not finished until 1926

Great picture

The verbal description of the 9th hole certainly verifies the "green" was the back portion (at least to me it does)

gb

Colin-- Any thoughts on where the hole should be pinned in competitions?? Dr. Childs and I lament everytime we play that it is pinned 90pct of times in the front.  It is a great travesty of this hole that in 100 rounds+ as a member I've played it to the back pin approx. 5 times.. I think the old picture shows the pin should never be in the front, the amount of green space is not enough to hold it unless one hits 6 iron or higher into the wind.. Downwind, it is impossible to hold the green from the back tees..

Scott has done a wonderful job conditioning the course this year but for the life of me, I don't understand why the green is not pinned in the back 80-90pct of the time. Such a great hole wasted.. I was fortunate to play Fishers last week and the Biarritz was pinned back left.. What a joy to experience...

Noel

[Colin Sheehan]

Noel,
I know what you mean. It seems like it's always on the front half. I'm sure Scott and Peter would love to use the back half of the green more often, but it's probably a pace-of-play issue. I'm just guessing, but it could add five minutes to that hole on what is already a tee where groups back-up.

We definitely use the back half for Sunday's third round of the Macdonald Cup. It's amazing how many of the college players flail it right into the hillside. When that was thicker and covered with moss, balls could bury and get lost. I know Scott is very eager to expand that surface in the back. It's certainly on his punchlist and I do look forward to the day when we make that less "special occasion" and more regular occasion. The beauty is for most people, it will still be a wood and they can hit low, drawing shots that run through the swale.