Last week, I played Yale for the first time in 12 years. I plan to become a semi-regular there, so I'll have many more thoughts and photos to share at some point, but here are a few "third impressions":
Of course, my memory of how the course looked in 2002 is foggy, but I think that the tree removal project has greatly improved the intimate feeling of this big golf course. This view of the eighth green shows how clearly you can see the second hole:
I don't remember that I realized the fifth and 15th greens were so close together, as another example. The project is ongoing: a number of trees have been felled and are awaiting cleanup between the 12th and 17th fairways. In addition, the tree removal also adds width and playability. On such a demanding golf course, the width is very helpful.
I thought the course was in excellent condition. They were in the middle of what seemed to be a staged aerification project, so I can't comment on the greens in particular except to say I thought they were in very good shape for punched greens.
It was one of the most walkable courses I've played in recent memory. Green-to-tee walks are nonexistent, except for between nine and ten, if you are playing the right tees.
A few thoughts on specific holes and shots:
The eighth tee shot reminded me of the 16th at Pasatiempo. Surely it wasn't a template hole for MacKenzie, but it's an interesting coincidence, given that they were built within a few years of each other.
The approach to the tenth is just astonishing, given the technology of that era. The seventh and 12th are similar, but somehow not quite as extreme to me.
The 13th, a downhill Redan, was interesting to me because you can see the entire green from the tee despite the green sloping away.
Has anyone ever played #17 from the fringe behind the 16th green? Looks like a fun but scary tee shot, over the pond and ridge, between or over the trees, and turns the hole into a 470-yard par 4.
From the championship tees, 18 might be the first par 5.5 I've ever played. Unless you're long enough to carry the first mountain, the fairway seems too narrow for a driver. Maybe I'll change my mind about this over the years. Maybe it's not that long, and I wasn't able to carry it because of the wind?
Two more notes: They're constructing a new driving range across the street from the current one, and turning the existing one into a three-hole par-3 course. Does anyone know who's doing the work?
On a warmish Friday at noon, my playing partner and I had the place to ourselves. One foursome teed off behind us, and we encountered two random singles who seemed to be practicing or skipping around. I can't believe a gem like this isn't packed every single day, regardless of the season.
JB