Most of the original front nine on the old course is intact and played. The dating for the original course is around 1930. The back nine area was used for campus expansion (new bookstore, dorms and athletic fields).
The land the Warren Course sits was aquired by the University many years ago. The original building sat where the food and beverage area of the new clubhouse now sits. It served as a residence for priests and as a retreat. The main driveway with the lining trees is the original roadway explaining the mature trees in such a perfect row.
The course was funded by alumni donations, but as Pat mentioned, mostly Bill Warren, a 1956 grad. The course is named after his mom and dad, officially The William K. and Natalie O. Warren Golf Course at the University of Notre Dame.
The course is public. Students and faculty/staff receive a discount for play. There was discussion of adding a new golf course, especially after the golf teams moved to an off campus, municipally owned course in the area that had opened in 1994. There was speculation of other architects that were interested in the project and even rumors of a layout that had been done by another architect.
Ken