Yale Course Construction Images & NLGA Survey Photos

[Colin Sheehan]

So a while back someone in New Haven found an envelop full of old photos during a spring cleaning. It turned out to be a large cache of the Yale course during construction and mixed in there was eight images of what appears to be survey work on the 11th and 12th holes at National. Perhaps it was a group from Yale sent to National to get some measurements on those speicifc holes or even more of the course. Perhaps more were printed and only these exists...I wish there were more. Scott Ramsay had them scanned and shared the disc with me and I added them to a picasa page this weekend.

Here's the full list of Yale images.

https://goo.gl/photos/7kPqkpJdEMY8Xv419


And the NLGA images.

https://goo.gl/photos/viFDZ5TknbfeiEun7

[Jon Cavalier]

Very, very cool. Thanks so much for sharing these, Colin.

[John Connolly]

So, for Yale, would impressions be there was little, moderate, or significant earth moving? My guess would be, "more than I figured there'd be".

[Matt Frey, PGA]

Great find! These photos are quite impressive. It's cool to see some of Yale's original green sites (like No. 3).

[Sven Nilsen]

Colin:

Would it be okay to post some of these images in the thread?

Curious as to what people think was being done to the front of the 9th.

Sven

[Benjamin Litman]

Thanks so much for sharing, Colin. I know there have been some changes over the years, but what's remarkable to me is how instantly recognizable each of the holes is and how the sightlines are the same. Historically and presently, a very, very special place in the game.

[Will Lozier]

Wow!

[Eric Smith]

Thanks for sharing these with us, Colin. So cool to see how prominent Ballyshear stands in the background of the photo of 12 green.

[Peter Le]

Colin,
These pictures are great. Thanks for posting and sharing! The picture from the 8th tee blows my mind given the open space and what looks to be much less of a sharp drop off down the left side of 8 down to the tree line...and the mound between 7 and 8 was all man-made when I thought it wasn't (unless i'm seeing this wrong)! wow.

[Bill Brightly]

Clearly shows the front section of the Biarritz as fairway, right Mucci?

[Pete Stankevich]

Colin:
More importantly, is the course going to be ready for the Yale Spring Invitational April 18-19?   
A lot of great college teams coming to New Haven for that and the NCAA East Regional in May.

[Tim_Weiman]

So, for Yale, would impressions be there was little, moderate, or significant earth moving? My guess would be, "more than I figured there'd be".

John,

I don't see much evidence of "great hole but the architect didn't do anything". Great collection of pictures.

[Stephen Britton]

Any chance these photos can be reposted? The links no longer work.

So a while back someone in New Haven found an envelop full of old photos during a spring cleaning. It turned out to be a large cache of the Yale course during construction and mixed in there was eight images of what appears to be survey work on the 11th and 12th holes at National. Perhaps it was a group from Yale sent to National to get some measurements on those speicifc holes or even more of the course. Perhaps more were printed and only these exists...I wish there were more. Scott Ramsay had them scanned and shared the disc with me and I added them to a picasa page this weekend.

Here's the full list of Yale images.

https://goo.gl/photos/7kPqkpJdEMY8Xv419


And the NLGA images.

https://goo.gl/photos/viFDZ5TknbfeiEun7

[Anthony Butler]

Any chance these photos can be reposted? The links no longer work.

So a while back someone in New Haven found an envelop full of old photos during a spring cleaning. It turned out to be a large cache of the Yale course during construction and mixed in there was eight images of what appears to be survey work on the 11th and 12th holes at National. Perhaps it was a group from Yale sent to National to get some measurements on those speicifc holes or even more of the course. Perhaps more were printed and only these exists...I wish there were more. Scott Ramsay had them scanned and shared the disc with me and I added them to a picasa page this weekend.

Here's the full list of Yale images.

https://goo.gl/photos/7kPqkpJdEMY8Xv419


And the NLGA images.

https://goo.gl/photos/viFDZ5TknbfeiEun7

Yes... apparently Google+ went out of business.. In 2018.

[Colin Sheehan]

Yale Course Construction 1924-1925

https://goo.gl/photos/7kPqkpJdEMY8Xv419


NGLA
https://goo.gl/photos/viFDZ5TknbfeiEun7


Yale Course Bunker & Green Dimensions 1934 & 2017
https://photos.app.goo.gl/toDeThf1LGxcMjfn1


A specific look at hole 6:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/PLMiUcCwkRuZrLCC8


And here's the alternate tees used by the Yale Golf Team, all but one are existing tight mow. Hole 9 requires a tree to come down and hole 6 would need a new tee. We used holes 1, 2 and 3 during the Macdonald Cup last September and the players use deep 5 all the time. It's about 215 yards to the middle. It's wonderful for making them put a quality swing on a long iron:
 
https://photos.app.goo.gl/8zKHML3R7QqMtR8U9

[Colin Sheehan]

And here's a slideshow on Jess Sweetser ahead of the 100th anniversary of his US Am win at Brookline next month.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/BQ6vAJiRLDHoei6u5


And here's the early history of golf in New Haven 1895-1901:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/bQeCCCSFjGgmajom9

[MCirba]

So awesome I don't know where to start.  Thanks, Colin!

[Ira Fishman]

I only hope that I can still swing a club after the restoration.


Colin, huge thanks.


Ira

[Stephen Britton]

Thanks so much!


I played it last week, wish I had done some more research here before I played.

Yale Course Construction 1924-1925

https://goo.gl/photos/7kPqkpJdEMY8Xv419


NGLA
https://goo.gl/photos/viFDZ5TknbfeiEun7


Yale Course Bunker & Green Dimensions 1934 & 2017
https://photos.app.goo.gl/toDeThf1LGxcMjfn1


A specific look at hole 6:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/PLMiUcCwkRuZrLCC8


And here's the alternate tees used by the Yale Golf Team, all but one are existing tight mow. Hole 9 requires a tree to come down and hole 6 would need a new tee. We used holes 1, 2 and 3 during the Macdonald Cup last September and the players use deep 5 all the time. It's about 215 yards to the middle. It's wonderful for making them put a quality swing on a long iron:
 
https://photos.app.goo.gl/8zKHML3R7QqMtR8U9

[Adam G]

I played it last week too. The restoration is going to be phenomenal!


Peter the wonderful new GM told me all about the plans and talked all about these pictures being the guidebook for the restoration. It's so cool to see how big, imposing, and deep the bunkers used to be (see the horses in the picture of 5 for scale, for example). I was also told that the approach on 10 is intended to be played from the ridge not the valley and there is a plan to extend the hole to make that happen along with a lot of other championship tees which I am guessing will be inspired by the "alternate tees." It will be truly remarkable.


The one thing I can't tell from the photos is the extent to which the new bunkers will be flat bottomed with grass faces as they are now versus flashed sand faces -- it is hard to tell from a construction photo. Any insight on this?


Adam

[Colin Sheehan]

And here's a slideshow of course measurements.


https://photos.app.goo.gl/UWmAMripioMacz6U9


Notice how little changed from 1925 until the present. Ninety seven years ago it opened at 6552, and the official length for the NCAA East Regional in May was 6766. Only 214 yards longer!?!
You'll see how the original 1925 yardage held up through the 1980s and it remained a notorious brute.

In the early 90s, the club and ball technology really started shortening the course and lessening the challenge; and at the May Regionals, the visiting teams bombed it in a way that make a mockery of the holes, the fourth hole especially. I wish the solution--the much easier solution-- was to ROLL BACK THE BALL, but instead it will require a new back deep tee halfway up the rocky hill 40 yards behind the current 440 back tee...which is still a beast into a stiff north wind in April.

[MLevesque]

In the early 90s, the club and ball technology really started shortening the course and lessening the challenge; and at the May Regionals, the visiting teams bombed it in a way that make a mockery of the holes, the fourth hole especially. I wish the solution--the much easier solution-- was to ROLL BACK THE BALL, but instead it will require a new back deep tee halfway up the rocky hill 40 yards behind the current 440 back tee...which is still a beast into a stiff north wind in April. [/size] In the early 90s, the club and ball technology really started shortening the course and lessening the challenge; and at the May Regionals, the visiting teams bombed it in a way that make a mockery of the holes, the fourth hole especially. I wish the solution--the much easier solution-- was to ROLL BACK THE BALL, but instead it will require a new back deep tee halfway up the rocky hill 40 yards behind the current 440 back tee...which is still a beast into a stiff north wind in April. [/color][/size] the early 90s, the club and ball technology really started shortening the course and lessening the challenge; and at the May Regionals, the visiting teams bombed it in a way that make a mockery of the holes, the fourth hole especially. I wish the solution--the much easier solution-- was to ROLL BACK THE BALL, but instead it will require a new back deep tee halfway up the rocky hill 40 yards behind the current 440 back tee...which is still a beast into a stiff north wind in April.”[/color]
[/size][/color]
[/size]Colin, I’ll second your call for a ball rollback.  I volunteered at the regionals in May and was stationed at the 4th tee.  Everyone one of the players took a line directly over the pond on 4 and only had short irons into the green.   Not one ball even close to landing in the hazard.  [/color]