The Spectacular, Overwhelming, Utterly Unique Yale Golf Course (More Photos)

[Dan_Callahan]

It's been a year since I last played Yale, and the changes to the course that continue to take place are incredible. There is still much to be done as far as conditioning goes, but even with the rough spots, Yale is the best golf course in Connecticut.


The opening tee shot is a knee-knocker, especially when there is a crowd around to add to the nerves. I once thought this hole played very long. Either I've gotten better (doubtful) or the equipment has made a significant difference (more likely), because I hit a gap wedge to the middle of the green after a good drive (it's a 400-yard hole from the blue tees). The photo does not accurately represent how steep the hill is coming up from the pond. A tee shot that doesn't clear the top of the hill stops dead, leaving a long, blind second to a heavily bunkered, gigantic green. Even from high up on the first tee, the two massive bunkers to the right of the green are hidden.


This picture is taken from the 2nd green, looking across the 1st fairway and all the way over to 8. You get a good sense of how open the course is now that hundreds of trees have been removed.


I remember standing on the 3rd tee for the first time about 10 years ago. Not only did I not know where to aim, I honestly had no idea what I was looking at. The hill was overgrown, the pond was filled with reeds, and there was no discernible fairway. Today, while it is still a hard hole to figure out, there is ample definition to show you what is out there.


This is the second shot at the third hole. Completely blind from 140 yards. The flag in the back is the target.


The first par 3 on the course plays about 150 yards. The elevated green is surrounded by bunkers. Long is dead. It looked to me as though the front bunker has been expanded so that it extends back toward the tee box.


The seventh has been opened up over the last few years, with lots of gunk on the left cleared out. That is not a pond in front of the tee box—heavy rains over the weekend resulted in some impressive casual water. It's hard to describe how steep the climb is to the green on an otherwise short hole. Playing downwind, it is a driver-sand wedge to an impossible back-to-front sloped green.


One of my favorite holes, the 8th is 400 yards of sheer terror. A drive that is left disappears into the woods, but going to the right leaves a very long second shot. I challenged the left with my best tee shot of the day and had 130 yards to the green (the fairway has huge rolls in it that significantly shorten a drive). The green is crazy huge. Left is obviously a nightmare. There is an equally brutal bunker off to the right. Short is the safe play, but that can leave a 70-foot putt.


And then there is 9. Yesterday, it played 210 yards, downhill, with a right-to-left 20 mph wind. I hit a drawing 6-iron that rode the wind and went off the green to the left, just past the bunkers. Two chips and two putts later, I walked away with a double.

I don't have a good picture of the 6th, but for those familar with the hole, the amount of clearing down the left side is significant. It is now possible to fly the hazard off the tee, leaving about 140 to the green. I can remember in the past flaring way out to the right to stay away from the trees and gunk, leaving about 190 yards in. A huge improvement.

I'll try to post more pictures of the back 9 later. I'm hoping the images aren't too large—don't want to bog down anyone's computer.

[wsmorrison]

Thank you for taking the time to post the photos, Dan.  The course is looking excellent.  Now that is a nice looking evergreen on the seventh hole along the right side.  Nice to see they're not all bad.  These photos have me vividly recalling that cold October day when Bill Dow and I met up with Geoff Childs.  Great time and great course!

[Dan_Callahan]

Here's some of the back 9:


A hole that just invites a train wreck, 10 has been made slightly easier by a tremendous amount of clearing to the right of the fairway. The rest of the hole—over the crest of the hill, down to the bottom of the valley, straight uphill to the mounded green—remains the same.


Another personal favorite, the 11th is drivable for long hitters. Deep rough around the rocks to the right has been cleared, making the heroic shot more tempting. Trees behind the green have also been removed.

 
This mound that fronts the green is new to me. I don't remember the view down the fairway being completely blocked. Now, the green seems to sit in something of an amphetheater.


No other hole has seen such dramatic improvement as 13. Everything about this 200-yard Redan is better. Bunkers to the back are new and trees have been removed to open things up. All that is left for the future is to (please) move the cart path that invades the view on the left.


The second par three on the back is barely recognizable now that the huge tree on the left of the green has been taken down. The result is a dramatic, open look. What a difference.


The tee shot on 17—a 420-yard par 4—plays to a blind fairway


The view of the green on second shot on 17 is blocked by the Principal's Nose feature, which hides a bunker.


The controversial 18th is a headscratcher from the tee. Clearing on the hill to the right has made the drive more palatable.


Looking back at the hole from the green. There has been extensive clearing on the parallel fairway on the left. That route was never a viable option in the past. Now, very few trees remain to separate 18 from 10, making the layup on 18 more interesting. However, going straight over the mountain is the shortest route. Hitting three-iron, I was about 20-yards short of the green. Taking that route leaves little margin for error, however. A pull is likely to end up in the parking lot.

I used to hate the 18th. It is starting to grow on me with the renovations. The hill that blocks the second shot is almost entirely grass, whereas 5 to 6 years ago much of it was shrubs and other nastiness.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Is the 10th hole one of the most underrated holes in all of golf ?

What par 4's offer more demanding drives, approach, recovery and putting ?

[Dan_Callahan]

I agree the 10th is inderrated. However, I would guess that no modern architect would dare to build a similar hole. It seems as though most prefer a single challenge on any given—i.e., the difficulty is either in getting to the green or in the green itself but rarely, if ever, both.

The 10th has a very awkward tee shot over a road and over a hill to a blind fairway with a hazard on the right.

The approach is like hitting up to the top of a cliff. The stairs in the side of the hill remind you that anything short will get caught in a bunker.

Once you make it to the green, you are faced with a putting surface that looks like it has the mumps.

For most, that is simply too much to digest in a single hole.

It is spectacular. It reminds me of something Strantz might have built if he was in a really bad mood. Instead, Strantz always made things look more difficult than they really were—visual intimidation. The 10th at Yale is, in fact, just as difficult as it looks. There is no bailout or safe route.

[wsmorrison]

Pat,

I love the 10th at Yale but I fail to see how the drive is that demanding unless you don't like cars passing below the tee.

[Phil Benedict]

I have played Yale once each of the last three years and hope to get out there again this year.  My biggest worry about the improvements Scott Ramsey has made is that too many people will want to play there, making it more difficult for unaffiliated people like myself to get on the course at a decent time. If the price goes up, which it already has, it's still worth it.

These pictures are great but they don't capture the outsize nature of many of the course's features.  For example, that bunker to the left of the eighth green is way deeper than it appears in this picture.  BTW, when I first played the course in June 2003 the grass on that bank (and other similar embankments) was about a foot tall. You could lose your ball in that stuff.  Now balls hit to the left of that green end up in the trap, as intended.  Just one more example of how the condition of the course has improved.

[Dan_Callahan]

I agree, Phil. It's hard to describe to people—either in words or pictures—the sheer scale of the place. Everything is exagerated. The drop down to some of the bunkers, the humps and bumps in the greens, the square footage of the greens, etc. It is an audacious design that must be seen and played to be appreciated.

Somehow, opening things up with tree removal gives it an even more expansive feel.

[Kevin Pallier]

Dan,

Thanks for the recent photos of Yale - Phil Benedict on another post was describing how great Yale was. It looks really good especially when compared to some earlier photos of Yale as posted on this site.

It just shows what some tree clearing can do to enlighten a course - many here would be proud - but they certainly do need to get rid of that cart path on #13 for mine.

KP

[Patrick_Mucci]

Pat,

I love the 10th at Yale but I fail to see how the drive is that demanding unless you don't like cars passing below the tee.

Wayne,

Have you ever played the hole with a good wind in your face ?

Getting a flat lie is paramount to your assault on the green.
And getting to that point isn't easy when the wind is in your face.

It's also a narrow tee shot.
I haven't played it this year so I can't comment on any tree clearing efforts to the left and right of the fairway, but, it was certainly intimidating from the back tee.

I don't consider the road and cars a factor, unless TEPaul is playing the course that day.  When that happens, "Vito's Auto Body Shop" in New Haven has an employee stand at the entrance with discount coupons for drivers entering the property.  I'm also told that you can buy helmets and flak jackets on days when he's playing.[/color]

[Tom Huckaby]

Hey Patrick - not to detract from the Yale discussion - but hell most of the pics come up as red x boxes for me anyway for some reason - but that TEP jibe got me to thinking... have you two ever played a match when you both were at full-strength, health-wise?

I would pay good money to see that.  The cameras would be rolling and the audio alone would become priceless.

 

[Patrick_Mucci]

Hey Patrick - not to detract from the Yale discussion - but hell most of the pics come up as red x boxes for me anyway for some reason - but that TEP jibe got me to thinking...

have you two ever played a match when you both were at full-strength, health-wise ?

Huck,

It's doubtful that could ever happen.

While my physical health continues to improve,
TEPaul's mental health continues to deteriorate at an ever increasing rate.[/color]

I would pay good money to see that.  The cameras would be rolling and the audio alone would become priceless.

Ran owns the video tape rights.
However, the present arrangement of 45 % to Ran, 45 % to me and 10 % to TEPaul seems grossly unfair.  
Hence I've proposed 49 % for Ran, 49 % for me and 2 % for TEPaul. [/color]
 

[Tom Huckaby]

Absolutely classic.

Well done, my friend.

 

[wsmorrison]

Pat,

No, I did not play into a significant wind on my one and only (so far) visit.  Most tee shots are more demanding with a headwind and I didn't have a difficult stance on the right side of the fairway.  Now knowing what club to use on the approach shot into a good wind is tough.  That is one slopey green and it must be very difficult to hit to the right portion of that green.  I wouldn't know---I was in the grassy slope just below the green; it must have rested on a bug's back  

[Tim Gavrich]

I was wondering what the condition of the course has been like over the last few days, so I can know what to expect tomorrow.  I heard the greens had aerification holes in them around 2-3 weeks ago.  Are they all gone?  Are the greens appropriately not-too-fast?  Are there some fun pins out there?

Thanks.

[Dan_Callahan]

Tim,

The greens are in pretty good shape and are deceptively quick. Long putts were definitely jumping around a bit due to the aerification. A few holes (the 4th in particular) were very wet, but with all of the sun and wind recently, they've probably dried out.

Hole locations weren't over the top. On one, we were faced with front right, which I always find difficult. Seven was front right, so approach shots that went past the hole left a brutal putt back down the slope. On eight, the hole was all the way back, which I also find very hard since I like to miss short to avoid the bunkers.

Come to think of it, 13 was tough, too, all the way over on the left and sitting on a little ridge.

Enjoy your round there and pray for no wind. I'd be interested to hear if anyone on your team makes it through all 18 holes without a three-putt. I have played Yale close to 20 times and have yet to achieve that goal.

I assume you are playing Hopkins. You should do well against them.

[Mark_Fine]

Dan,
I love Yale and was thinking of stoping by to play it and see the changes on the way back next week after playing The Country Club at Brookline.  Right now I have The Country Club of Fairfield scheduled so it might be hard to pass that one up.  That Raynor course could challenge Yale for the #1 spot in the state for sure.  

The photos of Yale look super!
Mark

[tonyt]

Looking at the bunker on #8 and a few other deep ones, it makes it all the more frustrating to see the fortress hole have such a shallow moat these days.

Awesome photos. I hope to see her in the flesh some day.

[Bill_McBride]

Is the 10th hole one of the most underrated holes in all of golf ?

What par 4's offer more demanding drives, approach, recovery and putting ?

Pat's obviously forgotten that last August, his approach shot to the right front pin was maybe 30" from the cup!  The hole didn't look too tough for him that day.  

But it is a terrific hole and a lot of fun was had trying to get putts close to that front right cup from the back.  The only line that worked was maybe 20' to the right of the hole (left of the green) and curling down the slope toward the hole at the end.

[Mike_Sweeney]

I made my first trip of the year up to play Yale on Saturday. Due to time constraints, I only got in 12 holes, but I saw the amazing work that Scott Ramsey has been performing. If you last saw Yale in November 2005, you have not seen Yale Golf Course!

From Tom Paul on another thread, "Both would be stunning if you could see across a good deal of the interior of those courses. However, what both need to always keep in mind is to never remove trees that would open up any view of what's all around the peripheries of both golf courses. That would be a real mistake."

This is exactly what is going on at Yale! Scott has traded in the chainsaw over the winter for a bulldozer on 10 and 18 at Yale. Basically the entire right side of 10 landing zone and 18 have been totally cleared. Wayne mentioned the other day that the tee shot at 10 was not a supreme test. It was the hardest tee shot on the course for me, but now with the width, it allows some freedom of room for the club golfer. Still the longest 390 yards in golf.
 
On 18, the entire tee ball landing zone is now clear, but the big hill on the right is now even more in play because you can play from it! For years you steered your ball away from that hill because it was basically a lost ball. No more. Eighteen has always been a frustrating hole due to the lack of width on the lower second shot landing zone, especially for such wild terrain. The "out of bounds" that basically existed for years between the upper and lower fairways is now in play and the lower fairway has been widened 10-20 yards. That hill between upper and lower appears to be in the early stages of bouncing balls from top to bottom. The lower fairway will soon become a viable option for the higher handicap player that wants to play a safer route to the hole. 18 green was extended last season. It is a big one! Scott has also added red stakes on the right side. They may not be needed in a year or two, but for now, it is a long overdue solution to a hole where balls literally disappear. When it grows in in a year or two, 18 will complete a transformation from one of the great novelties in golf to one of the great difficult Par 5's in golf.
 
Over the next 2-3 years, Scott will be working through the back 9. It is a monster project. The Rulewich bunkers have now been blended in most areas, and the reality is the scale of the tree work is so massive that it dominates recent bunkering work. He has created a Logging road between 10 and 18 fairway to allow worker traffic. The member I played with said 3000 trees so far, but let's get Ran to complete the interview with Scott to get accurate numbers. However, I will say this - Pine Valley GC should make a trip to New Haven to see what is going on.
 
It is my impression that the tree clearing is complete on the front side and you can see the finished product in Dan's pictures. Scott now appears to be fine tuning each and every hole. 2nd hole green has been extended, I think for the second time. Short Hole #5 bunkers have paint markings of doing some near term extensions. I have never seen April greens like this at Yale!
 
Ran has said to me more than once that he considers Yale one of five "landmark courses." It took Scott a winter of bulldozing for me to finally see what Ran was talking about. You will have to ask Ran what the other four are!
 
I have played a fair amount of MacDonald/Raynor/Banks, and in two to three years from now if Scott is allowed to continue down this path, Yale will easily slide into the MRB portfolio as # 2 on that list behind National and ahead of Piping Rock and Fishers! (I have not played Camargo or Chicago). For me to make that statement is amazing as Fishers is one of my favorite places to play. However from a architectural perspective Yale has not been like this for at least 50 years.

[Mark_Fine]

Thanks to this thread by Dan, I've now added Yale into my trip plans this week.  I should stay away from some of these threads as they just want to make me get out and play more golf courses    I'm anxious to see the recent changes in person.  

[Jim Sweeney]

Hoping to get there May 19. If so, I'll post follow up report.