[Ronald Montesano]

I am at the RTJ @ Cornell University golf course today for a New York State Golf Association state days tournament.  I awakened early and drove in for the purpose of shooting the course before the event tees off at 1 p.m.  It's an overcast day, drizzly at times, which explains the putty quality of the sky in the photographs. 

I haven't found a thread in the search archives that actually goes over the course, so perhaps this one can evolve into such an item.

That said, here is a link to my images of the RTJ @ Cornell University golf course:

http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f140/buffalogolfer/RTJ%20at%20Cornell%20University/

[Ronald Montesano]

Smallish greens with gnarly breaks...larger putting surfaces with punchbowls, terraces, hidden drains...sound like Robert Trent Jones, Senior?  Surprise!  Welcome to the RTJ course at Cornell University.  Yes, his enormous clamshell bunkers are in evidence, even one shaped like a heart.  The runway tees are fairly subdued, though.  What astonished me are the putting surfaces...such a diverse group!  I believe if you saw these, then putted them, without knowing their origin, you would probably not grant ownership to the RTJ-family source.

Add another one to the list:  Crag Burn, Seven Oaks, Golden Horseshoe, Cornell University...

[David_Tepper]

I believe the 2 nines at Cornell were built some time apart from each other, although I don't know if they were designed by RTJ many years apart as well.

I think the front-nine was essentially designed by RTJ as his senior-year thesis. Again I don't know how soon those holes were built after RTJ designed them. 

[Ronald Montesano]

You are correct...I think that RTJ came back after military service to complete the first nine holes (what are now the back nine) and then returned some time later to finish the deal.  Not too dissimilar from what happened at Seven Oaks-Colgate.

I played with the superintendent today, David Hicks, who won the scratch medal with 74.  He mentioned that they had to route hole # 18 away from the road and brought in RTJ2 for that little massage.

[Chris Cupit]

Tricks,

Is it possible that the ground is as flat as it looks

Other than the bunkers which seem elevated this looks like Ben Hogan's dream green sites--pancakes!

Sorry to be a downer and I understand the camera flattens a lot of stuff out but..............

[Roger Wolfe]

Haven't played it in twenty years.  I had a student membership for $120 a semester... unlimited walking.

[Ronald Montesano]

The back nine (the original nine) has some interesting movement.  The front nine (the newer of the two halves) does as well.  It's not a mountainous course by any stretch, but Ithaca is known for its gorges and waterfalls and the Cornell course benefits from that same topography.  You would not be disappointed with the course.

Another interesting note...the superintendent told me that they replaced one green (the 5th) with velvet bent grass, which supposedly does better in shade.  I asked if they considered cutting down some of the trees that suffocate the green, necessitating the newer grass.  He pointed off in the distance and said "they took some out over there."  I decided to not pursue the matter any longer...whatever trees they took out had no impact whatsoever on the putting surface.

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