Yale Golf Club

[sjpaster]

Would love to hear everyone’s take on a top 5 in CT course, Yale.

 

My thoughts are the architecture is ridiculously awesome. I see aspects of the best in the area, from Bethpage, to Kittansett, to The Country Club; a layout I could never get tired of playing.

 

With that said, conditions are tough. The greens are slower than most public courses, and conditions force similar pin positions day in/day out. There are fairway drainage issues and construction that hopefully solved them. And then the huge, multi-tiered, three club deep greens are ripe with blind shots that without a pin sheet are impossible to conquer.

 

The course is fun but it could be something more, which just frustrates me. Would love to hear everyone’s take on the course and if they think it is a top 10 in state and why.

[kpm0915]

Yale is truly a gem but its no secret that conditioning has always been lacking. Its one Gil Hanse restoration away from being a top 20 course in the country :)

[sheldonjhacker]

Great course, legendary architect. They just don't keep up with the care and conditioning of the course as most would like.

[raynorfan1]

I'll be the dissenting voice here.

 

It is held back in the rankings because of its "care and conditioning" - but that "care and conditioning" is much closer to the original design intent of the architect than you currently see at most Raynor / CBM courses. Yale (and even moreso Hotchkiss) are the closest that you can get to playing the golf that Seth Raynor imagined you would play on one of his courses.

[mmckee02]

Conditioning aside, the edges/corners of some of the greens have shrunken in over the years. I wouldn't mind slower conditions if the greens were mowed back to their original footprints.

 

The bones there are incredible, tons of potential.

 

MM

[outofboundz]

Yale is one of my favorites. I agree with everything that's been said so far although when I played it in August of 2017, I didn't think the conditions were all that bad. That being said, a restoration/conditioning upgrade would definitely shine more light on how great of a course it is. It really does feel like something completely different than most courses we play.

[basebalman]

I apologize for being slightly off topic, but I've been wanting to play Yale for awhile now. Does anyone know how guest access works? I have friends who are alums and could call and introduce me to play, but do they need to call each time I want to play or would I be added to a guest list and could then schedule again in the future? I don't want to bug someone each time...

[kpm0915]

I believe they have to accompany you.

[UnderPar18]

I apologize for being slightly off topic, but I've been wanting to play Yale for awhile now. Does anyone know how guest access works? I have friends who are alums and could call and introduce me to play, but do they need to call each time I want to play or would I be added to a guest list and could then schedule again in the future? I don't want to bug someone each time...

 

Pay the unaccompanied guest rate or go with someone who is affiliated with Yale. Pretty much your two options

[raynorfan1]

I apologize for being slightly off topic, but I've been wanting to play Yale for awhile now. Does anyone know how guest access works? I have friends who are alums and could call and introduce me to play, but do they need to call each time I want to play or would I be added to a guest list and could then schedule again in the future? I don't want to bug someone each time...

 

Pay the unaccompanied guest rate or go with someone who is affiliated with Yale. Pretty much your two options

 

I think the question - which I don’t know the answer to - is whether you have to be introduced by a Yale affiliated individual EACH time you want to play, or if a single introduction is sufficient for many rounds of play (at the unaccompanied rate).

[sjpaster]

I apologize for being slightly off topic, but I've been wanting to play Yale for awhile now. Does anyone know how guest access works? I have friends who are alums and could call and introduce me to play, but do they need to call each time I want to play or would I be added to a guest list and could then schedule again in the future? I don't want to bug someone each time...

 

Pay the unaccompanied guest rate or go with someone who is affiliated with Yale. Pretty much your two options

 

I think the question - which I don't know the answer to - is whether you have to be introduced by a Yale affiliated individual EACH time you want to play, or if a single introduction is sufficient for many rounds of play (at the unaccompanied rate).

 

How many times are you thinking about playing? And are you bringing people with you? They offer a 15 round package, where you don't need to be affiliated with Yale. You can use those rounds on guests. If you want to play as a foursome 4x, just sign up for that and have the 16th round pay as an unaccompanied guest of yours.

[basebalman]

I apologize for being slightly off topic, but I've been wanting to play Yale for awhile now. Does anyone know how guest access works? I have friends who are alums and could call and introduce me to play, but do they need to call each time I want to play or would I be added to a guest list and could then schedule again in the future? I don't want to bug someone each time...

 

Pay the unaccompanied guest rate or go with someone who is affiliated with Yale. Pretty much your two options

 

I think the question - which I don't know the answer to - is whether you have to be introduced by a Yale affiliated individual EACH time you want to play, or if a single introduction is sufficient for many rounds of play (at the unaccompanied rate).

 

Thanks. This is what I'm asking. I'd probably play 5 times a year; don't think I can get up there often enough to make the 15 pack worthwhile.

[golow]

They have been recapturing green surfaces for a few years ... one at a time. Biggest issue was left front corner of square green on the short #5 ... built it back up.

 

They were hoping the Woodbridge CC "sister course" deal would go thru which included full restoration based on the 1930 (or so) aerial photos they are going off of with there one at a time re-do currently.

 

Fairway drainage work was completed last season.

 

A long time benefactor of the course passed away this summer and left a generous amount of money to the course .... no idea where it'll be directed.

 

Greens were slow in 2018 .... but the weather stunk for all of CT .... 2017 they were as good as they've ever been ... hoping for a return to that.

[Tiemco]

Yale is f#*king awesome and anyone who says otherwise is a horse’s a**. It is classic CB MacDonald/Raynor on a huge scale. It’s a liberal university course therefore they are not going to spend a fortune on making it like Augusta National. They also don’t charge $400 a round, so get over yourself and stop complaining about slow greens and wet conditions.

[UnderPar18]

Yale is f#*king awesome and anyone who says otherwise is a horse’s a**. It is classic CB MacDonald/Raynor on a huge scale. It’s a liberal university course therefore they are not going to spend a fortune on making it like Augusta National. They also don’t charge $400 a round, so get over yourself and stop complaining about slow greens and wet conditions.

 

lol, tell us how you really feel

[GC7]

Yale is easily the best course in CT. As stated, with a restoration properly done according to aerial and construction photos it would be top 20 in the US and top 50 in the world. There are more thrilling shots and putts at Yale than about any course I can recall. After my first round I remembered every hole and every shot. How many places can you say that?

[raynorfan1]

> @GC7 said:

> Yale is easily the best course in CT. As stated, with a restoration properly done according to aerial and construction photos it would be top 20 in the US and top 50 in the world. There are more thrilling shots and putts at Yale than about any course I can recall. After my first round I remembered every hole and every shot. How many places can you say that?

 

I love Yale. A lot. But there's no course in the Top 20 that I think it holds up against, save possibly Muirfield Village.

Top 50? Maybe.

[GC7]

> @raynorfan1 said:

> I love Yale. A lot. But there's no course in the Top 20 that I think it holds up against, save possibly Muirfield Village.

> Top 50? Maybe.

Have you seen the old construction photos? I have photos from just after opening of several holes including 9 and 18 as well as recollections of now 90 year old men who played it and described the greens before being butchered by a superintendent in the 50's. The thing that places it above several top 20 (which list?) is that Yale is a totally unique place unlike any other inland course. I think restored its better than Chicago Golf, ShoreAcres and perhaps even Fischers Island. It's fine to disagree with me. They are just opinions.

 

PS- Muirfield Village is a joke compared with the classics being considered.

 

[golow]

Cool aerial photo 1934 vs 2013

http://golfcoursehistories.com/Yale.html

 

[jerebear21]

you can play unaccompanied as many times as you want; I've been doing it for a number years now. My wife's family was in New Haven so I do get out to yale at least once a year. The bones are all there. It's a living museum.

[johnnydamz]

Has anyone been out to Yale recently? Was wondering what kind of shape it's in and thinking of calling to get out there. I feel like in the fall might be a great time to play and increase the likelihood of it being a bit firmer and maybe a little faster.

[sabram]

I love Yale.

 

[https://flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/albums/72157636605032736](https://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/albums/72157636605032736 "https://flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/albums/72157636605032736") photo tour of The Course at Yale

 

 

 

 

[johnnydamz]

Wow! Great pics. I love Yale as well. What a great track!

[raynorfan1]

Why do they insist on pinning #9 on the front part of the green? Drives me bananas.

[stevopagolf]

I really love the layout. The conditions last time I played were OK. Yale has plenty of money should they choose to spend it. It would be a very special place.

[raynorfan1]

> @stevopagolf said:

> I really love the layout. The conditions last time I played were OK. Yale has plenty of money should they choose to spend it. It would be a very special place.

 

It is a very special place. IMHO the conditions are probably dramatically "better" than what Seth Raynor had in mind when he designed it. As an architectural masterpiece, I think I would prefer it if they let the conditions get a little bit worse vs. spent the money to improve them.

[Schley]

> @raynorfan1 said:

> Why do they insist on pinning #9 on the front part of the green? Drives me bananas.

 

There is evidence that Raynor intended for the front portion to be green and is maintained as such, however where they pin the green is up to the club. While not traditional in a Biarritz to even have putting surface on the front portion, I enjoy the variety myself. Not often but maybe once a week or so can do no harm, although not a traditional pin for a Biarritz green.

[golow]

> @"Schley " said:

> > @raynorfan1 said:

> > Why do they insist on pinning #9 on the front part of the green? Drives me bananas.

>

> There is evidence that Raynor intended for the front portion to be green and is maintained as such, however where they pin the green is up to the club. While not traditional in a Biarritz to even have putting surface on the front portion, I enjoy the variety myself. Not often but maybe once a week or so can do no harm, although not a traditional pin for a Biarritz green.

 

They actually have two cups cut everyday .... one front one back. You just tell group in front of you to replace pin to back location if you want. It's a great time to ask what course record is as well :smile:

 

For those who don't know ... the halfway house is on 9 tee so you almost always have opportunity to talk to group ahead.

[raynorfan1]

> @golow said:

> > @"Schley " said:

> > > @raynorfan1 said:

> > > Why do they insist on pinning #9 on the front part of the green? Drives me bananas.

> >

> > There is evidence that Raynor intended for the front portion to be green and is maintained as such, however where they pin the green is up to the club. While not traditional in a Biarritz to even have putting surface on the front portion, I enjoy the variety myself. Not often but maybe once a week or so can do no harm, although not a traditional pin for a Biarritz green.

>

> They actually have two cups cut everyday .... one front one back. You just tell group in front of you to replace pin to back location if you want. It's a great time to ask what course record is as well :smile:

>

> For those who don't know ... the halfway house is on 9 tee so you almost always have opportunity to talk to group ahead.

 

That’s great - when did they start doing that?

 

I’ve played the course probably 100 times over the past 20 years (but admittedly not much in the past 2 or 3) and seen the pin in the back probably ten times.

[raynorfan1]

> @"Schley " said:

> > @raynorfan1 said:

> > Why do they insist on pinning #9 on the front part of the green? Drives me bananas.

>

> There is evidence that Raynor intended for the front portion to be green and is maintained as such, however where they pin the green is up to the club. While not traditional in a Biarritz to even have putting surface on the front portion, I enjoy the variety myself. Not often but maybe once a week or so can do no harm, although not a traditional pin for a Biarritz green.

 

I agree with the consensus that Raynor intended the front section to be green; I also agree that it’s up to the club to decide where to pin the green. But IMHO the front pin should be used sparingly to change up the hole, not the other way around (where the back position is pretty rare).

 

It would not surprise me at all if many players complained more about the back pin, which makes it a very long par 3; but the hole isn’t meant to be easy.