A recent decision will help to push the renovation of the college golf course at the top of Golfweek’s Best campus track list.
The Yale University course, which has been around for nearly 100 years, received a boost after the New Haven City Planning Commission in Connecticut approved the project to refurbish the C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor’s design back to its original condition.
The project was delayed because of up to 1,500 mature tree removals.
This course topped the list of college campuses released by Golfweek in 2022. This list is based on the Golfweek database’s vast course ranking data. It focuses on colleges and other campuses that own or operate courses.
The course has hosted every major Connecticut State championship as well as two USGA Junior Nationals, NCAA Regionals, in 1991, 1995 and 2004, 2010 and 2015, and again in 2020. The Nike Connecticut Open has been held at the course.
A story in the New Haven Register reports that the project must still be approved by the Army Corps of Engineers before work can begin on the parcel of 278 acres:
Victoria Chun, the director of athletics for Yale University, stated that her goal was to “be a great partner to all our neighbors.” She gave the example of her decision to make the golf course open to everyone, rather than membership-based.
Residents have been using the course to walk and sled for years. Chun stated that Yale will create a 1.5 mile cross-country ski trail if there is heavy snowfall. Residents can walk the paved path leading from the entrance of the clubhouse to the clubhouse.
The course renovation will have a positive impact on the environment by removing invasive plants, implementing conservation measures and installing a computer-controlled irrigation system. The renovation will include upgrading tees and greens, bunkers and fairways. It will also lengthen the course and realign the golf-cart path.
Chun stated that the university intends to hire an arborist who will take a stock of all the trees on the course and develop a plan for their management.
