In this episode of the TurfNet Renovation Report, host Anthony Pioppi chats with Scott Ramsay, CGCS, about the ongoing restoration of the Seth Raynor-designed classic at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
Ramsay has been at Yale since 2003 and was the TurfNet Superintendent of the Year in 2006. Working for an academic institution, he occasionally claims the tongue-in-cheek title of "Director of the Department of Applied Botany" at Yale.
The "renovation of the renovation" at Yale -- a complete renovation was finished up in 2003 -- focuses on reclaiming lost green area and tree removal. The Yale course in the middle of a 450 urban forest owned by the university.
Ramsay quips that "we don't measure greens here in square feet... we measure them in acres". He relies on a 1934 aerial map along with poking a lot of holes to find the gravel choker layer that Raynor liked to use. Once the original green outline is determined, he uses the "scalp and pray" method to bring the turf to green height.
He also discusses his new 15,000 sq ft plug nursery in which he has cultivated the mix of German bents, velvets, Penncross and Poa that match the original turf on the golf course.
Spend a half hour or so with Tony and Scott! Good conversation!
Presented by Golf Preservations, the greens drainage specialists and full service restoration/renovation contractors.
