Yale Bulldogs golf

This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject, potentially preventing the article from being verifiable and neutral. Please help by replacing them with more appropriate citations to reliable, independent, third-party sources. (December 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Yale University Bulldogs golf
Founded	Men's: 1896[1] Women's: 1980[2]
University	Yale University
Conference	Ivy League
Head coach	Men's: Colin Sheehan (2008-present)[3] Women's: Lauren Harling (2019-present)[4]
Location	New Haven, Connecticut
Course	Yale Golf Course
Nickname	Bulldogs
NCAA champions
Men (21): 1897, 1898 (Fall), 1902 (Spring), 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1915, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1936, 1943[5]
NCAA individual champions
Men (13): John Reid Jr. (1898 Spring), Charles Hitchcock Jr. (1902 Spring), Robert Abbott (1905), W.E. Clow Jr. (1906), Ellis Knowles (1907), Robert Hunter (1910), George Stanley (1911), Nathaniel Wheeler (1913), Francis Blossom (1915), Jess Sweetser (1920), Dexter Cummings (1923, 1924), Tom Aycock (1929)[6]
Conference champions
Men (10): 1984, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2011, 2018[7] Women (7): 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2011[8]
Individual conference champions
Men (14): Peter Teravainen (1977, 1978), Jim Goff (1984), Bill Huddleston (1985), Chip Arndt (1988), Bob Heintz (1990, 1991, 1992), Ken Rivzi (1996), Chris Eckerle (1999), Louis Aurelio (2001), Brian Kim (2003), Eoin Leonard (2018), James Nicholas (2019)[9] Women (5): Natalie Wong (1998), Sarah Seo (2000), Cindy Shin (2005), Alyssa Roland (2010), Jennifer Peng (2016)[10]

The Yale Bulldogs golf team represent Yale University in intercollegiate competition. The men's team has won more national team championships and more individual national championships than any other university golf program in the United States.^[11] The Women's Team was founded in 1980 and has won a number of Ivy League championships.^[12] The teams play out of the Yale Golf Course and compete as members of the Ivy League.

History[]

In the fall of 1896, Yale Alumni Weekly reported that a "new game," golf, was the "rage among seniors" at the school. Students used hockey sticks and tennis balls to simulate golf clubs and golf balls on a "makeshift course" on campus. For a more "serious" game, students traveled off-campus to a complete, nine-hole course, New Haven Golf Club, that had been completed the previous year. The top Yale undergraduates at New Haven created an independent organization, Yale Golf Club, later in the fall. In November, they played their "first intercollegiate competition." It was against Columbia University. The golf team's coach during this era was Robert Pryde, a Scottish-born former cabinetmaker. The following year they won first national intercollegiate championship. Overall, during Pryde's tenure as coach Yale won another 14 NCAA championships in team golf. Pryde's 15 total victories is "a record that still stands."^[13]

By 1922, however, Yale had not won a championship in seven years. George Townsend Adee made some proposals to the Director of the Athletic Association to improve the program. One of them was to create a new golf course. Golf was becoming more popular among undergraduates but it was becoming difficult to find courses accommodate all of the new players. New Haven Country Club was not open to undergraduates. The local Race Brook Country Club was bursting at its seams so prospective players "were forced to go even further afield." In addition, Princeton University already had its own golf course and Harvard University was building one.^[14]

In 1923, construction on a new golf course began. Three years later, in 1926, it was opened as Yale Golf Course. That year they also hired a new coach, the Scottish-born Ben Thomson. Yale won the national intercollegiate championship that year for the first time in several years.^[15] In 1927, a University Championship tournament was held. The top scorers at the tournament would have the opportunity to make the Yale golf team. The event was held in spring and had 100 participants. The top 12 players would be considered for the team. Lewis Parker was the medalist, shooting a 73, also breaking the course record. From there, the top 12 players played another qualifier; the top 8 players in this qualifier made the team.^[15] In the 1930s, Yale had much success. They won the national intercollegiate championship (now NCAA Championship) four times in the 1930s. In addition, they had much success in local events. In 1931, Yale joined the Eastern Intercollegiate Golf Association (EIGA). The conference featured a number of prominent golf schools like Princeton and Harvard. Yale won eight consecutive conference championships from the year they joined through 1938.^[16]

In the 1940s, however, Yale entered a period of decline. In March 1942, as part of cost-cutting measures related to World War II, Yale fired coach Thomson. Yale won the 1942 national intercollegiate championship but would never win the event for the remainder of the decade (or ever, in fact).^[17][18] In June 1942, the team's captain, Arthur Williams, was drafted into World War II.^[18] Overall, the Yale team won no notable championships from 1944 to 1948.^[19]

Shortly thereafter, in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Yale golf team team began playing better. Yale won the Eastern Intercollegiate Championship in 1949, 1951,^[20] 1953,^[21] and 1954.^[22][23] In addition, Lincoln Roden III won the 1951 Eastern Intercollegiate individual championship.^[20] In 1955, Al Wilson became the golf coach.^[24] Wilson coached the team for 15 years.^[25] The Yale golf team had much success during this era. During Wilson's tenure, the team recorded 136 wins against 14 losses for a winning percentage of 90%. This included seven Eastern Intercollegiate Championships.^[24] During this era, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Rees Jones, future golf course architects, participated as a player and manager, respectively, for the team.^[26][27]

Shortly thereafter, marked another period of decline. "The 1970s were not a good times for Yale golf," it was reported. Coach Wilson left his position in 1970. Yale undergraduates were reportedly uninterested in golf during the era. The Yale golf team "won no league championships" during the first half of the 1970s. University administration was considering selling Yale Golf Course.^[25]

In 1975, David Paterson arrived at Yale as the newly hired Director of Golf, he maintained one condition; he would be the coach of the Yale Men's Golf team. This condition became a reality in 1975 when Paterson was allowed to take over the program.^[28] From the very start, Paterson possessed a deep desire to add another national championship to the school's already record 21 victories. He did this by strengthening the team's tournament schedule to play the nation's top teams while also creating the Yale Fall Intercollegiate Tournament (now called the Macdonald Cup) and the Yale Spring Opener to draw these top programs to New Haven. Additionally, he hosted the 1991 and 1995 NCAA Regional Championships as well as several New England NCAA Division I Championships to bring even more attention to the Yale Golf Course and program. Paterson also played a pivotal role in the creation of the Yale Women's Golf Team as he coached the team to their first win at the Mount Holyoke Invitational before handing the program over to Darci Wilson, the team's first full-time coach. Year after year, Paterson maintained his commitment to being the best ambassador of Yale golf as he could. Whether this came in the form of putting together the Yale Golf Classic, a tournament for stars of the Senior PGA to raise money for Yale athletics or serving as the president of the Ivy League Coaches Association, Paterson pushed Yale Golf onwards and upwards. When the "Scottish Bulldog", as he had been fondly nicknamed, retired in 2008 he was one of the longest-serving coaches in the history of NCAA golf. In his 33 year career, Paterson's teams won eight Ivy League titles and five New England Division 1 Championships. He had ten teams qualify for NCAA Regionals with two of those teams making it to NCAA National Championships. Paterson handed the program over to a former player of his, Colin Sheehan (Yale '97), who had served as the assistant coach for the men's and women's teams in 2007.^[29] Sheehan has continued the winning legacy passed on by Paterson with his teams combining for 29 wins in his career so far, including two Ivy League Championships (2011 and 2018). To accompany these wins, Sheehan has also been named the D-1 Northeast Coach of the Year four times (2011, 2013, 2014, and 2019) while being honored as Ivy League Coach of the Year in 2019.^[30]

Women's coaching history[]

Notable players[]

John Reid Jr.[]

John Reid Jr. (Class of 1899), son to John Reid Sr., a founding member of The Saint Andrew's Golf Club, ^[37] helped found the Yale University Golf CLub in 1986. In 1897, Reid Jr. won the University Championship, was elected vice-captain of the team and helped the team win the first-ever intercollegiate championship sponsored by the USGA. He would then capture the 1898 individual title at the spring intercollegiate championship and lead the team to another intercollegiate championship that fall. Following his time at Yale, John Reid Jr. would remain involved in the game, serving as the secretary and vice-president of the USGA as well as being an honorary member of the St. Andrew's Golf Club and a member of the St. Andrew's Society. ^[38]

Wyllys Rosseter Betts[]

Wyllys Rosseter Betts (Class of 1898) was another early member of the Yale Golf Team alongside John Reid Jr. He also made it to the finals in the 3rd U.S. Amateur at Chicago Golf Club in 1897 before eventually falling to H.J. Whigham. ^[39]

Eben Beyers[]

Eben Beyers (Class of 1901) was the winner of the 1906 U.S. Amateur at Englewood Golf Club. This victory came after two runner-up performances in the tournament in 1902 and 1903. He was elected to the executive committee of the USGA in 1905 ^[40] while also being a founding member of the National Golf Links of America. ^[41]

Robert Gardner[]

Robert Gardner (Class of 1912) was the first of many dual-sport athletes to find success for Yale on the golf course. From 1910 to 1912, Gardner helped the Yale Men's Golf Team continue their streak of eight straight national championships while captaining the team in 1912. Gardner also captured the 1909 and 1915 US Amateurs while playing on the inaugural 1922 Walker Cup team and serving as a playing captain on the 1923, 1924, and 1926 teams. Aside from golf, he also served as the captain of the Yale Track Team and at one point set the world record of 13 feet 1 inch in pole vaulting while winning the intercollegiate pole vault championship.^[42]

Jess Sweetser[]

Jess Sweetser (Class of 1923) is another dual-sport athlete that pushed Yale Golf forward. For Yale, Sweetser won the 1920 National Intercollegiate Championship and finished runner-up at the 1921 National Intercollegiate Championship all while running track for the Bulldogs.^[43] As an amateur golfer, Sweetser won the 1922 US Amateur, became the first American-born winner of the British Amateur in 1926, won the 1922 and 1925 Metropolitan Amateur, and was a six-time Walker Cup member (1922, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1928, 1932).^[44]

Dexter Cummings[]

Dexter Cummings (Class of 1925) is Yale's only two-time Individual National Champion. He won the 1924 and 1925 National Individual Championships while leading the Bulldogs to team National Championships in those years as well. Shortly after graduating, Cummings continued his stellar golf by medalling at the Western Amateur by seven shots.^[45]

Edward L. Meister[]

Edward L. Meister (Class of 1940) was known as a golfing prodigy early on in his life. This proved true as he would be undefeated as a freshman at Yale. He would also become the first-ever freshman to be crowned the winner of the annual University Championship, beating Frederic Borsodi, the tournament's current namesake, in the finals. While Yale would not win any National Championships during his time on the team, Meister would be the number one player throughout his time on the team. Upon graduation, Meister focused his attention onamateur golf. In 35 years, he would qualify for 25 US Amateurs, play in three Masters Tournaments and reach the semifinals of the Canadian and French championships as well as the US Senior Amateur. However, Meister's most notable accomplishment came in his 1954 semifinal match in the US Amateur where he faced off against Arnold Palmer. While Meister would end up falling to Palmer after 39 holes, the match was considered an all-time great.^[46]

Peter Teravainen[]

Peter Teravainen (Class of 1978) became Yale's first and only two-time Ivy League Individual Champion by winning the title in 1977 and 1978.^[47] Additionally, he was named to All-American Teams three times in 1977, 1978, and 1979, a feat that has not been matched since by a Yale golfer. After graduating and with the encouragement of Coach David Paterson, Teravainen embarked on a professional career.^[48] While he had a short and unsuccessful stint on the PGA Tour, Teravainen earned a European Tour Card in 1981. He continued to play in Europe for the next decade with some successes in the form of top-ten finishes. He played in his first major championship in the 1984 Open Championship at the Old Course at St Andrews but ran into injury problems nine years later in 1993. On the verge of quitting the game in 1995, Tervainen finally broke through and won on the European tour at the Chemapol Trophy Czech Open and his career saw a resurgence. When his playing days came to a close Teravainen had won seven times, including three national championships, played in multiple major championships, and had achieved his best ranking of 97 in the World Golf Rankings.^{[49][circular reference]}

Bob Heintz Jr.[]

Bob Heintz Jr. (Class of 1992) originally came to Yale to play basketball but transitioned to a full-time golfer during his second year. This decision proved wise as Heintz would go on to win the next three Ivy League Individual Championships, including a 13-shot victory during his senior year at Bethpage Black. He also was an Academic All-American his senior year by maintaining a 3.2 GPA. After graduation, Heintz bounced around between mini-tours until he qualified for the PGA Tour in 2000. Over the next decade, he would go back and forth between the PGA Tour and Nike Tour (now Korn Ferry Tour) before eventually transitioning to the world of college golf coaching. He now serves as the assistant men's golf coach at Duke University^[50]

James Nicholas[]

James Nicholas (Class of 2019) came to Yale as a dual-sport athlete, playing both golf and football for the Bulldogs. After dropping football following his freshman season, Nicholas began to succeed for the Bulldogs. He ended his career as a two-time Ivy League Player of the Year (2018, 2019) including an individual win at the 2019 Ivy League Championship, a three-time winner of the Borsodi Student Championship (2017, 2018, 2019), a two-time Division I PING All-Region Team for the Northeast member (2018, 2019), as well as several other collegiate victories.^[51] Upon graduation, James earned Korn Ferry Tour status at Q-School and made his PGA Tour debut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, Michigan in 2020.

Heather Daly-Donofrio[]

Heather Daly-Donofrio (Class of 1991) also arrived at Yale as a dual-athlete, competing for the Bulldogs both as a swimmer and as a golfer. After her second year, Daly-Donofrio decided to give up swimming and focus on her golf game. This paid dividends as she would go on to win the Connecticut Women's Amateur Championship in both 1992 and 1993. For the next several years she worked miscellaneous jobs while playing on the mini-tours. In 1997, she accepted the job as the head women's golf coach at Yale but then qualified for the LPGA Tour later that year. In 2000, Daly-Donofrio resigned as coach but would go on to become the first Yale graduate to win a professional tournament on a major U.S. tour. when she won the 2001 First Union Betsy King Classic on the LPGA Tour. She would win again at the 2004 Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions and continue playing on the LPGA Tour until 2009.^[52]

Seo Hee Moon[]

Seo Hee Moon (Class 2014) came to Yale in the fall of 2010 and saw immediate success. During her freshman season, Moon won six of the teams' ten tournaments and finished in the top three in three others. Due to this impressive play, Moon was awarded the Ivy League Freshman of the Year and Ivy League Player of the Year in 2011. She remained a consistent finisher for Yale throughout the next three years, securing many top-tens, Second-Team All-Ivy in 2012 and First-Team All-Ivy in 2013.^[53]

F.A. Borsodi Student Championship[]

Frederic A. Borsodi[]

Fred Borsodi (Class of 1939) arrived on the Yale campus in 1935 as a golfer far away from his Texas home. While on the golf team, he finished runner up in the 1937 Student University Championship as well as tying the course record of 69 at the Old Course at St Andrews that same year while playing in the West of Scotland Golfer’s Alliance Open Championship. Along with golf, Borsodi had a strong passion for aviation. He learned to fly as a member of the Yale Aero Club which maintained planes and put on competitive intercollegiate air shows. He grew to love piloting so much that following his graduation in 1939 he joined the Navy as a pilot, although he would resign from this role only one year later in 1940. Then everything changed on December 7, 1941, when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. This lit a fire in Borsodi, leading him to join the AirForce. Here he would end up flying 130 combat missions in Europe and North Africa, even surviving being shot down in 1943. Borsodi would work his way up to the title of Air Force Chief Test Pilot. As part of this title, Borsodi was asked to test out a new jet fighter plane coined "Shooting Stars in January 1945. While the first test run on January 27 was a success, a day later the plane piloted by Major Borsodi caught fire and crashed. Borsodi did not survive and was buried with full military honors at the American Military Cemetery in Cambridge, England. During his Air Force tenure, Borsodi had been awarded Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster and The Air Medal with fifteen Oak Leaf Clusters.^[54]

History of the F.A. Borsodi Student Championship[]

When the undergraduates at Yale created the Yale Golf Club in 1896 one of their first tasks was to create a tournament in which they could determine the strongest players amongst their ranks. This tournament became an annual tradition until it was eventually suspended in 1950. For 36 years the tournament was not contested until 1986 when Coach David Paterson sought to bring back this once prestigious tournament. Along with the help of the Yale Class of 1937, Paterson resumed the playing of the tournament under the new name of the F.A. Borsodi Student Championship after the heroic World War II pilot and former Yale Golf Team member Frederic A. Borsodi. That year Willis Arndt (Class of 1990) won the men’s division while Marjorie Funk, a graduate student, won the women’s division. To this day, the Borsodi Student Championship remains an annual tradition each fall at the Yale Golf Course.^[55]

References[]