OT: RU Golf course

[RUBubba]

Its been probably 10 years since I last played the Rutgers course, but over the last 3 weeks, I have heard from 3 different people that the course has been in terrible condition. I'm not talking about right now in "winter" condition. They said its been absolutely brutal the last couple of years including losing almost all of the grass in the fairways.

Anyone confirm or refute this? I always thought it was in good shape, albeit very hard greens.

 

[RUBOB72]

I guess our turf growing department has left the building... Really haven’t played the course in forever but to allow it to deteriorate as is referenced here is sad for the school and the public.

 

[phs73rc77gsm83]

I played there a few times last year and the previous few years. It was not in the condition it had been for decades. For a public course I always felt it was in good shape until a few years ago. I think part of it is the clientele. Many traps were not raked, divots not repaired, ball marks on greens, cigarette butts on tee boxes, people riding carts on the apron... I don’t know how much the RU turf program is involved anymore or if there are budget constraints or what. I play mostly at private clubs so maybe I’m being too harsh but it does seem to have gone down hill. I still would play if my club is closed or whatever but just don’t have high expectations.

 

[RUBubba]

Wow... I just looked up the Rutgers University mens golf team schedule and results.... it doesn't look like they have played a home match since 2015. Where do they play/practice?

Women have played there in 2018.

 

[Caliknight]

I have it on pretty good authority that it is in horrible shape. So bad, that recruits aren't even taken to see it, which is really a tragedy. We already have the course. Just maintain the damn thing. It's already there.

 

[Section124]

I played the course last August and it was fine. No different than any other county course. The last 2 years we had a lot of rain in August and that kills the fairways everywhere. No need to blame the course maintenance staff. People need to stop speculating on hearsay.

Also, I think the team plays their home matches at Fiddler's Elbow. The Rutgers course is way too short for any real competition.

 

[Caliknight]

My post wasn't speculation.

 

[Knightmoves]

I played the course last August and it was fine. No different than any other county course. The last 2 years we had a lot of rain in August and that kills the fairways everywhere. No need to blame the course maintenance staff. People need to stop speculating on hearsay.

Also, I think the team plays their home matches at Fiddler's Elbow. The Rutgers course is way too short for any real competition.

Fiddlers Elbow is a huge step up from a public course. Great deal for RU if that’s our home course for competition.

 

[Section124]

My post wasn't speculation.

Like I said, I played the course last August. It has the same issues most county courses had around here. It will never be a good golf course. Anyone who thinks the Rutgers course is a good course is a hack.

 

[Caliknight]

Good is one thing. In awful condition is another. Luckily we have access to other private courses. But still.

 

[Section124]

Good is one thing. In awful condition is another. Luckily we have access to other private courses. But still.

I agree. It's not a good look to the university not having a decent course. However, it fits in with the rest of our formally neglected facilities. At least Hobbs is fixing those one at a time. However, based on the footprint, there is no way to ever make it a great course. Plus I don't think a new golf course is on the agenda anyway.

 

[phs73rc77gsm83]

I agree. It's not a good look to the university not having a decent course. However, it fits in with the rest of our formally neglected facilities. At least Hobbs is fixing those one at a time. However, based on the footprint, there is no way to ever make it a great course. Plus I don't think a new golf course is on the agenda anyway.

Very few schools have their own course on campus, I believe. Having said that, I agree you couldn’t play matches there due primarily to the length.

 

[jtung230]

Both 124 and Cali are right. The course was bad last summer due to all the rain. All the courses in the area had the same issue. I played it in the spring and it was in good shape. Went back in August and you were better off in the rough than fairway (unless you like hitting out of mud).

 

[RUBubba]

I played at Neshanic last year about 20 times, a county course, and it was in excellent shape. Soft early in the year, but not muddy.

 

[Caliknight]

Very few schools have their own course on campus, I believe. Having said that, I agree you couldn’t play matches there due primarily to the length.

I believe a number of B1G schools have golf courses.

Bottom line is we already have one. Will it ever be Augusta? No. But it can easily be maintained better. More people would probably want to play it increasing revenue if it were.

The women's varsity team compete there. That should be reason enough.

 

[knightfan7]

Very few schools have their own course on campus, I believe. Having said that, I agree you couldn’t play matches there due primarily to the length.

Not all that unusual in the B1G. Illini have one and a 36 hole resort they're allowed to use not far from campus. Both OSU and PSU have 2 courses of their own. I'd wager there are others.

 

[jtung230]

I believe a number of B1G schools have golf courses.

Bottom line is we already have one. Will it ever be Augusta? No. But it can easily be maintained better. More people would probably want to play it increasing revenue if it were.

The women's varsity team compete there. That should be reason enough.

Part of the problem is a lot of people do play it. That’s why it gets beat up. That and a lot of those rounds are by beginners.

 

[knightfan7]

I believe a number of B1G schools have golf courses.

Bottom line is we already have one. Will it ever be Augusta? No. But it can easily be maintained better. More people would probably want to play it increasing revenue if it were.

The women's varsity team compete there. That should be reason enough.

If I'm not mistaken the women have held fundraisers there the past 2 years but play matches exclusively away as do the men.

 

[Caliknight]

Make it nicer, increase the fees.

 

[soundcrib]

Women are at Fiddlers too.

 

[phs73rc77gsm83]

Make it nicer, increase the fees.

Agree. The low fees bring in people who don’t respect the game or course. I don’t mind beginner players or those with high handicaps as long as they play to pace and respect the course and game.

 

[phs73rc77gsm83]

I believe a number of B1G schools have golf courses.

Bottom line is we already have one. Will it ever be Augusta? No. But it can easily be maintained better. More people would probably want to play it increasing revenue if it were.

The women's varsity team compete there. That should be reason enough.

I stand corrected. Went online and was surprised. I seem to recall 10 or 15 years ago reading an article that had Rutgers as one of the top “on campus” courses. That lead me to beLieve that most are probably off campus.

 

[RU Golfer]

Its been probably 10 years since I last played the Rutgers course, but over the last 3 weeks, I have heard from 3 different people that the course has been in terrible condition. I'm not talking about right now in "winter" condition. They said its been absolutely brutal the last couple of years including losing almost all of the grass in the fairways.

Anyone confirm or refute this? I always thought it was in good shape, albeit very hard greens.

It was in terrible shape last year...My group started playing Somerset county courses instead...I also heard the RGA may fall below 100 members this year.

 

[DHajekRC84]

Sounds like Rutgers has solved its future parking and facilities question. If its not goid enough to use for the school. Why bother.
Go 9 holes and use the rest bear the stadium when needed. Yes, serious shame. Folks I bring always get a thrill seeing the course there.

 

[jtung230]

Sounds like Rutgers has solved its future parking and facilities question. If its not goid enough to use for the school. Why bother.
Go 9 holes and use the rest bear the stadium when needed. Yes, serious shame. Folks I bring always get a thrill seeing the course there.

Yes, our problem was that so many people showed up and we didn’t have enough parking.

 

[jtung230]

Make it nicer, increase the fees.

It is what it is. If it wasn’t Rutger’s golf course, I would never seek it out.

 

[HPNJRUfan]

 

[DHajekRC84]

Yes, our problem was that so many people showed up and we didn’t have enough parking.

I prefer to think ahead based on the past when Greg was here. Guess you didnt experience that. Nor wondering where additional facilities for football near the stadium would go.

 

[WhiteBus]

I have it on pretty good authority that it is in horrible shape. So bad, that recruits aren't even taken to see it, which is really a tragedy. We already have the course. Just maintain the damn thing. It's already there.

That isn't a college level course. Even back when I played for RU in the early 80s. It's a driver wedge course. To short. It's fun to play but it's always been a dump.

 

[jtung230]

I prefer to think ahead based on the past when Greg was here. Guess you didnt experience that. Nor wondering where additional facilities for football near the stadium would go.

I didn’t experience that because I always had parking in the lot I wanted. It’s not the number of parking spaces, it’s the cost. People just want cheaper parking closer to the stadium.

 

[DHajekRC84]

I didn’t experience that because I always had parking in the lot I wanted. It’s not the number of parking spaces, it’s the cost. People just want cheaper parking closer to the stadium.

No they don't. They just don't want to take a bus from the RAC, walk across the bridge from the park, or walk from UMDMJ lots since Rutgers doesn't have those shuttles.
Plus. Johnson park is no longer a parking option. And...how bout the land for the New indoor practice fieldhouse?

 

[Unionst]

The fairways have been in poor shape for 2 years. Other public courses in the area have had the same weather and the same heavy play and have been in much better shape.

 

[ruready07]

I believe a number of B1G schools have golf courses.

Bottom line is we already have one. Will it ever be Augusta? No. But it can easily be maintained better. More people would probably want to play it increasing revenue if it were.

The women's varsity team compete there. That should be reason enough.

would be cool to see visiting fans paying a premium to play there on game weekends. A nice tradition and an opportunity for visitors to say : wow, rutgers isn’t what I thought it was

 

[BROTHERSKINNY]

three problems with Rutgers Golf Course.....

1) Its too short to be a competitive golf course with todays modern equipment. The 18-hole Rutgers University course at the Rutgers University Golf Course facility in Piscataway, New Jersey features 6,337 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 71. The course rating is 70. 6 and it has a slope rating of 123 on Bent grass.
At 6337 from the championship tees, most regular clubs come in today at 6500 to 6800 for their member tees and over 7000 from their championship tees. Baltusrol comes in at about 6750 yds. from their member tees and Fiddlers Elbow comes in at 7100 yds. but that is the championship length. Rutger GC is 500 to 800 yds too short.
2) Rutgers Golf course is too tight. narrow fairways and not enough space between some holes makes for a less than pleasurable time golfing.
3) Layout is horrible. in my opinion it is a terrible layout and really needs to be redesigned.
4) lastly the course itself is poorly maintained. for a school that has one of the premier agricultural schools in the nation to have a golf course that is maintained the way it is, is embarrassing.

two things need to happen with Rutgers golf course either expand, redesign and improve it or turn it into parking or other playing fields for other sports.

 

[ruready07]

three problems with Rutgers Golf Course.....

1) Its too short to be a competitive golf course with todays modern equipment. The 18-hole Rutgers University course at the Rutgers University Golf Course facility in Piscataway, New Jersey features 6,337 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 71. The course rating is 70. 6 and it has a slope rating of 123 on Bent grass.
At 6337 from the championship tees, most regular clubs come in today at 6500 to 6800 for their member tees and over 7000 from their championship tees. Baltusrol comes in at about 6750 yds. from their member tees and Fiddlers Elbow comes in at 7100 yds. but that is the championship length. Rutger GC is 500 to 800 yds too short.
2) Rutgers Golf course is too tight. narrow fairways and not enough space between some holes makes for a less than pleasurable time golfing.
3) Layout is horrible. in my opinion it is a terrible layout and really needs to be redesigned.
4) lastly the course itself is poorly maintained. for a school that has one of the premier agricultural schools in the nation to have a golf course that is maintained the way it is, is embarrassing.

two things need to happen with Rutgers golf course either expand, redesign and improve it or turn it into parking or other playing fields for other sports.

Expand the soccer/lacrosse footprint while turning the golf course into a fun par 3? A place to hang out, go on dates, etc... A fun thing for the students to have as part of their experience

 

[WhiteBus]

three problems with Rutgers Golf Course.....

1) Its too short to be a competitive golf course with todays modern equipment. The 18-hole Rutgers University course at the Rutgers University Golf Course facility in Piscataway, New Jersey features 6,337 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 71. The course rating is 70. 6 and it has a slope rating of 123 on Bent grass.
At 6337 from the championship tees, most regular clubs come in today at 6500 to 6800 for their member tees and over 7000 from their championship tees. Baltusrol comes in at about 6750 yds. from their member tees and Fiddlers Elbow comes in at 7100 yds. but that is the championship length. Rutger GC is 500 to 800 yds too short.
2) Rutgers Golf course is too tight. narrow fairways and not enough space between some holes makes for a less than pleasurable time golfing.
3) Layout is horrible. in my opinion it is a terrible layout and really needs to be redesigned.
4) lastly the course itself is poorly maintained. for a school that has one of the premier agricultural schools in the nation to have a golf course that is maintained the way it is, is embarrassing.

two things need to happen with Rutgers golf course either expand, redesign and improve it or turn it into parking or other playing fields for other sports.

It was way too short even back in my playing days there when woods where made of wood. There is zero challenge. However it's not too tight as there has never been any rough to speak of.

 

[e5fdny]

Things change.

Sometimes for the better.

 

[BROTHERSKINNY]

It was way too short even back in my playing days there when woods where made of wood. There is zero challenge. However it's not too tight as there has never been any rough to speak of.

In my opinion the course needs a total redesign. Of course it will take a lot of the stuff that Rutgers does not have $$$$$. So Rutgers will continue to have a crappy Golf course.

 

[e5fdny]

In my opinion the course needs a total redesign. Of course it will take a lot of the stuff that Rutgers does not have $$$$$. So Rutgers will continue to have a crappy Golf course.

Or...

Things change.

Sometimes for the better.

 

[WhiteBus]

In my opinion the course needs a total redesign. Of course it will take a lot of the stuff that Rutgers does not have $$$$$. So Rutgers will continue to have a crappy Golf course.

The property doesn't have the land to expand to today's length. They use every inch.