[John Kavanaugh]

Is there anything more exciting than being next to a tree and executing a perfect shot at the risk of severe injury, or yanking a shot into a tree only to see the tree direct you back on line, or actually hitting a great recovery either over or around a tree.   Trees offer the greatest variety of shot options when compared to any other hazard, nothing else has over, under, around or through going for it..

[PThomas]

sometimes they do John, yes..but be prepared for an onslaught from the many tree haters!

[JESII]

Only when they allow the heavenwood recovery shot.

[Donnie Beck]

Trees are fun.. I think I will order a truckload of saplings to plant next year !!!!      

[John_Cullum]

One of the best golf shots I ever saw was a ricochet shot. Gene Sauers (note: my 3rd cousin) hit his ball over the 15th green at The Masters. It came to rest about 15 inches in front of the big pine tree, leaving him no backswing. He promptly pitched his ball into the tree and ricocheted it right on the green for a makeable birdie putt. I don't recall if he made his birdie.

[John Kavanaugh]

Donnie,

You don't need a tree cause you already have a biarritz...I like to compare seeing a shot appear on the other side of a tree seemingly untouched to the feeling one gets when the ball reappears on the backside of a biarritz...

[Donnie Beck]

Barney,

You would love the 4th hole at Pequot GC where I worked in High School. It is a par 4 about 280 yds with 100 ft oak in the middle of the fairway about 150yds from the tee. Talk about options!!!

[John Kavanaugh]

DB,

The third at Evansville CC has the same tree...it is a dogleg par three and while not one for intellectual options it is fun.  Depending on the tee and wind it plays anything from a high eight iron to a low fade driver..I hated that hole..

Here is a picture of the hole from the website of Ron Kern  http://store1.yimg.com/I/golfarch_1840_4715057  I'm thinking Ron had the pin put on the left side of the green so it didn't look any worse than it already does...

[Bill Gayne]

I skulled a ball out of a bunker once and it hit an oak tree and bounced back into the hole for the win. My playing partner and I died laughing. I could have posted this story on the most fun hole thread.

Faldo climbing the tree at Pebble Beach was fun to watch. Els playing out of the bush/tree at Muirfield was fun. I think Jerry Pate and Craig Stadler cut down a tree once and it looked like fun. It gives all of God's creatures a place to live. The big oak in front of the ANGC Clubhouse is a great place to meet people at the Masters. My wife's cousin met her future husband under the big oak. It's an engineering marvel how the ANGC is holding that tree together with wires.

[Michael Moore]

Barney -

I dare say that the ball that hits the front of the Biarritz, disappears in a coy fashion down in the swale, and reappears next to the back pin is the GCA equivalent of the unicorn . . . or perhaps just a shot that has been wickedly skulled.

[mike_malone]

 Sometimes;Some trees ,but never an evergreen in the way!

[Craig Sweet]

Ah yes, trees...one day last summer the super said to me, "come on, you and I have some irrigation work to do"  So, I look in the back of the club car and I don't see the irrigation tool bucket...thats's odd I think..hmmmmmm...In the back of the club car was the chain saw.

[Troy Alderson]

Mr. Kavanaugh,

IMHO, trees are fine when they occur naturally on the golf course property.  All too often memberships/owners feel they have to create a false sense of a parkland golf course by planted hundreds/thousands of trees in the wrong places.  Use what God has given us on the golf course property and lay out the course.  Strategic trees are wonderful on a golf course, but owners/memberships (and unknowing superintendents) plant trees that screw up the original lay out of the architect.

I like the occasional tree in the middle of the fairway.  But it needs to be the right kind of tree that does not interfer with the shot too much.  The tree in the middle of the fairway should be a mental hazard, not necessarily a physical hazard.

Troy

[John Kavanaugh]

LCCC planted a weeping willow about 300 from the tee on a downhill 515 par 5...It does a nice job of influencing both the tee and second shots..not to mention firming up the ground around it.  Nothing promotes an ideal maintenance meld like a ww..

[Lou_Duran]

Of course they do.  Sometimes.

For architects who don't have large budgets and great sites, working trees into the strategic scheme of things is critical.  As an architect and/or construction superintendent, Ralph Plummer was particularly good at doing this at several non-descript sites which resulted in outstanding courses (Preston Trail, Great Southwest, Champions- Cypress Creek, Colonial CC).

Mayday is at least partially right.  No spruces or other "evergreens" with ground-hugging branches.  Nothing with pricks or thorns either.

[mike_malone]

 Weeping Willow---bad idea for golf courses.

[John Kavanaugh]

Nothing with pricks or thorns either.

And you call yourself a Texan...I doubt if you will be voting for Kinky Freidman with that attitude.  I like the tree or bush with pricks and thorns...nothing changes up a swing like impending pain..

[John Kavanaugh]

Weeping Willow---bad idea for golf courses.

Why..I don't get it..don't they make the ground firm..

[Kelly Blake Moran]

John,


Over the past 2 years I have been responsible for the removal of about 200 trees, however having said that I have gained a better perspective on how to incorporate existing trees into the strategic design in relation to other manmade elements, and on occasion have purposely planted deciduous trees in areas cleared out of evergreens for strategic design purposes.  I think the bandwagon to felll all trees on a hole misses some great opportunities to introduce a tree or two that can have a major impact on the strategy of a hole, that without the tree or two would be a much less challenging and exciting hole.

[mike_malone]

 You said  "trees make golf more fun" How much fun is it to hit from behind a weeping willow? You talked about "hitting through" the tree. Can't do it.

  I realize you aren't serious with this thread ; you are just trying to elicit responses. But , even based on your words WW 's suck!

[Mike_Sweeney]

From Dan Jenkins, sadly the tree is now gone due to age:

BEST TREE
The huge elm hanging over the 10th green on Winged Foot East, right by the sprawling Gothic clubhouse. The tree would be more famous if the '29 U.S. Open, because of pretournament rains hadn't been moved from Winged Foot East to Winged Foot West. This resulted in the Opens of '59, 74 and "84 also being played on Winged Foot West and Winged Foot East, a more scenic and interesting layout, rarely being heard of again.



I am not the only one that prefers The East to The West.

I also like where Kelly Moran and Lester George incorporated a tree in the middle of the 2nd fairway at Hawk Pointe and 15 at Kinloch. It forces you to make decision off the tee, and potentially on your second shot.

[John Kavanaugh]

You said  "trees make golf more fun" How much fun is it to hit from behind a weeping willow? You talked about "hitting through" the tree. Can't do it.

  I realize you aren't serious with this thread ; you are just trying to elicit responses. But , even based on your words WW 's suck!

I'm perfectly serious about this thread...Of course I knew it would get in the anti-conifites craw..but the evidence above once again proves me correct..

[Mike_Sweeney]

John,


Over the past 2 years I have been responsible for the removal of about 200 trees, however having said that I have gained a better perspective on how to incorporate existing trees into the strategic design in relation to other manmade elements, and on occasion have purposely planted deciduous trees in areas cleared out of evergreens for strategic design purposes.  I think the bandwagon to felll all trees on a hole misses some great opportunities to introduce a tree or two that can have a major impact on the strategy of a hole, that without the tree or two would be a much less challenging and exciting hole.

Kelly,

I did not see this when I posted. Did the tree/branch on #11 driving area at Laurel Links survive?

[PThomas]

Mike - did WF consider transplanting a new one??

[Jason Topp]

I think people on this site give short shrift to the most important benefit of trees on a course -- shade.  

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