Narrow tree-lined fairways take away the most satisfying shot in golf, the recovery from the sh*t - bringing your opponent to his/her knees!
Ergo - trees - bad! OK, OK, OK... some trees are really great.
I dont agree with this statment. who can hit a 200+ yard shot from a bunker, at greens that are suppose to protect the course? or out of the sh*t?, or if there was water I dont think anyone (90+ %) is hitting the greens from there. why is it that trees are ruining recovery shots? it seems to me that recovery shots are just as hard if not harder from the sand, the sh**t, and surely the water where there is no shot yet people dont seem to have a problem with that.
If the 18th on pebble beach was not water on the left but only trees, people would hate the whole...why is that? ifyou go in the water you have hit a terrible shot and are automatically hit with a stroke, no shot at all either. If there was no water but trees instead at least you have a chance to hit a recovery shot and one that would be just as easy/hard as one that would be a sand lined left side of entire whole.
To me, and i have been on here for a long time now, it seems people want to be rewarded, or have a very good chance at going after the green if they miss the fairway. People must be spending a lot of time off the fairways. I totally 100% do not agree. And yet it contradicts the thought of greens that protect the course or hole. 1% of the people that play golf are hitting shots from 150-250 out of a bunker or out of the fescue on to a good green. If one were to hit into a pot bunker and have not shot at the green people would say it is perfectly placed sand trap, people just dont like trees. I think people need to hit some fairways and play the whole how it is suppose to be played.....i would think all architects meant holes to be played from the fairway not off the fairway.
I was watching "playing with the pros" last night with Rocco Mediate (? spelling) and he was playing at Palencia CC in Florida. There was one whole where he was taking his second shot to a par 5, laying up, but making sure to be on the right side of the fairway so he would not be in trouble with the tree limb/branch on the left for his approach shot. people here would have issues with that, a tree that is going to screw up an approach shot, especially if the shot is coming from one off the fairway. I dont at all, because you simple are not suppose to hit it there. Yet, if it was water or a bunker people here would think it is strategic and great. If one can hit over/avoid water or out of a sand trap I would think one should be able to hit under a tree limb/branches as well, if YOU put yourself in the situation to have to hit one of those shots.
My last point....I did not get to play a ton this past year. So my game was certainly off. My best rounds by FAR were at Forsgate, Twisted Dunes and the pleassure of playing St. Andrews. I will not play these courses again! I could not hit a fairway, yet i had more birdie putts than i could remember. I had shots that were not hard at all and OPEN to the green from off the fairway or other fairways even. all in the 70's.
I then played Colonia CC in NJ which is a tight little short course that killed me! because I could not hit the fairways again and i did not have direct shots at the green that were NEARLY as easy as the other three courses....same as montclair cc, metedeconk national and tpc sawgrass. And I cant wait to go back and play these courses again and get my revenge! and hit the ball where it is meant to be hit or pay the price!
Modify, I should not say I would not play Forsgate again, I loved the greens! and from 50 yards and in was just eye candy to me.