[Adam Warren]

As I've mentioned before, we will be removing about 130 trees from our course in the next little bit, and will be attempting to employ someone to draw us up a tree plan for strategically replacing trees and potentially adding other features to the course in place of some trees for a more immediate impact to play on the course.  Due to where our course is and what it is, I obviously do not need to try to grab any of the big names like Doak, C&C, etc., but would like someone reputable that may not have the panache of one of those big names.  We can't drop all we want on this project, but we do have money budgeted for this.  I have been looking for a little bit, but I know many of you guys may have more insight and knowledge on this than I do.  Looking forward to your comments.

[JWL]

Depending on where you are located, I could do that service for your club.  contact me JimLipeDesign@gmail.com
Cheers

[John Crowley]

Don't know where you are Adam but, Ron Prichard in PA is an excellent restoration architect. Ron knows how trees can interfere with the game and comprise turf conditions. He has an impressive resume and broad GCA knowledge.

[Frank Pont]

Adam, any good architect should be able to do that with you, preferably in cooperation with a good ecologist/arborist. Tree removal is such a ubiquitous task at almost all GBI and European courses nowadays that I often only half jokingly state that I have a boile plate chapter that I can insert into any Course report about tree removal. However the analysis is only half the work, the hardest part is the process of convincing the membership that the trees need to go. Not many architects have the process skills needed to do that succesfully.

[PCCraig]

REPLACE trees?!?!?! 

[Mike Nuzzo]

Frank
Would you work with any architect if you were in Adam's shoes?
Or would you rather work with a team that can help you with your present task and start a relationship for future opportunities?
Cheers

[Andrew Buck]

Frank
Would you work with any architect if you were in Adam's shoes?
Or would you rather work with a team that can help you with your present task and start a relationship for future opportunities?
Cheers

The fact a professional architect did a master plan 25 years ago that showed 550 trees on our newer 9 holes is one of the biggest obstacles to getting many of them thinned out and removed.  After all, how can I claim to know more than a professional.  

In many ways, hiring a architect may be as much about the "sell" that a professional recommends it, as which trees to actually remove.  If the money is there, working with an architect is certainly preferred, but I'd guess there are a lot of obvious ones based on sunlight/roots that the super/committee should be able to determine easily.  Another good resource is the USGA, which has a consultation package which is about $3k, that includes a report that will address turfgrass issues and trees.  We did that, and that certainly helped the progress when the "USGA expert" recommended things.

[Ed Brzezowski]

Don't know where you are Adam but, Ron Prichard in PA is an excellent restoration architect. Ron knows how trees can interfere with the game and comprise turf conditions. He has an impressive resume and broad GCA knowledge.

Ron is a good choice, I have seen alot of his work outside Philly. You will not go wrong with him
.

[Adam Warren]

Sorry for the lack of detail.  My club is just outside of Louisville, Ky.

We are losing roughly 130 trees due to a turf chemical our club used called Imprellis by Dupont which has effected many clubs and generally kills conifer type trees.  There is a class action suit against Imprellis currently, but we were involved prior to that and have dealt with a settlement with them.  It's not that we have the choice of which trees we will be removing, but that these trees have been marked and paid for to be removed.  We want/have/need to bring in trees or other feature replacement for the golf course in protection against par/sightlines/other golfers.  It is a fun, old course built in the 60s with some additions made over the years.  

I will do my best to contact the recommendations and contacts presented to my thus far.  Please keep additional recommendations/comments coming.

[Adam Warren]

Also, I am not able to find a way to contact Ron Prichard, as I am not seeing a website for his services.  

How familiar is anyone with Kevin Hargrave?  Apparently he worked with Keith Foster for several years and is mostly on his own now and based out of Kentucky?  I have heard good things from a couple of clubs that are somewhat close to us, but was curious about this community here.  Might work well with him being a semi-local guy.  Thanks.

[Anthony_Nysse]

Also, I am not able to find a way to contact Ron Prichard, as I am not seeing a website for his services.  

How familiar is anyone with Kevin Hargrave?  Apparently he worked with Keith Foster for several years and is mostly on his own now and based out of Kentucky?  I have heard good things from a couple of clubs that are somewhat close to us, but was curious about this community here.  Might work well with him being a semi-local guy.  Thanks.
[/quote

I spent a little time with Kevin when he visited at Colonial during Keith's renovation of 2008. Seems like a very smart guy, thorough and diligent.

[Frank Pont]

Frank
Would you work with any architect if you were in Adam's shoes?
Or would you rather work with a team that can help you with your present task and start a relationship for future opportunities?
Cheers

Mike, ofcourse I would recommend him to pick the best team and form a LT relationship. I just wanted to indicate that tree removal is probably one of the easiest things to figure out from an analytical point of view, and one of the hardest to sell process wise. My language just wasn't very precise....

[Adam Warren]

Frank
Would you work with any architect if you were in Adam's shoes?
Or would you rather work with a team that can help you with your present task and start a relationship for future opportunities?
Cheers

Mike, ofcourse I would recommend him to pick the best team and form a LT relationship. I just wanted to indicate that tree removal is probably one of the easiest things to figure out from an analytical point of view, and one of the hardest to sell process wise. My language just wasn't very precise....

Frank,

The removal is not the issue.  The removal isn't up for debate really due to the chemical affecting them.  The issue is that we want to put trees back in the right areas, to better protect the golf course against par. 

[Tom_Doak]

Adam:

If you want a formal tree-planting plan, then you probably have to hire someone who is a licensed landscape architect, since most states have regulations to protect such work.  [You can get around the regulations by hiring a "landscape contractor" or just someone to put flags in the ground where to plant trees, but if you want a formal plan that specifies the plants, then most states require the license.]

A lot of golf course architects went to landscape architecture school and some have the professional license ... I never bothered since I mostly only deal with trees as to cutting them down, which does NOT require a license. 

[Mike Nuzzo]

Thank you Frank.
I rely on the hope that a golf course would want a creative opinion even for simple or procedural tasks, you never know what may develop from an idea.  This is an important reason why I've enjoyed working with Mahaffey - he is also filled with ideas!
Cheers

[Wayne Wiggins, Jr.]

Another work checking out is Dan Schlegel (Schlegel Golf Design).  Here's their website: http://www.schlegelgolfdesign.com/ and a link to an article about his work at San Jose CC in Jacksonville, FL: http://www.gcsaa.org/gcm/2007/oct/feature4.asp.

W

[Frank Pont]

The removal is not the issue.  The removal isn't up for debate really due to the chemical affecting them.  The issue is that we want to put trees back in the right areas, to better protect the golf course against par. 

Adam, thanks for your clarification. The one thing that worries me, and makes me think you will need a good architect, is your comment about using trees to protect the golf course against par. Trees are lousy hazards, or as Mr Colt once said "fluky and obnoxious hazards". My advice to you (not knowing the exact details of the course) would be to use the trees as decoration, far away from the playing lines, and use other things as hazards for your course......

[PCCraig]

Frank
Would you work with any architect if you were in Adam's shoes?
Or would you rather work with a team that can help you with your present task and start a relationship for future opportunities?
Cheers

Mike, ofcourse I would recommend him to pick the best team and form a LT relationship. I just wanted to indicate that tree removal is probably one of the easiest things to figure out from an analytical point of view, and one of the hardest to sell process wise. My language just wasn't very precise....

Frank,

The removal is not the issue.  The removal isn't up for debate really due to the chemical affecting them.  The issue is that we want to put trees back in the right areas, to better protect the golf course against par. 

Adam,

You are joking, right?

[Kevin_Reilly]

Also, I am not able to find a way to contact Ron Prichard, as I am not seeing a website for his services.  

I tried Google, and found some other suggestions that you might try.   

[Adam Warren]

I understand your points about protecting against par.  The trees are not integral in that form as they are, but I think they can stand to create some interesting lines on the golf course, "decoration" if you will.  I guess that was the first thing that came out when I was typing to clarify the previous statements.  I guess it was more meant as they stand, attribute more as a penalty for wayward shots in various areas of the golf course, as opposed to a protection of par.  The point is, the golf course will play much differently for many people with the loss of the trees, and I want to assist the course in regaining some of the strategy that the trees created.  Feel free to crucify my comments as you like.  

[Adam Warren]

Kevin, generally pretty difficult to contact someone via wikipedia....

Also figure there is a better way than LinkedIn.  Many people do not check their LinkedIn that regularly.

[Josh Tarble]

I don't really know what a typical process is, but have you tried putting out an RFP of sorts.  I'm sure you could put it out via ASGCA or something and you would get numerous responses.  Again, no idea what the typical process is though.
 

[Kevin_Reilly]

Kevin, generally pretty difficult to contact someone via wikipedia....

Also figure there is a better way than LinkedIn.  Many people do not check their LinkedIn that regularly.

My post was more tongue-in-cheek with respect to the other architects listed on the side.

But I'll do the google heavy lifting for you on contact info for Mr. Prichard:

[Dan Kelly]

Rich Mandell is a certified arborist.

http://www.golf-architecture.com/

[PCCraig]

I understand your points about protecting against par.  The trees are not integral in that form as they are, but I think they can stand to create some interesting lines on the golf course, "decoration" if you will.  I guess that was the first thing that came out when I was typing to clarify the previous statements.  I guess it was more meant as they stand, attribute more as a penalty for wayward shots in various areas of the golf course, as opposed to a protection of par.  The point is, the golf course will play much differently for many people with the loss of the trees, and I want to assist the course in regaining some of the strategy that the trees created.  Feel free to crucify my comments as you like.  

Adam,

You need help.

Par doesn't exist. It's imaginary. Made up. There is nothing to "protect."

If trees are needed in order to regain strategy, then trees aren't your problem...the golf holes at your club are as they never had any strategy to begin with. Save your money from the tree budget and pay an architect to renovate the golf course.

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