[Tom Yost]

Wouldn't the course look and play better with a lot more tree clearance?

(or are there strong laws stopping you from clearing trees?)

Have you played the course, Frank?

I found the course to be fairly generous in width.  There was none of the forced, "must hit down the middle" effect that one can feel on some narrow tree-lined layouts.  There seemed to be room to shape shots in either direction.

I can't speak from an agronomic point of view.

I don't think the "alteration" to the trees behind the second green adds any improvement.  Kyle alluded to the 13th hole, and I'm interested to see the changes because opening the view behind that green would be tremendous.

[Kyle Henderson]

No real changes at the 5th. The sand is a bit lighter in shade now and the underbrush has been cleared.

Tipping out at 335 yards, the hole is unreachable even for big hitters at altitude, due to its climbing nature. The few flat lies to be found for the approach are concentrated near the small central pot bunker. Aggressive players can drive over the pot, but not without bringing the trees into play down the right side. Plus, the pitch over the front/right greenside bunker is tricky, thus favoring those who successfully challenge the paired left fairway bunkers with their drives.

Fun!!!

An image from 2009:


From 2013:

[Kyle Henderson]

I don't think the "alteration" to the trees behind the second green adds any improvement.  Kyle alluded to the 13th hole, and I'm interested to see the changes because opening the view behind that green would be tremendous.

Tom,

I don't think any additional clearing was done since you visited, but the view was already opened up during the initial construction of #13.

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