I love trees but not in abundance on a golf course. Most golf courses are overplanted and the trees themselves do not look the greatest because they are in such close proximity. I will make my case for less trees:
1. Wider playing corridors is how most courses where designed pre-1940 to allow for multiple angles of attack. Adding trees has lead to bastardization of old designs. Imagine if someone went out to Streamsong and planted 4000 trees narrowing the fairways in half and 70 years later you have massive trees and narrow fairways. Is that what Tom Doak and C&C wanted?? Should we then preserve the trees even though they are not original?
2. Dead grass. Trees or turf? You pick! In some cases people are still planting trees in close proximity to greens and wonder why there is dead grass in summer and after bad winters. Think, most poorly performing greens have shade or air movement issues. How long until we keep banging our head against the wall?
3. Increases in labor and budgetary expenses. Blowing leaves, extra time mowing and trim work around them which can be a large $ amount, tree trimming, cost of the purchase of the tree, cost to fix and repair dead areas of turf, extra fertilizer and chemicals to turf affected by trees, increase in water during dry periods because trees suck up large amounts, removal costs, pick up of branches during wind storms and after winter, manual labor to execute all the above jobs that would not be required if trees where kept to a minimum.
4. I argue that trees do not enhance the aesthetics of the course compared with a course that has a few trees with lots of open vistas. Almost every tree removal program is a success because members appreciate the open views and movement of the ground which was lost in the forest.
5. Some say more trees in good for the environment and the ozone… which is true, however turf is much better at providing oxygen and filtering carbon dioxide than trees. So more grass, less trees, better environment.
So let’s review. Better playing surfaces with minimal turf loss, wider playing corridors which in most cases restores the original design intent, money savings which may translate into cheaper rounds of golf or diversion of funds to more important areas of the course, and better overall appearance of the course.
So why are trees so important again?