Thanks for your responses.
I should have said I am also of the school of thought that eschews tree lined fairways for other defensive strategies. I strongly believe there should always be room for recovery and a display of recovery skills, rather than a chip out.
My sadness was surrounding the age of the trees, the fact that the course is out of action till May and so on. It's a great loss but, as you have all said, it will recover and may indeed be a greater, more varied challenge when the dust settles.
Dave: this is from the Limerick GC website:
Limerick decided to avail themselves of the services of Dr. McKenzie. He visited the course in the autumn of 1927 and submitted plans laid out in two stages. The first stage was considered essential and consisted of laying down six new greens. The second stage was termed non essential and seemed to consist of building new tees to lengthen the course and the siting of bunkers, and the Minutes of the A.G.M. in February 1928 record that approval was given to go ahead with MacKenzie’s plans provided the cost did not exceed £800. It is unfortunate that no record could be turned up of any drawings of the proposed changes or indication of what greens were built to MacKenzie’s plan. The Minutes of committee meetings refer only to the plans and an old Greens Committee Minute Book ends records at precisely that point without explanation. It has been established that when the present clubhouse was occupied in 1966 four tea-chests full of files were incinerated thus wiping out the facts that could flesh out the minutes as recorded. The only information available was gleaned from a report in the Limerick Leader of 14th April 1928 on the results of the first competition run on the altered course. It stated that the course was 800 yards longer than the year before putting it at 5,433 yards approximately The most likely greens in MacKenzie’s plan would be the old 6th, present 7th, 9th, 10th, 12th, 15th and 16th because these all have mounds which were a trademark of MacKenzie’s work.
I have never heard anything that suggested he didn't visit and recommend changes while in the area, but I would like to have you elucidate your reasoning for dismissing the idea.
Thanks,
Darragh