Tree lines, an archive of quotations

[Greg Hohman]

Trees are a topic here for obvious reasons. This thread could be an archive of quotations from the world of golf and beyond.

"God...knowing how very easily man loses his memory of misfortune...multiplied the reminders of it in his dwelling...The Ocean seemed to have left its sounds in the depths of the forests." François-René de Chateaubriand

"...the sound of the wind in the trees is interpreted as the monument (and not as the echo, which has long since ceased) of the sounds of the Deluge. Like a commemorative column on the site of a disaster, this noise serves as a reminder that the ocean once covered the forests." Michael Riffaterre

[Peter Pallotta]

Lovely idea, Greg.

Here are quotes from three Catholics -- so criticize them (or the trees) at your own peril!

I think they have relevance to the question of trees on a golf course -- or at least to our current mania for chopping them all down, Saruman-like, as the ubiquitous first step in any modern-day renovation):

“Nature makes trees put down deep roots before having them bear fruit, and even this is done gradually.”
Vincent de Paul

"A single tree falling makes a sound, but a whole forest growing doesn’t"
Pope Francis

"Vines and trees will teach you that which you will never learn from the masters"
Bernard of Clairvaux

[Pete_Pittock]

Fangorn (Treebeard)

"Side? I am on nobody's side, because nobody is on my side, little orc."
JRR Tolkein

[Tommy Williamsen]

I'll bite
"When we live as multisensory beings, we find that we are able to comprehend the language of every living thing. We hear the voices of the trees, and understand the buzzing of the bees. And we come to realize that it is the interwoven substance of these floating rhythms that holds us in delicate balance with all life. Then, our life and our place in creation begins to make sense in a whole new way. Our vision expands to see the overall order of our path, and our hearing tunes in to a whole new source of information. . . . When we merge our internal rhythms with the rhythms of creation, we develop grace in our movement, and without thought or effort we are able to slide into the perfectly choreographed dance of life." Sherri Mitchell (Penobscot)

[Peter Pallotta]

Beautiful and resonant, Tommy -- Penobscot's 'perfectly choreographed dance of life' and the wholistic sacredness of the Indigenous worldview.

On the other hand, there's this terrific little golden age course in upstate New York that just looks *so much better* now that the architect has cut down all the trees.

Which is to say: where trees naturally grow maybe let them grow naturally, and if you must 'manage' them then do it very judiciously, and with utmost care and restraint. But if you insist on playing courses without any trees, then go to Scotland and play only the seaside links.

End of rant. Sorry -- suddenly it all seemed so obvious, what's right here.

[Ken Moum]

Not exactly about trees,  but Saint-Exupery's quote is important to me...


"In anything at all,, perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."

[Thomas Dai]

“Tree roots screw-up my drainage lines” … likely said by many a greenkeeping.
Atb

[Sven Nilsen]

"Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world."

― John Muir

[Kalen Braley]

"Trees are 90% air"

- Nearly every golf hack on the planet.

[Greg Hohman]

"We have cut down trees and are building a berm along the road on three sides of the new Lido course, because a berm will deflect sound upwards from the road, where the trees would only have been a visual barrier." Tom Doak

[Peter Pallotta]

"We have cut down trees and are building a berm along the road on three sides of the new Lido course, because a berm will deflect sound upwards from the road, where the trees would only have been a visual barrier." Tom Doak

A friend may oftentimes have to overlook the foibles and faux pas of those whom he cares about and likes, if he is to remain a friend in more than just name.

[Ken Moum]

"Trees are 90% air"

- Nearly every golf hack on the planet.

What they forget is that trees may be close to 90% air in volume, but it's the cross section you have to negotiate.

[Brian Ross]

Here are a few from the ODGs:

"Playing down fairways bordered by straight lines of trees is not only unartistic but makes tedious and uninteresting golf. Many green committees ruin one’s handiwork by planting trees like rows of soldiers along the borders of the fairways." - Alister MacKenzie

"As beautiful as trees are, and as fond as you or I are of them, we still must not lose sight of the fact that there is a limited place for them in golf. We must not let our sentiments crowd out the real intent of a golf course: that of providing fair playing conditions. If it in any way interferes with a properly played stroke, I think the tree is an unfair hazard and should not be allowed to stand." - Donald Ross

"Trees in the course are a serious defect, and even when in close proximity prove a detriment." - C.B. Macdonald

"Trees are a fluky and obnoxious hazard." - Harry Colt

"Trees should be part of the scenery but not part of the stage." - Harry Colt

"It is more or less accepted fact that trees are not the best of hazards, for the obvious reason that they unfortunately afford but slight opportunity for the display of golfing skill in extricating the ball from their clutches." - Harry Colt

"Where the ground is covered densely with trees, it is often possible to open up a beautiful view by cutting down a little additional timber. It would be unwise to create narrow lanes required for play. Every endeavour should be made to obtain a free and open affect." - Harry Colt

"Trees and shrubbery beautify the course, and natural growth should never be cut down if it is possible to save it; but he who insists on preserving a tree where it spoils a shot should have nothing to say about golf course construction." - George Thomas

"Often it is possible, by clearing away undesirable and unnecessary trees in the margins of fairways, to open up a view of some attractive picture." - Stanley Thompson

"I sometimes take my very life in my hands when I suggest that a certain tree happens to be spoiling a pretty good golf hole." - A.W. Tillinghast

[Greg Hohman]

"We have cut down trees and are building a berm along the road on three sides of the new Lido course, because a berm will deflect sound upwards from the road, where the trees would only have been a visual barrier." Tom Doak

A friend may oftentimes have to overlook the foibles and faux pas of those whom he cares about and likes, if he is to remain a friend in more than just name.

Peter, I added this one because the solution to a problem interested me--in a good way.


Thanks, Brian!

[Joel_Stewart]

I heard the other day from an architect that said CB MacDonald once said "Trees and dogs don't belong on a golf course". Anyone know if thats true?

[BCrosby]

In an interview with Alistair Cooke in the 1960s, Bob Jones said "Trees have no place on a golf course."


I don't recall that he said anything about dogs.


Bob

[Greg Hohman]

 “A large rose tree stood near the entrance of the garden; the roses growing on it were white, but there were three gardeners at it, busily painting them red.” Lewis Carroll
 
“President Dwight Eisenhower noted that there were no native trees on the course (Sunnylands). Several days later the ‘Eisenhower Palms’ appeared on the second hole.” Derry Moore
 
“It was while going the ’Méséglise way’ that I first noticed the circular shadow which apple-trees cast upon the sunlit ground, and also those impalpable threads of golden silk which the setting sun weaves slantingly downwards from beneath their leaves, and which I would see my father slash through with his stick without ever making them swerve from their straight path.” Marcel Proust

[Greg Hohman]

 “In 1992, President Richard Nixon gave the Annenbergs (Sunnylands) a cutting from the White House magnolia tree, grown from a cutting taken to the White House by President Andrew Jackson from his estate, The Hermitage.” Michaeleen Gallagher
 
“To dwellers in a wood almost every species of tree has its voice as well as its feature. At the passing of the breeze the fir-trees sob and moan no less distinctly than they rock; the holly whistles as it battles with itself; the ash hisses amid its quiverings; the beech rustles while its flat boughs rise and fall. And winter, which modifies the note of such trees as shed their leaves, does not destroy its individuality.” Thomas Hardy
 

[Greg Hohman]

Under the greenwood tree
Who loves to lie with me,
And turn his merry note
Unto the sweet bird's throat,
Come hither, come hither, come hither:
Here shall he see, no enemy
But winter and rough weather.
 
Who doth ambition shun
And loves to live i' the sun,
Seeking the food he eats,
And pleased with what he gets,
Come hither, come hither, come hither:
Here shall he see, no enemy
But winter and rough weather.
 
William Shakespeare
 
 
What kind of times are these, when
To talk about trees is almost a crime
Because it implies silence about so many misdeeds?

Bertolt Brecht

[Anthony Gray]

 The one that comes to mind is “Look ….. squirrel”.




 I will say the course I learned golf on had one tree off the tee on the first par five. The goal was to drive past it. Never did as a kid. I need to get back.


 Anthony

[Greg Hohman]

 The evening breeze caressed the trees tenderly.
 The trembling trees embraced the breeze tenderly.
 Then you and I came wandering by…


Tenderly (1946), lyrics by Jack Lawrence.


I like the shade.


DG post

[MCirba]

(On an ideal course)...trees of any kind are non-existent - as they should be.  - Walter J. Travis

[Tommy Williamsen]

Gary Player on the Eisenhower tree's demise.


"I think basically people are sad that it's gone even though it might have hurt them. But it wasn't the tree's fault. It was the golfer's fault. A lot of people like to give the tree the blame, but if [your ball] kicked out on the fairway, you liked it. If it stayed up there, you hated it. And many times the ball actually stayed in the tree because it was so thickly grown together."

[Jeff_Brauer]

"Sure I can save those trees.....just tell me where you want me to stack the logs."'


Jeff Brauer

[Ian Mackenzie]

Yes, the line below is original and I'm quite proud of it...;-)


When we did member meetings back in 2012 and 2013 (with Jim Urbina) and we fielded tree questions from the assembled members, and "Mrs. Havercamp" asked a skeptical question about the removal of trees, I deadpanned:


"Mrs. Havercamp, this is not a tree remediation project, it's a trophy tree preservation initiative."
"Wait, what...?"
"Do you have a garden, ma'am?"
"Yes."
"Do you ever weed your garden?"
"Well, of course."
"Why?"
"So the weeds dont kill the roses and steal nutrients from the flowers. Plus, they're ugly!"


I was even more smug than normal following the exchange...;-)