Nicklaus Likes Trees

[Michael Morandi]

During the broadcast of the Memorial, Jack was asked what he thought about the trend toward removing trees. After acknowledging the positive impact on turf, he said he didn’t like the trend, saying trees are beautiful and  that their removal has resulted in houses and highways now being visible from the course, where they hadn’t been before. He did say that they removed 500 trees at Muirfield Village a few years ago. He thinks trees are particularly important for northern courses. Courses in the north of Scotland and Ireland might disagree. 

[Charlie Goerges]

I don't think anything he said was wrong. And when he's talking about northern courses, he's almost certainly talking only about North America, so Scotland and Ireland need not worry.

[jeffwarne]

During the broadcast of the Memorial, Jack was asked what he thought about the trend toward removing trees. After acknowledging the positive impact on turf, he said he didn’t like the trend, saying trees are beautiful and  that their removal has resulted in houses and highways now being visible from the course, where they hadn’t been before. He did say that they removed 500 trees at Muirfield Village a few years ago. He thinks trees are particularly important for northern courses. Courses in the north of Scotland and Ireland might disagree.

It's not exactly a controversial opinion.
Trees and their effect on turf are a very important consideration.
But there's no doubt the pendulum can swing both ways, and there's no doubt there's a lot of groupthink on clearing trees, the same as there was with planting trees 40-60 years ago.


We all know trees need to be maintained, pruned and often eliminated(for turf, strategy or tree health issues).


Lymes disease is a pretty serious thing to consider, as the defacto substitute when clearing trees is "unmaintained", "native" grasses, which are often anything but native or low maintenance, to say nothing of increased time hunting balls.
Shade for golfers is also nice.
Trees defining or suggesting shots on doglegs, can also be great.
Trees can also provide a sense of place, and can enhance the beauty of a property


Trees can be very beautiful things, and can also be overdone and/or overplanted, or simply grow larger than intended.
Moderation is key.


We have listed the obvious advantages of tree removal, pruning and maintenance ad nauseum-I just think sometimes we need to take a step back and see both sides.

[Tommy Williamsen]

The courses I have played that have had a tree removal project have used chainsaws judicously. Not many have gone Oakmont's way. A specimen tree that is out of play is a thing of beauty. Why cut it down? Courses just have to figure out which trees should remain.

[Tony Ristola]

It's all site/project specific, making it tough to generalize.


I both agree and disagree with his statement, and hope nobody I deal with now or in the future saw that interview, because most courses in my region have terrible tree problems, or will have them in the coming decades.

[PCCraig]

I like trees, too.


A big specimen oak or elm tree that sits out of play is typically an addition to most parkland golf courses. Those should absolutely be nurtured and highlighted.


I think a major issue was that for decades Golf Committees planted a bunch of fast growing junk trees (evergreens, ash, maples, willows) in clusters around those specimen trees. Their removal is almost always a good idea - it's like weeding a garden.


Although the quality of the turf we play our sport on is the most important aspect, so if there are trees that are harming the ability to maintain playable turf then they have to go...

[Thomas Dai]

In his prime playing years he had the advantage of being able to hit shots high enough that they would fly over trees that others couldn’t hit the ball high enough to carry.
Atb

[Tom_Doak]

It's all site/project specific, making it tough to generalize.

I both agree and disagree with his statement, and hope nobody I deal with now or in the future saw that interview, because most courses in my region have terrible tree problems, or will have them in the coming decades.

Yes . . . if people on this board think American courses are over-treed, you can't imagine what they would think of courses in Belgium or Germany, where cutting down trees is verboten and everything was overplanted two generations ago.

[Carl Johnson]

I don't like trees that intrude on play, but think of this.  Keep rough out from under the trees, maintain firm and fast fairways, and keep greens open at the front so you can roll the ball on.  Your ball goes under the trees.  Hit a low shot under the branches and run it up and on.  This isn't Jack's idea of a golf course, but, hey, why not? 

[Mark Kiely]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is that the subject came up because Muirfield Village lost that big tree on 18 since last year's Memorial. Jack mentioned he doesn't think that tree factored into how PGA Tour guys play the hole, but I would think losing that tree significantly changes how everyday golfers play the hole. Also, I seem to remember occasional tree issues when PGA Tour players leaked their drives into the right rough.