Trees, complete with their lengthy roots and limbs, are a vital topic for many clubs, especially those in North America.
In his latest In My Opinion submission, Joe Sponcia enumerates the many problems they cause, including cracked cart paths, reduced sunlight and wind, poor turf quality and diminished angles of play. Yet, poor tree management persists. It’s sadly ironic that Joe’s post sprouts forth just ahead of the telecast from that over-treed course in Georgia!
Here is the link:
http://golfclubatlas.com/in-my-opinion/sponcia-joe-trees-on-the-golf-course-a-common-sense-approach/No doubt, specimen trees are gorgeous and trees hit at the heart of club politics in that it is certainly easier to bow to inertia (i.e. just let an existing tree grow … and grow) than be proactive.
Yet, this isn’t the 1970s. Coast to coast, preeminent clubs like NGLA, Shinnecock, Oakmont, Waverley and the Cal Club have charted a clear (no pun intended!) path forward. Dunlop White, the Ross Society and others have validated and expounded upon the problems of tree excesses and the benefits of removal for well over a decade now. Furthermore, if you check the rankings, courses with long views are surging and those with stunted views are slumping.
Stupidity (as opposed to ignorance) is the prime culprit for poor tree management. Mustering sympathy for clubs paralyzed into inaction is impossible, at least for me. Tree removal shouldn’t be an intimidating subject. Clubs don’t have to get every single tree 'right' to make progress, just the majority. Every club has some trees that polarize but that handful can’t bog down progress - revisit them next year.
The blueprint for best practices exists and the best clubs have shown the way. Golf courses are not meant to be arboreta. Meekly following an established tree-planting program, even a venerated one is no longer an excuse; it’s mismanagement!
Joe's ultimate advice is spot on when he concludes: 'Above all, enlist the help of an expert. The USGA has regional arborists that can do a site survey and provide a thorough report that will touch on many aspects mentioned in this essay. The American Society of Golf Architects is another great resource to turn to if and when an objective expert is needed. Undoubtedly, the greatest objections to many of the points discussed will come from the least educated among us.'
Joe’s piece makes an excellent report card; have a read and you’ll know 'quick smart' what kind of a grade your club deserves for its arboreal practices.
Best,