[Noel Freeman]

The other day my 11 month old daughter decided to open my shoebox full of golf photos.   Scattered across my bedroom soon became pictures of Northern Michigan..

I soon saw some pics of nos- 5,6,7.. The interesting thing is all have solitary trees that play important parts in the strategy of the holes.

#5 has the gumdrop tree off to the right that I would gather the ideal strategy if you don't chew off the ridge and try to drive the green is to hit a high draw over the tree


#6 has the tree by the "scabs" bunker which makes the forced carry that much more difficult if you want to shorten the hole by blasting it over

#7 has a solitary tree on the left side of the fairway (by the end where it dips into a swale) that can effectively block you from reaching the correct side of the boomerang green if you are careless.

Did Dr. Mac or Maxwell leave these trees as part of the strategies of the holes? I remember a picture of the workers building the scabs in one of Doak's book but don't recall the tree.

Anyway, the do add to the great quirk of three wonderful holes.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Another question is:  were these trees even around when the course was finished?  Might they have been mere saplings then, and not in play?  Tom D. might know.

[RJ_Daley]

Chris Clouser's book, "the Midwest Associate" has some comment about Perry Duke Maxwell's rare but effective use of single specimen trees.  Angels Crossing has a good solitary tree placement on #13, in the first LZ of the par 5.  

[Jonathan McCord]

I have always thought that the tree on five was something of an icon.  It has a great shape and really adds some character to the hole, not that the fifth needs anymore.

However, I think the tree takes the players attention away from the truly "safe" route on this hole.  For all intents and purposes, the bunker on the far right is out of play unless you play over the tree.  Granted, I played CD by myself, so I don't know how others would play the hole, but my guess would be, that most consider aiming between the large bunker on the left and the tree.  This puts the center line of the fairway right through the Three Sisters.

Now, if the tree was not there, there would be a large open space between the Three Sisters and the bunker on the right, making for an "easy route".  However, technology has transformed this hole slightly, making it fairly easy to hit a three iron to about a hundred yards.

Nonetheless, the solitary trees on the front nine at CD, just add to the experience.  Nothing was more thrilling to me then shaping a perfect little cut between the two trees on the left and the lone tree on the right of number six.  Solitary trees do make for interesting strategic decisions, and add in this case, even more character to a course thats already full of great charm and character. In Crystal Downs we trust, all others aspire!!!

[Tom_Doak]

Actually, the tree on 5 and the tree on 6 (along with the tree on the inside corner on 8, and the tree left of 6) were all alongside the original roadway which ran through that part of the course, short-cutting the road that now goes around the back of #5 green and #8 tee.

I have a picture somewhere of #5 taken in 1932, with the tree in Noel's photo about half the size it is today ... but it was there, and they did leave it in play.  The good line off the tee is anywhere between the middle of the tree and the Three Sisters; if you hit it left of there, you'd better carry it 240, or the ball will kick left and leave you a blind shot out of deep rough.

The tree on #6 is by far the most influential of the three.  You can hit a pretty good tee shot from the back tee, get up the hill and past the Scabs, and still be stymied by the tree.  It makes the 35-yard difference between the back tee and the middle tee much more significant.

[James Bennett]

I can think of three holes that Dr Mackenzie has been involved in that involve trees dictating play from the tee.

Cypress Point #18.  The ideal line is over the trees to the left side of the fairway.  The eye line is to the right, but the subsequent shot is extremely difficult from there, blocked by the latter trees on the corner.

Moortown #16.  Again, the ideal line is to the left, over a large speciment tree, but the eye line is to the right, from which a more difficult second across bunkers is required.

Augusta National #17 - The Eisenhower tree.  I haven't been there, but from TV it appears again that this tree guards the left (preferred) side of the fairway.

In all three cases, the trees hide the preferred line of play and encourage the 'weaker' (ability or strength of mind) player to take the wrong line and incur a more difficult second.  They all require a well struck tee-shot to carry the tree as well. I wonder how common this strategy was with the good Doctor.  Any other examples?

Royal Adelaide #18 had a small component of this strategy as well (the lhs was the preferred side, but the trees by #14 green had to be overcome.  An open shot to the green awaited such a tee shot, avoiiding the strong bunkers on the right of the green and the right to left fall of the green.  More recently bunkers have been added to the lhs of the fairway.  In fairness, technology and an inability to move the 18th tee back any further (it is adjacent to a major road) have conspired against the original design).  Hole #15 also had the same tree protection of the preferred side (the short par 5) until bunkers were added to the inside of the dogleg.

James B

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