[Patrick_Mucci]

Played a course recently where I noticed excessive wear and tear in specific locations on some of the tees.

As I reflected on the wear and tear patterns it became obvious that the club had been neglectful in pruning or removing trees that were now encroaching into the corridors of play.

The excessive wear and tear was caused by golfers attempting to avoid trees that were now invading the lines of play.

The tees had large patches of seeded soil in areas where the golfers were forced to play as a result of the placement of the tee markers, and were obviously a maintainance concern.

As I thought about this issue, it became more and more apparent that the problem wasn't with the tees, but, in the club's failure to even notice the root cause (pun intended)

All that was needed was for prudent pruning and removal.

The second thought that occured to me was that neglect, benign or intended, was frustrating the architects tactical intent.

That the tree growth had eliminated the ability of the golfer to decide HOW to play the hole and WHERE to position himself on the tee to give him the best advantage, based on his game, on how attack the hole.

Throughout my round I noticed this situation on five or more tees and in certain fairway locations.

In one instance, a ball driven into the left center of the fairway had the approach to the green totally blocked, causing the golfer to have to hit a long second shot toward the Out of bounds side of the hole, from a left to right lie (formula for disaster)

When I asked a few members about how this apparent dilema was allowed to occur and continue, they responded that those in charge (members) would never accept any suggestions with respect to the care of the golf course and that they had little if any understanding of GCA.  I then wondered how they were appointed to their respective positions.  But, upon further reflection, I knew the answer to that question

I was also told that there was some consideration to moving some of the tees.
While I wasn't surprised, I thought, how BLIND can these people be ?
All they needed was to trim or remove the invasive trees, not rebuild Rome.

I then wondered if the Superintendent recognized the dilema.
Certainly, if he was a golfer, the situation would have to manifest itself to him during the course of his play.

So, in these difficult times, here's a club pondering whether to shift or rebuild some tees when all that's needed is to pare back invasive tree growth.

The question are, why don't those in charge see this dilema ?  (it's supposed to be their job)

And, why won't those in charge listen and act on constructive criticism and recognize the problem and the solution once it's been pointed out to them

Have you noticed wear and tear on tees in particular areas, caused by invasive tree growth ?

Have you noticed a trend to narrow and restrict the tee markers to specific areas thus frustrating the architects intent ?

[Sean_A]

Patrick

I see poor growth on tees due to their small size, which in effect becomes smaller when trees encroach, all the time.  I recall playing a round some 5 years ago with a member of the greens comm and complaining about tree encroachment and thus narrowed fairways and thus time lost searching for balls in areas which should be in the fairway!  He poo pooed me until we reached the 8th.  I am not kidding, in my back swing my club got caught in a tree as if grabbed and I made a full turn empty handed!  Its not like I am tall!  Its one of the funniest things that ever happened to me.  The result was a trimming of that branch and little other trimming.  Fairways have continued to narrow these recent years.  In fact, while tree clearing is all the rage for many of the better courses in England, this club was planting more trees.  Two years ago, after serving on committees and playing ~50 rounds a year there, I left the club and I wasn't even approached by the Secretary as to why.   

Ciao

[Melvyn Morrow]

Patrick

Perhaps the old sage OTM was certainly wise for his age in his dislike for tree on a golf course.

Also looking at many of the old photos posted on this site on the original courses with their scattering of fledging trees appear to this untrained eye to act not as hazards but barriers between fairways. These now having matured and with many more trees besides, their seedlings and branches are IMHO not adding to the glory of some of the Golden Age designs, in fact maybe actually limiting the line of play.

Trees by their very nature are unpredictable in the formation of their roots or more particular their branches. Worst still, their ability to drink the land dry thus affecting the surrounding rough (if lucky to have any) or the fairways themselves.

Like OTM, I am not keen on trees or their location in the rough or Heaven forbid the fairway. Not for what they may grow into but mainly due to the unscrupulous amount of water, they absorb from the surrounding land with the uncertainty of their root structure and again direction.

I expect the problem stems form temper tantrums from one or two of the player, throwing a club, thus damaging a few tree persuading then to growing into the line of play. Perhaps these trees have grown up disliking golfers because of the antics of some little spoilt brat, and are just seek revenge on all golfers. 

Trees, should be set a distance back from the light rough and miles (perhaps I over exaggerate a little) from the fairway. Trees love them except on a golf course, so give me a Links Course every time.

Melvyn

 

[Steve Lang]

  Shall we blame it on ANGC?



I have to say, after Hurricane Ike last year we have more open fairways, some are improvements, some not, depending on your game..

[Steve Kline]

I see what Pat is describing quite a bit at many courses I play. My home course has this problem on four holes - which are basically the only four holes that have trees anywhere near the tees. It would take all of of a few hours for the grounds crew to fix the problem. Most of what needs to be cleared can't even really be called trees. In two instances the trees/scrub block views of the fairway just a hundred yards off the tee that where available when the course was designed almost 20 years ago. In both cases it makes me aim more towards trouble than I should need to. The third instance just causes the tee to be in terrible condition because honeysuckle blocks sunlight from the tee. The fourth instance forces you to hit a fade off the tee. Anyone that hits a draw is screwed. And you have to use only the left half of a very small tee box. Of course the hole is a short par 4 that can be driven if the player can play a draw!!! and use the slopes to propel the ball on the green. These four isntances only affect the back tees and it's out of sheer laziness from our super that they aren't fixed. His only job "is water management" and he doesn't do that well imo.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Steve Lang,

Hurricane Wilma was probably the best thing that happened to golf courses in Florida that had planted "Northern" trees all over their golf courses.

Pine and Palms are aerodynamically suited to resist hurricanes.

Oaks, olives and other trees are like umbrellas.

Hurricane Wilma cleared most golf courses of their non-native specie trees, opening up the playing corridors, allowing sunlight and air circulation to work it's magic.

Yet, some clubs, not having learned their lesson, replanted the trees they lost, including the non-native speicies.

The problem with encroachment is that it's insidious, not visible to the naked eye and certainly not to a membership oblivious to these things.   Over time, the members don't notice how the hole and play of the hole is changing... on a daily, weekly, monthly or seasonal basis.

But, the solution is dramatic, and that's what gets objected to, the sudden removal of what's invaded the lines of play over the last decade or two.

[JESII]

But, the solution is dramatic, and that's what gets objected to, the sudden removal of what's invaded the lines of play over the last decade or two.

To the point, the limbs are all that has encroached on play in these circulstances and few-to-zero tree huggers will fight over a limb.

[Peter Pallotta]

"Why don't those in charge see this dilema?"

Maybe because they are contemptuous of the very members they're meant to serve.

Maybe because they have a low opinion of the general skill-level and golfing ability of their membership as a whole.

Maybe because they assume that the torn-up tees reflect not poor maintenance practices and decisions, but instead poor shot-making and ball-striking.

Maybe because they rate their own abilities highly, and would rather be damned than preside over the 'softening-up' of the golf course just to satisfy those with less talent.

All guess-work, Patrick. Sorry -- my answers to your questions are almost always just guess work.

Peter

     

[Patrick_Mucci]

"Why don't those in charge see this dilema?"

Maybe because they are contemptuous of the very members they're meant to serve.

I can tell you, unequivically, that that's NOT the case

Maybe because they have a low opinion of the general skill-level and golfing ability of their membership as a whole.

I can tell you, unequivically, that that's NOT the case

Maybe because they assume that the torn-up tees reflect not poor maintenance practices and decisions, but instead poor shot-making and ball-striking.

I can tell you, unequivically, that that's NOT the case

Maybe because they rate their own abilities highly, and would rather be damned than preside over the 'softening-up' of the golf course just to satisfy those with less talent.

I can tell you, unequivically, that that's also NOT the case

All guess-work, Patrick. Sorry -- my answers to your questions are almost always just guess work.



Peter, I think that they just don't have the eye for it.
They don't see how the invasive growth has altered and will continue to alter play.

Interestingly enough, when they do see it, their first reaction is to state that the TEE is in the wrong place and needs to be moved,  which alters and can frustrate the architects intent

     

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