The Worst Tree In Golf

[Tom_Doak]

I heard this phrase used by Bruce Hepner on the phone in my office yesterday to describe a tree on one of the courses we consult at [not the seventh at Pasatiempo].  It got me thinking that if you had an annual poll on this subject, it might encourage clubs to do something about the offending trees.

I'll hold off my vote for now, but I know what USED to be the worst tree in golf ... the volunteer cherry tree on the right side of the 17th fairway at Crystal Downs, which blocked out the green from the right half of the fairway, and blocked the view as well!

It was finally taken down in about 1990 after SEVERAL years of debates on the club board of directors.  It should have taken about ten seconds!

[Bill_McBride]

On the 7th at Pasatiempo, that would be TREES, not merely a tree!

What about the tree that grew up in the left rough on #17 at the Valley Club of Montecito and blocked those good looking fairway bunkers?  That was a pretty bad tree too.  I understand it is coming down (or is down) and the fairway will be shifted to the left to bring the bunkers back into play.

[Tom_Doak]

Bill:

The tree at The Valley Club is long gone.  

[Mark Studer]

Tom-What a FANTASTIC idea.  Brad Klein could open it up for nominations(state , national ,classic, modern, par 3's,4's and 5's) and then  an open discussion could be started at most every  golf club about their worst tree.   Just think, if each course decided to remove one obnoxious conifer each winter ; hmmm.  As Isaac Newton stated," a body in motion tends to stay in motion".  The physics of tree removal. Or was it Ben Franklin?"Well begun is half done!" Again, Tom, great thought.  Mark

[rjsimper]

The landmark logo  

[michael j fay]

Studer:

You cannot nominate any of the six remaining trees at Oakmont.

MJF

[Geoffrey_Walsh]

The tree that overhangs the tee shot from the back tee on #6 at Cobbs Creek (par 3, over the creek).  No need to remove the whole tree, just get rid of that awful overhanging limb.

I also remember some trees that needed to go on the Blue Course at Penn State.  I believe they were on the first and last par 3's (#3, #17?).  The one on #3 was halfway down the hole and blocked the front right portion of the green.  The one on #17 was closer to the tee but also affected the tee shot.

[Will E]

Blackwolf Run River course- the tree(s) blocking the approach to the par 3 13th.

[Steve Lapper]

How about the tree(s) on Butler National's 18th?

[TEPaul]

This was not the worst tree in golf but it's position was positively bizarre---and quite a tree it was too---extremely large. It's gone now but it was on the 13th hole of Manufacturers G.C., a good Flynn course in Philadelphia. The odd thing about it is it was on the longish par 3 13th hole, a bit of a Flynn redan and it basically turned that par 3 hole into the only dogleg left par 3 I've ever seen!

[DMoriarty]

Take your pick off the 18th Fairway at Cypress.

[Dunlop_White]

Tom,

How do you pick the worst tree in all of golf? It would be difficult to pick the worst tree on my home course for any amount. Some locations are strategically improper; others are agronomically adverse; still others block vistas and clutter up the premises....regardless of the species.

But I do understand - perhaps, the exercise, in and of itself, may bring some extra-awareness about the problem. BK could include it in his section on the "Annual Lows of Golf Design". This topic never gets too much pub.

[Mike_Cirba]

Shooter nailed it.

As a lefty, the long par three required either a duck-hooked 4-iron or a slicing 3-iron started over the river.  

I opted for the 6 iron over the tree and played it like a short four par.

Is that called "options"?  Whatever, it wasnt much fun.

[Brad Klein]

As soon as I learn to offload my PowerPoint images onto this Website I'll help contribute to an international scandal. Can't wait. I have about ten in mind.

[Thomas_Brown]

Sahalee #11 - Don't ask me how I narrowed it down to this one hole.

It's been a while, but I'd be curious about the first long par 4 on the back(#12?) at Stanford.  There are a couple of conspicuous trees which a few of the strategy folks used to hug.

[Kevin_Reilly]

It's been a while, but I'd be curious about the first long par 4 on the back(#12?) at Stanford.  There are a couple of conspicuous trees which a few of the strategy folks used to hug.

Yes, that's the hole:

[TEPaul]

If Brad Klein did articles on the worst trees in golf, for credibility's sake he should probably also mention some of the trees in golf that really are strategic. Otherwise, the article would probably come off as some architectural philosophy that no tree belongs on any golf course or at the very least that no tree can serve a strategic purpose, both of which are obviously patently ridiculous.

The most strategic tree I've ever seen is the large tree (two actually) to the left of the green on HVGC's #11. That tree absolutely centers the entire tee to green strategy of the hole. The two bunkers that squeeze in the center of the fairway creates risk for those gambling on the hole to get far enough down the fairway to take that tree basically out of play for the approach to the left side of the green. If the pin is left it's pretty important to try to get your approach to the left side of the green otherwise you're left with a dangerous and complex putt from the right side of the green. Some choose to hit an iron off the tee which takes dealing with the fairway bunkers out of play but then you're left with a longer shot over a creek close in front of the green and it's very difficult from that angle to get a ball to the left of the green without running the risk of hitting the tree on the left and dropping into the creek.

I have no idea how that green gets enough light, and I'd recommend removing as many trees as possible from all around that green but that big tree on the left really does need to stay or that entire really interesting strategy from tee to green it creates would be completely gutted.

There're plenty of bad tree placements in golf but that one on HVGC's #11 is really excellent---it adds tremendously to the demand and strategy of that hole which is a pretty short par 4..

[A_Clay_Man]

While the 13th at BWR River is extremely perplexing for me, Will and Mike, I wknow for a fact that it was there from day one and was specifically left for the shot dictation. It doesn't make it any better, but just like CPC's 18th they were left with the archies blessing.

Oppose that with Butler's 18th where the archie wanted it removed and was told it would be, but I suppose Paul Butler had a different idea.

The el Campeon in Howey in the hills Florida has a few of these center of the fairway trees.  How a lone trees survives without it's brothern in close proximity is beyond me. But, what isn't?

The old Bayonet had a tree in the center of it's 460 yard par 4 5th. They called Trevino to cut it down since he said he'd never return unless it was felled.

[blasbe1]

Blackwolf Run River course- the tree(s) blocking the approach to the par 3 13th.

Shooter:

That might be the worst hole I've ever played and on one of the better courses too.  As I recall it was a long iron from the back tees so going up and over was very difficult.  Those trees look mature and I know the River Course is not that old so I have to conclude that Dye used the trees in his original design?  Can anyone confirm?  Besides, I can't imagine letting trees so radically intrude on a hole design.  

Does anyone have any thoughts about this hole?  

[JohnV]

The tree in the photograph is the worst tree I've ever seen on a golf course.  This is at Fallbrook Country Club just outside San Diego.  The hole is a short uphill par 5.  The trunk of the tree is less than two feet from the green.  The roots extend into the green.  This picture was taken from the right side of the fairway.

[A_Clay_Man]

ding ding ding... We have a clear winner. Thanx John

Re BWR; The trees are a motiff on that newest nine. Perhaps why it ain't as great as the orig.

Did anybody go up and play the orig config, this year?

[Kenny Lee Puckett]

The one whose roots are currently bracketing my ball...

[THuckaby2]

Hmmmmm.... I'd put the trees on #12 Stanford over on the other thread ("Best").  Absent that tree, the hole is OK, but basically just two mindless bashes.  Try to stay right on the tee shot, bash away on the 2nd.  Ho hum.  No ass-tightening, blah.

WITH the trees, you really have to make a choice... it is better to come in from the right, but man that's a narrow opening...but it also makes the hole shorter than going left.. too far left means blocked by tree... dead center means you're gonna need to shape the 2nd... With the trees, it is the most memorable hole on that course - the one everyone talks about.  Without them, it would likely be the most forgettable.

So just why are these bad trees?

Adam - good call re #5 Bayonet.  Good lord was that something.  That hole is still a stone-cold bitch, even with no trees.  With the tree in the center, it was impossible.  I'm all for a challenge and memorability - especially at that bitchly course - but that was one tree that needed to get taken down.  I still weep for a lot of the others though, as we've discussed many times.  

TH

[John_McMillan]

The 15th hole on Champion Hill, near Beulah Michigan, has a badly placed tree.

This tree is in the middle of what is otherwise a pretty cool hole.  The hole is downhill, about 330 yds from the white tees.  The green is L-shaped, with a narrow portion sticking out to the back-left.  When the pin is on this narrow portion (stuck behind the little crab-apple tree in the corner of the green, there is an interesting approach.  The green is narrow enough that lofted approach is difficult to keep on the green.  However, the slopes from the right side of the green are very conducive to diverting a run-up approach to the narrow left portion of the green.  Additionally, these slopes only work if you have played your tee shot down the right side of the fairway - adding importance to what might otherwise be an uninteresting shot.

The tree doesn't really get in the way of playing the interesting shots on the hole - but it doesn't serve a purpose.  It's not going to knock down any lofted approaches to the hole - and any aerial approach already has the slopes to deal with.  If your approach is short of the tree, you can end up with a goofy chip, but that's about the strategic limit of the tree.  I just wish the owner/architect (same person on this course) had the confidence to rely on the slopes to produce interesting play on the hole, without feeling the need for tree-overkill near the green.

[Wayne Freeman]

I was so happy to see that I wasn't that crazy in hating that 13th at Black Wolf Run-  I just can't figure out why that tree is there as I think it makes the hole terrible.  On a more nostalgic note, I played Bel Air for the first time in 38 years and was sad to see the tree on the 4th hole had been lost. I always thought that was one of the most strategic trees in golf, making that hole truly great.