Nice piece Joe.
I only have a few slight quibbles, but generally some very good thoughts.
Bill,
Many courses were built on farmland because that's what was readily available.
I wonder how many architects thought how nice it would've been to have had a few trees to break up the landscape, or imagined what the property would look like in a few years after a few trees grew in
Of course many courses are overtreed and trees do need management.
They also can cause many agronomic issues, and care should be taken when planting as well as when selecting candidates for removal.
Ironically, as I read Joe's essay and observed his pictures of "thin turf" I was thinking how nice it was to be able to easily find the ball, and have the option of a creative recovery shot under, around, or over the pictured trees.
Much better IMHO than the ground cover du jour, "native" grass which is a freakinh' nightmare to find your ball. and even if found severely limits any kind of creative recovery.
Joe's picture of Holston Hills exemplified my thoughts when I saw that strip of deep native between the fairways.
At that point, all strategic choices inspired by the fairway bunkers are lost as I'm doing everything possible to avoid that strip of lost ball gunch.
When trees are removed, does anyone widen the fairways and the playable/findable corridors?
In my experience, they fill the space with something.