Trees in the middle of the fairway

[Steve Okula]

Morfantain has a par three with a tree in the Middle. Forget the number.

It's the 13th, if memory serves , and it is by far the worst hole on the course, only because of that damned tree.

[Aaron Marks]

Trees tend to grow over time, so the issues you have with trees on the side of the fairway are often compounded for those in the fairway.  

IF courses maintained trees and they always played as the architect intended, I'm for them.  Unfortunately (and maybe this comes from playing cheaper courses), I find that the more strategic influence a tree holds, the more I wish someone would give it a trim.

[Joel_Stewart]

Nicklaus left a huge specimen tree when he built Ruby Hill in California.  He built a par 3 which you need to hit over.

[CBunge]

#18 at Pebble Beach is one of the most iconic finishing holes in America. Rarely see anyone complain about those couple trees in the middle of the fairway.

Chris

[John McCarthy]

1985 and I am looping in a practice round of the Western Open.  At the time Butler's 18th had 2 trees in the fairway.  Yeah.  So I tell my man to aim at the first tree in the fairway with a 2 iron, advice given hundreds of times at that point and how the hole was designed. 

He nuked it, and rolled right next to the tree.  Touching it in the long grass. 

Yeah, he lit me up. 

[Kerry Gray]

Scarboro Golf Club, Toronto. Tillinghast design used to have a tree in the centre of the fairway on the 3rd hole, short par 4. After the reno the fairway was shifted to the right and the tree is not as much in play. I like the old design, maybe because it was quirky. It made you carefully consider what club to hit from the tee. I guess just like Ike's tree at Augusta, you need to ask what you will do if the tree dies? So are they really a long term strategic option?
Twin Peaks Golf Club in Guilin China has two trees on the first fairway. Downhill par 4. I remember asking the caddy "where is the fairway?" I never did receive an reasonable explanation. That was the beginning of the horrors on that course. Worst I ever played.

[Matt Corcoran]

I think anytime a tree forces a player to think strategically, it works.  If a properly played shot allows the player to avoid the tree, its a great feature.

15 at Eagle Springs in Wolcott, Co (works well, as it forces the player to position the tee shot to the right to have a clean look at the green)
18 at Pebble Beach GL (a more aggressive line takes the trees out of play)
12 at Stanford GC (player must decide which way to play around the tree off the tee)


If a good drive or approach still has to contend with the tree, it isn't a fair feature, IMO. 


If memory serves, there are 2 holes at Blackwolf Run that require the player to deal with a tree on the approach, even with a strong drive.

[Jim Nugent]

#18 at Pebble Beach is one of the most iconic finishing holes in America.

And its famous neighbor has some very well-known trees in the fairway at #17, and also #18 I believe. 

[David Davis]

Morfantain has a par three with a tree in the Middle. Forget the number.

That's number 13. I think it works although the tree is big enough that you can only go over it really. The hole is short enough however at 134 meters that you can hit about a 9 iron.




Ooops, didn't see that Steve already answered this. Apologies.

[David Davis]

Jason,


I can think of a lot of trees in fairways on courses over here and in the US. In general like Sean I think the same strategic options can be gained through other types of features be it centerline bunkers, rocks, water, waste areas etc etc.


Here in The Netherlands a course called De Hoge Kleij has a shortish par 4 with a sharp dogleg to the right where a huge and wide tree blocks your entry to the green if you hit a good tee shot right down the middle. I don't love it.


Another course with a tree in the middle here is a course called Naarderbos. This tree is right in the middle of the fairway and it's huge. When I played the course I always aimed right at it. Figured that was the safest option, after all, how often do you hit what you aim at right? Especially from 220 meters out. Only hit it dead on once. The tricky part of this hole is that the approach from there is to a green surrounded by water. I don't love this tree either. Especially given it's size and the fact that it's a public course where the average play ends up way behind it and for me it becomes a bit dangerous in this case.


Cypress Point's 18th is famous for having trees to carry off the tee. I do love it. Even if it's the worst hole at Cypress and some find it an anticlimactic end. I think it's a great course.


Another example would Sahalee. I think there are trees in the middle of every single fairway on that course. No comment.

[Kevin Markham]

Two big ones spring to mind in Ireland:


Bunclody (opened in 2008) The 15th hole. I think the tree is a fabulous feature of the hole. And for an extra quirk, there's an elevator that takes you from the 17th green to the 18th tee.





Dromoland Castle (opened 1963) The approach to the 18th

[Paul Jones]

Dick Wilson was a fan.  They have one on my home course - Oakbourne and also at Pine Tree in Florida both designed by Dick Wilson.  At Oakbourne, it is the 13th par 5 and the tree is about 150 yards out.  Pine Tree it is a par 4.

[Frank Pont]

Morfantain has a par three with a tree in the Middle. Forget the number.

It's the 13th, if memory serves , and it is by far the worst hole on the course, only because of that damned tree.

Fully agree!

[Adam Clayman]

The good Dr. used them, for all intent and purposes, on the closing two at Cypress Point Club.

So, the answer is they can work, but, not repeatedly. Plus, the middle is probably not ideal. Off center is mo better.

[Chris Hans]

#17 at Shuttle Meadow CC in CT has a large Oak in the middle of the fairway.  Seems to work nicely.

[Tim Fenchel]

I don't mind it...just not a steady diet of it.


Here is #10 at the home course Lederach Golf Club.


The yardage book graphic shows the tree to far to the right.  In reality its just left of the center of the fairway. The best place for a well hit drive is down the right side and if accomplished, the tree is not in play.  However, even a drive down the left side allows plenty of room to clear the tree...and its not to close to the green to be troublesome coming in.  My eyes have always like this hole...so perhaps that's why I am not overly critical.






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Now that I think about it...#8 on the same course has two tree in the fairway.  Both come into play for the short hitter or those off direction.  A well struck tee ball should clear the fairway bunker.  This is a poor hole overall...and the green...like about 6 others at Lederach deserve dynamite and a complete do-over.

[OChatriot]

The short answer is no.  Now it can sometimes be acceptable if:

-it doesn't split the fairway in two but offers a narrower therefore more difficult option on one side that gives an easier second if you take it on.
-you can play underneath it, to shape a full shot around its trunk. So fairway mowed around it  and no low branches.
-it's not too high
-it is a remarkable specimen that the architect wanted to keep, but couldn't move the hole any further sideways

So an old pine tree is fine (Old Thorns #3 in UK),  a big sprawling thick fir tree with branches on the floor or a tall poplar is not.

[Tim Gavrich]

Pawleys Plantation in SC, where I have played many a round, has two holes with trees in the middle of fairways. One is very good and one is bad, IMO.


The good one is the 9th, a mid-length par four with no bunkers where the tree dictates strategy off the tee. It's a big live oak, so it's not so tall that it's impossible to go over if you have the distance, and the branches start high enough that you can (and probably should) legitimately hit a low tee shot that scoots under it. The ideal tee shot of this latter kind hits somewhat close to the tree, just beyond which the fairway slopes downhill slightly. The tree's presence means the ground around it is almost always quite firm, so you're going to get a good bit of roll if you land near it. The key is to play to the opposite side of the tree from where the pin is located on the wide, shallow green.



The bad one is found on the 14th, an otherwise excellent par five where strategy is largely dictated by the wind direction. The landing area is pretty wide, but bordered by marsh all down the right. The tree is located where the fairway narrows up, about 225 out from the green, and that's the sensible place to try and put your tee ball, especially with a following wind. So it can be the case that the tree stymies what should be the correct tee shot. The course being 25 years old, the tree used to be small and quite easily avoided, but it's grown too big, as trees do. I'd like to see a small bunker placed where the tree is and see the fairway widened slightly to the left.

[Carl Nichols]

1985 and I am looping in a practice round of the Western Open.  At the time Butler's 18th had 2 trees in the fairway.  Yeah.  So I tell my man to aim at the first tree in the fairway with a 2 iron, advice given hundreds of times at that point and how the hole was designed. 

He nuked it, and rolled right next to the tree.  Touching it in the long grass. 

Yeah, he lit me up.

He lit you up in a practice round?  Did he hit three iron the next day? 

[jim_lewis]

No!

I've seen many examples....never one I liked.

[Mark Jackson]

To say that trees should never be placed in a fairway seems pretty short-sighted to me. If used sparingly, the placement of a [/size]tree to create interest can result in a fun, strategic hole. I don't subscribe to the theory that trees have no place on a golf course. Trees are[/size] just another tool in the toolbox for a golf course designer.[/size] [/size]When playing a hole where a tree comes into play, I may not be happy to find myself behind it, but typically those "hazards" are right in front of me and I probably made a bad decision/swing to put myself in that situation.
[/size]
[/size]A hole where I don't particularly like the use of a tree in the middle of the fairway is the first hole at Longaberger Golf Club. I think the tree is overly penal toward shorter hitters who have to play around the dogleg. On multiple occasions, I have had playing partners who have found themselves having to play around the tree in the middle of the fairway on their second shot of the day after hitting a pretty good tee shot to start the day.
[/size]
[/size]One use of a tree in the middle of the fairway that I thought was effective and added interest to the hole is at the par 5 Seventh at Sugar Valley Country Club (a mostly nondescript private club in the Dayton, OH area).  The hole is mostly straight and plays a pretty lengthy 590 yards from the tips (570 yards from the white tees).  Except for the absolute longest of hitters, it is a three-shot hole.  There is a tree located around 270 to 280 yards from the back tees and sits in the middle of the fairway. It is a rather large specimen tree and has no low branches - players typically only have to worry about shaping a second shot around the trunk of the tree if its in the way at all. The tree adds a bit of difficulty for players attempting to position their layups. Like the trees in the middle of the fairway at Pebble, the tree at SVCC may require a shot to be shaped around it to get in ideal position for a third shot, but, u[/size]nless a player directly is up against the tree, the player still has an opportunity to significantly advance the ball to the preferred position if the shot is executed correctly.

[Adam Warren]

Admittedly, my home club has an awful stand of trees in the middle of the fairway on the 18th hole.  It's not a major issue for me because I can hit over them with relative ease, but the whole layout of the hole is funky because of the runoff on the left side of the fairway to hazard.  There are 4 trees in the middle, 3 of them are in a line and there is one on the right of those trees.  I have lobbied since I have been involved at the course to take the right tree out to no avail.  It would then offer some shot shaping options, where now its basically try to hit one high out to the right or to hit a cut off the left trees for most average players.  Tim Liddy came by my club and said we had "17 solid holes and one bad one."

[Garland Bayley]

I don't mind it...just not a steady diet of it.


Here is #10 at the home course Lederach Golf Club.


The yardage book graphic shows the tree to far to the right.  In reality its just left of the center of the fairway. The best place for a well hit drive is down the right side and if accomplished, the tree is not in play.  However, even a drive down the left side allows plenty of room to clear the tree...and its not to close to the green to be troublesome coming in.  My eyes have always like this hole...so perhaps that's why I am not overly critical.






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Now that I think about it...#8 on the same course has two tree in the fairway.  Both come into play for the short hitter or those off direction.  A well struck tee ball should clear the fairway bunker.  This is a poor hole overall...and the green...like about 6 others at Lederach deserve dynamite and a complete do-over.

Looks like you should start a discussion of your home course (which is well liked here) in another thread.


It would be interesting to see the contrast in opinions.

[Tim Fenchel]

Thanks, Garland.  Perhaps I will do that after the USOpen/Chambers hubub dies down.

[OChatriot]

Tommy,

Yes Morfontaine near Paris has a tree in the middle of a par 3.
It is the 13th hole, and it's actually 2 trees, but they are kept relatively low and you generally hit a mid to short iron so it's never really in the way. What it does though is block (a little bit) your views of a nasty bunker encroaching the middle of the green to the left and a double plateau green which is quite tortured.

The next hole is called the Tortoise because of the shape of a rock which is...bang on the middle of the fairway, just passed where a big drive would end.

So: trees in the middle yes, rocks in the middle, yes, but smart, not really encroaching, and adding fun and beauty.
The result? Morfontaine could be the top course in continental Europe.