Building a Hole Around a Tree

[Ian Mackenzie]

1. #13 "Tall Timber" on River Course at Black Wolf Run - Pete Dye - those damn trees have outsized impact on that hole.



2. #17 at CPC - that silly grove of trees, ringed by bunkers, that is in the middle of the fairway and the landing area, dictates all that happens on that hole.

[PCCraig]

Tom Doak -

You're own Golf.com posted this article a few weeks ago on Keller Golf Course: [size=78%]https://golf.com/travel/trees-middle-golf-course-fairway/[/size]

The "famous" hole is the par-3 4th which is about a 150 yard par three that plays over a giant (oak?) tree. You can run it under the tree as well but hitting a mid-iron over works better. The tree has been there pretty much since day one of the course 100+ years ago. I'm no tree hugger but it is kind of a fun hole.

Pat:


I haven't been affiliated with GOLF Magazine for twenty years now?


I have not been to Keller but have seen photos of the hole you describe.  There is [or was] a similar hole at Blythefield CC in Michigan.  Those, and even the hole at Morfontaine, are just weird to me.  I would never build a hole where you HAD TO hit over a tree to go for the green in regulation.


But I very much like the hole at Harding Park which TEMPTS YOU to go over or around the tree to shave a stroke off par.  It's entirely up to you whether to take the risk.

Tom -


I only made that comment as your a panelist for them. Not necessarily on the payroll.


You don't technically HAVE to go over the tree...it's pretty easy to bump one under it.


When Richard Mandell was rebuilding the hole, I believe he assumed everyone would want to remove it, but in fact all the locals there really wanted to keep it. My thought would have been to cut it down and replant/transplant a much smaller version to make it more playable given that a tree has always been planted since day 1.


It's too bad the "signature" 4th at Keller gets talked about so much because there are a ton of more interesting and fun holes out there.

[Bret Lawrence]

The 12th hole at the Country Club of Charleston has a huge tree that tempts you to take it on in order to shave a potential stroke.


Seth Raynor thought the tree would be a detriment to the hole as he planned it, but after compromising with the Olmsted Brothers, the tree remained, became a hazard  and is still there today.


https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss52571.mss52571-02-360_0415_0492/?sp=65&r=-0.011,-0.087,1.053,1.048,0