Removal of trees and gorse bushes from courses

[AMcC]

As has been mentioned in another thread, I thought I would give this subject its own thread.

Our course has been busy this winter continuing with a plan to remove trees and gorse bushes.

The trees are not in play, they were behind greens. Likewise with the gorse bushes, you had to be really wide to find the bushes. That said I have managed it
They have sculpted the soil where everything has been removed and are starting to seed it. What a difference it has made, you can see much more of the course from any point on the course now.
The gorse / whin bushes grow at an amazing rate and need to maintained better.

I have heard of other courses doing similar things locally.

Are any other courses doing this nationally and what is everyone's thoughts on these type of changes ?

 

[AMcC]

This was during the summer looking towards 17th green


This was taken at end of December again looking towards 17th green

 

[Craigg]

I'm of the opposite opinion. I like the hole I'm playing to be the only hole I can see. Love huge trees. Every one to their own though.

 

[chrisd]

To be honest, I preferred it as it was

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Are they taking out the Heather too?

For me, I much prefer the view in the top picture, it frames the green nicely, but then again, I mostly play parkland courses, so it is what I am used to.

There does seem to be a view that a links course should be devoid of any horticultural content apart from grass, just had a look at your course flyover for that hole, I cant see how it improves anything by taking out the trees, it removes a natural feature that would have been there for many many years, there will be wildlife that lived there, which now doesnt.

I can see the point of keeping gorse under control, but trees that are not in play and which I presume were not in a dangerous condition, ? I cannot see the point and think that it should have been left as it was.

Just my view

 

[patricks148]

Nairn had been doing this the last few years. Quite a few tree's removed last year. None are in play as such, just behind tee's and greens on a few holes. Only problem with this is aacording to Sepa, we have to replace every tree we cut down with two more. None of the tree's were there before the 2 WW and were planted for wood us, but never got used. luckily we have places to replant away from the course.

The gorse has also been removed from a fair few holes, in fact some of the holes are unrecognisable from when i first played Nairn back in 2007.
1st /18th all gone
3rd right hand side all gone
7th left hand side up to the bunker and from right hand bunker the sea side all gone.
11/ 12th in from corner which made the tee shot on 12 blind now gone.
13th 30ft of gorse from the tee up to the bunker on the left making it a very narrow fairway all gone
13th /14 bottom of the hill where the burn comes out all gone
15th right hand side all gone
16th in front of the tee on the mound making it a completely blind shot gone
17th odd bushes from the right side gone


i think there are also plans to remove some more gorse and tree's at a later date.

 

[Hosel Fade]

Trees are the enemy, to grow good grass you need a) light and b) airflow both of which trees mess with. These things also help get rid of water. In the case of the photo I'm not sure how much an impact those made. We have a stupid amount of trees and all the areas where the new greenkeeper has been removing them have improved the turf and you can get dumpy bags of oak logs at 50 quid.

 

[AMcC]

Are they taking out the Heather too?

For me, I much prefer the view in the top picture, it frames the green nicely, but then again, I mostly play parkland courses, so it is what I am used to.

There does seem to be a view that a links course should be devoid of any horticultural content apart from grass, just had a look at your course flyover for that hole, I cant see how it improves anything by taking out the trees, it removes a natural feature that would have been there for many many years, there will be wildlife that lived there, which now doesnt.

I can see the point of keeping gorse under control, but trees that are not in play and which I presume were not in a dangerous condition, ? I cannot see the point and think that it should have been left as it was.

Just my view

No they are keeping the heather, it had just been cut back in second photo. they may be planting more heather and grass where the bushes have been taken out though.

There is an aerial photograph in the clubhouse taken many years ago and not one tree is visible on the course. The trees weren't dangerous just not thought o be part of the natural environment of the links.

I have to say I am delighted with the changes just makes it much more " traditional"

 

[AMcC]

Trees are the enemy, to grow good grass you need a) light and b) airflow both of which trees mess with. These things also help get rid of water. In the case of the photo I'm not sure how much an impact those made. We have a stupid amount of trees and all the areas where the new greenkeeper has been removing them have improved the turf and you can get dumpy bags of oak logs at 50 quid.

Interestingly if some more of the trees had been taken down some of the big greens would have been in play earlier on Saturday as they were blocking the sun getting to the green.

Apparently the idea of planting trees was to take moisture out of the soil and dry the course up quicker. the greenkeepers were then finding that the wind wasn't getting through the courses as well because of the trees and the natural drying process wasn't working as effectively and the courses were wetter than before

 

[AMcC]

Nairn had been doing this the last few years. Quite a few tree's removed last year. None are in play as such, just behind tee's and greens on a few holes. Only problem with this is aacording to Sepa, we have to replace every tree we cut down with two more. None of the tree's were there before the 2 WW and were planted for wood us, but never got used. luckily we have places to replant away from the course.

i think there are also plans to remove some more gorse and tree's at a later date.

Any idea why SEPA were involved ?

Seems like a popular plan

 

[Crazyface]

Huge amount of trees have been removed from my place, both last year and this. (My best guess would be at least 40).

 

[Deleted member 3432]

As has been mentioned in another thread, I thought I would give this subject its own thread.

Our course has been busy this winter continuing with a plan to remove trees and gorse bushes.

The trees are not in play, they were behind greens. Likewise with the gorse bushes, you had to be really wide to find the bushes. That said I have managed it
They have sculpted the soil where everything has been removed and are starting to seed it. What a difference it has made, you can see much more of the course from any point on the course now.
The gorse / whin bushes grow at an amazing rate and need to maintained better.

I have heard of other courses doing similar things locally.

Are any other courses doing this nationally and what is everyone's thoughts on these type of changes ?

Silloth on Solway have had a programme of cutting back gorse the last couple years. This is been done as you have pointed out due to it being quick growing so it is case of managing it to prevent it getting out of hand.

The two main areas of removal are too far off line to be a worry (for me at least) and if you are over there you deserve a lost ball.

No programme of heather removal for which I am glad as its the courses defence and a trip into it is a chop out sideways hoping for the best!

I love links golf but I am not a huge fan of links tracks that dont have gorse/heather as it brings definition to the course in my view.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

We take out trees that are either not indigenous to the environment or that cause shade or drainage issues - especially to greens - that removal does not significantly affect the playing of the hole. We are also being severe on gorse as it grows like topsy - and in many areas prevents then growth of heather. Gorse is not attractive for most of the year - even in bloom it has nothing on broom, and where gorse is in play - but removing it does not significantly remove the penalty for the wayward shot - we take it out.

For this reason we took over 450 mature trees from the heathland area of our course about 14 years ago - and another 100 or so about 8 yrs ago.

 

[jimjoachim]

Much prefer the look in the first photo. Saying that it could be down to the time of the year each was taken. Id be interested to see the same photo this summer....

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I also prefer the first photo. Sadly I think it's just too easy to remove trees rather than manage and maintain them better.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Am I the only one wondering how many golf balls were found in the heather / gorse that was removed? They used to swallow golf balls at my old links course.

 

[Junior]

I thought we were the only course on a tree and gorse mission 　

We have a 2 separate loops at our course. Holes 3-10 are on heathland and the rest are parkland. The Heathland loop has had a lot of tree's taken down in recent years. I really think the course has done a great job here as it has opened up really nice views down the canal and across the countryside. The gorse has also been removed , which I don't like as i think gorse in bloom looks nice, but i am in the minority here at my club. 　

Gorse aside, i am happy with the work that's been done but a lot of our membership sadly disagree. A lot of the tree's shaded greens which then struggled for growth so we should see the benefits next Summer. Some of the stories about how the tree's came to be planted all those years ago were quite funny, with little or no thought into where they were going. Decades ago, one of our young members was given a Sycamore sapling and the young man in question asked his dad who was sat in the green-keepers hut at the time what he should do. His dad just told him to plant it somewhere on the course, so he simply steps 30 paces from the green-keepers shed and plants it behind the 9th green. It had been there ever since

 

[huds1475]

Same at Conwy. Some advisory body recommended except where anoted integral part of the hole.

There's a few factors in play, most of them.mentioned already, all of them sound, and part of a long-term plan to be ready for the Curtis Cup in a few years.

Quite a few trees going also at Manchester. Again for for sound long term reasons that will benefit the course. Interestingly old pictures of the course show it virtually devoid of tees and it looks like a harsh environment to play golf in!

At the end of the day, a balance has to be found between aesthetics, design and maintaining a good standard course.

 

[Nickrat]

I agree, much prefer the first picture. My course has lots of heather and tree's around the greens/fairways, I much prefer courses like this as they look better and are more tricky to play.

 

[NWJocko]

There's a few holes on my course I'd love them to bulldoze all the trees down

They've been doing similar at ours, although not on a massive scale in terms of removing trees. More clearing out certain areas and cutting back the big rhododendron bushes. Is it the STR report that advises what should be done? Can't remember but is an external consultancy that work with the GK's and Manager I think to work out what changes to make.