Fairways and branch obstructions

[TheNatural]

WOULDNT YOU GUYS THINK THAT TREE BRANCHES SHOULD NOT BE IN PLAY ON A FAIRWAY? IM NEW TO THE GAME STILL BUT ENCOUNTERED A LIE LAST NIGHT THAT PLACED ME ON THE FAIRWAY BY A FEW YARDS, BUT UNDERNEATH NUMEROUS BRANCHES AT EYE HEIGHT.



SURE THERE ARE HAZARDS THROUGHOUT BUT I CANT THINK OF A COURSE IVE PLAYED WHERE I FOUND MYSELF HITTING A LOW RUNNER TO AVOID TROUBLE WHILE ON THE SHORT

[opie]

lol.. that's the fun of golf man. Just like hitting in the fairway and being in a divot

I saw furyk hit a tree limb hanging over the fairway on a par 5 of saturday at the memorial I believe.

So.. How'd the runner work out? Going to work on that at the range next time you practice?

[jonnythan]

Wouldn't this count as an "immovable obstruction" and entitle you to relief?

[shades9323]

Wouldn't this count as an "immovable obstruction" and entitle you to relief?

Say what?

[iWALK18]

That is just another part of course design. Good players would rather have branch trouble from the fairway than the rough, because it makes shaping a shot around/over/under the tree easier.

[PiKapp23]

Just wait until you get the overhanging branches on the tee box. That's fun. I play a few courses every year that have that and while they are usually not really in play they can make the person teeing off just a little uncomfortable and try to hit it lower.

[DavidFehertysBike]

That sucks...lol. I actually played a course in jersey once that had an overhanging tree branch on the entry to the green. Your only options where to hit it like 100 feet in the air over the tree, or come low under it. And it was a short par 4 ( about 380 i think) so in reality,your options only come into play if you drive it 280+. If that was purposly designed to be defense for the hole, then the artictect should be shot in the face...

[billm408]

Wait! I'm looking for the rule that says the game is supposed to be fair.

Sorry Natural... rub o the green. There are trees in the middle of fairways to force you left or right, there's trees protecting greens (like DFB says), there's tree lined tee boxes with overhanging branches. I highly recommend aiming the other way next time.

[iacas]

WOULDNT YOU GUYS THINK THAT TREE BRANCHES SHOULD NOT BE IN PLAY ON A FAIRWAY? IM NEW TO THE GAME STILL BUT ENCOUNTERED A LIE LAST NIGHT THAT PLACED ME ON THE FAIRWAY BY A FEW YARDS, BUT UNDERNEATH NUMEROUS BRANCHES AT EYE HEIGHT.

Bunkers and water and rough are obstacles on the ground. Trees are obstacles in the air. The former are 2D obstacles while trees are 3D obstacles.

There are a number of holes I can cite where you have to work the ball around the trees in order to score. You just deal with it. It's part of golf. There are a number of courses on the PGA Tour - think Harbour Town for one - that put trees in positions that penalize you for not being in the optimal positions. Heck, look at the 18th hole at Pebble Beach.

[sp33d]

A branch you say? I played at a course last year that had a god damn tree right smack dab in the middle of the fairway. And were not talking any small tree this thing was huge! elevated tee box fair way was gully (where the tree was) elevated green par4 about 240 yards.

So I'm thinking no way to go over it, gotta go around.. hit a wicked slice only to hit the tree dead center and have it bouce back 60 yards towards me. pff branch... :D

[CarlSpackler]

Things like that just make the game interesting. I play a course that has a large tree on the right side of the fairway with overhanging branches. This thing is 90% wood too. If you hit your drive long enough, you don't have to worry about it, however both sides of the fairway are lined with trees. A creek also crosses the fairway, so you can't hit your drive too long. The green is very sloped from back right to front left, so there are not many straight putts on this thing. Bogey is usually a wonderful score.

[MPforthewin]

Did any of the rest of you guys watch Furyk get pissed cause he got stuck behind that tree on 17 at the Memorial? He knew he had to hit it a certain distance to get past it and he didnt, thats part of the course. Go right or left or short or long, its just like a creek or hazard in the middle of the hole, it forces you to make a decision.

[TheNatural]

now this will probably draw a lot of heat from the gallery, but I dont care and want to get it off my chest.


The drive was 320. Yes. Google Earth. I know my abilities and lack of, too well.

Par 4 368 yard from whites(we were back half of white markers)

It was a boring type drive that climbed past the 150 and tailed left by 10 degrees(11:30 for you pilots)

The draw pulled it just onto the fairway and it must have rolled a good bit, but It was pure. WHAT Pissed me off, and this may not have been clear in my OP, that the branches were 8 feet high-9 feet, within my club length! Im 10 feet in the fairway!

Also.. You guys are telling me that there are tee's with branches obstructing your swing plane? Thats crazy!

It got my ire since this was one of my best drives of the year.. The punch was about 40-50 yards and I used my 60 (shortest club) and leaned forward I got it on the approach 10 feet from green then putted up to 4 feet(from 25) and missed by one inch.

One inch and a bomb drive it just isnt fair. I choked I think because I was astonsihed at the distance, but if I had a clear 60 from the same distance I would have made par at least.

I have seen a tree in the middle of a fairway before but its branches are 20 feet high.

[TheNatural]

down as far to the right as possible





on 2nd thought it cant be seen on this pic and I dont know how old this pic is.

[Uber$winG]

Looks like you got plenty of middle to shoot for, but missed, and had to take your lumps.

[TheNatural]

Looks like you got plenty of middle to shoot for, but missed, and had to take your lumps.

Just cant remember playing a fairway with branches at eye level

[Scottydoint]

I don't see how it is a real problem other than being pissed that you hit your ball there (I would be too). One of the courses I play at has a tree with branches hanging right in front of the tee box where you would want to hit it. Another hole on the course has a big tree left of the fairway with huge branches that hang over the left fairway and you have to hit a low one under it and over a big trap in front of the green. It is just part of the course.

I also want to know why you are playing from the white tees?

[MPforthewin]

I used to play a course back when I lived in Florida that had a 465 yard par 4 with trees lining the right side of the tee-box and extending about 100 yards past it. The crap of it was that you could only aim at the very left first cut of rough, and were required to hit a pretty good fade or cut to hit the fairway. Can you imagine how that feels for someone who hits a natural draw? It may not be fair, but it is the same for everyone that tees it up, not just you, and I will bet the next time you play that hole you will stay on the left side of the fairway.