Overhanging Tree Removed from 6th Hole at TPC Sawgrass

[billchao]

http://www.pgatour.com/news/2014/10/30/number-six-tree-removed-tpc-sawgrass-stadium-course.html

Quote:

• The branch on No. 6, seen before and after its removal, provided some problems for PGA TOUR players throughout the years during THE PLAYERS Championship. (Chris Condon/Keyur Khamar/PGA TOUR)

• ---

  A victim of disease and old age -- somewhere between 80 and 120 years -- led to an 8-foot crack in the trunk, rendering the entire structure a safety concern.

  Despite best efforts, nothing could be done.

  “The live oak on the sixth hole was one of the more recognizable trees on the golf course and influenced the tee shots of amateurs and professionals alike from the time the golf course opened in October of 1980,” PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement.  “There simply was no way to save it, as much as we would have liked to.”

It really changes the look of the tee shot.

[SavvySwede]

Not sure if it just the perspective of the photo but that is a crazy spot for a tree. I guess from the tee you had to go under or over? Was it only in play from the very back tees or something? Seems a little to penal for the average golfer if you ask me. Funny what we would normally consider poor planning is regarded as spectacular when on a PGA tour track.

[saevel25]

Not sure if it just the perspective of the photo but that is a crazy spot for a tree. I guess from the tee you had to go under or over? Was it only in play from the very back tees or something? Seems a little to penal for the average golfer if you ask me. Funny what we would normally consider poor planning is regarded as spectacular when on a PGA tour track.

A little FYI, the back tees are covered with a net so no one plays from were the PGA Tour players play. They keep those tee boxes covered to prevent damage to the tee box.

I played there before and played the Blended Tee's, basically a mix of white and blue. The blues are the tips for non tournament play. On hole 6 the tee box for the tips is Blue. That tree does not come into play for the blue tees on that hole.

[jamo]

I wonder if this will open them up to moving the tee box around a bit.

[billchao]

I wonder if this will open them up to moving the tee box around a bit.

I would think so. The article said the tree helped frame the hole. Now that it's gone, it seems like some of it's character is gone, but it frees them up to changing it around a bit.