Trees Impeding on or Being In the Fairway

[Ernest Jones]

its easy. aim straight at the tree.......guaranteed to miss it.

Oddly enough, whenever I try that tactic I usually hit a laser dead centre of the tree. BOINK!

[b101]

Some trees are quite well known as hazards: http://www.augusta.com/masters/story/news/latest-news/augusta-nationals-eisenhower-tree-removed-after-storm-damage

[Yukari]

At least with trees, you can see them from the tee box and try to avoid them.

I played a few courses where from the blue tees you hit your 270-290 yard drives and lo and behold, your ball ends up in a ditch that cuts across the fairway.

Those are the courses I do  not like.  Why would you put a ditch that cuts across the fairway near the landing area?  At least show that on the tee box so you won't be surprised your good drive ends up costing you a stroke.

[dave s]

Local course has a par-5 with a group of trees in the middle of the fairway in the area where your 2nd shot will land.  Fairway area is 1/4 left of trees, trees take up half the fairway and right is 1/4 of remaining fairway.  The kicker here is that the hole sweeps LEFT just past the trees and the green is elevated and guarded by a stream that moves right to left with a water hazard (pond) guarding the left half of the green that swallows up any shot left short.

To make matters worse, playing LEFT of the trees drops down and the pond can catch your ball.  You WANT to play left for a better angle to a wide, but shallow (depth) green.  Playing right means you need to CLEAR the group of trees.  The final dogleg left means you'll likely play your 3rd shot from the rough and over the stream hazard to the elevated green.

It's one of those holes I dread coming to.  It's usually an 'extra shot' hole trying to get in position to hit a wedge onto the green from somewhere safe.  Not a birdie hole at all; most of the time not a par hole either.

And all because someone thought it was a good idea to leave a group of trees in the middle of the fairway 120 yards from the middle of the green.  Bad idea, IMO.

dave

[Ernest Jones]

I have no issue with trees in the fairway, your responsibility is to plan accordingly and "think" your way around the obstacle. Maybe take less club to leave yourself room and options. My nemesis is the trees to the left and right of the fairway.

[acerimusdux]

A tree, at least you can see it from a good distance away, figure whether to go around or over it, and it usually at least looks natural to the course.  I'm more likely to be bothered by obviously man made water hazards and sand traps that seem poorly placed.

[Tat14]

It's all perspective. ;). The goal is one side of the tree. If I miss and go on the other side or under the tree, am I happier with a lie in buried rough or on short fairway grass???

Agreed. We have a hole on my home course with a tree smack dab in the middle of a slight dogleg left. Water on the right takes driver out of play for those who fade it, but a fairway wood or hybrid makes the tree more of a factor.

It's a good test. Unless one decides to lay up and leave himself 200+ to go, he has to hit a good shot to the left side of the tree.

[Shindig]

There's no obligation for the fairway to be the desirable landing spot for a tee shot, even on holes with par above three. I can think of two holes on my home course where I'd rather be just into the left rough than anywhere in the right half of the fairway. I don't think that's bad design.

[disco111]

Now by all means, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on this, but there's not a golf course on the tour, that I can think of, with the exception of PB's 18th and even that hole has more than enough room to maneuver around it, that the pro's get penalized for a ball in the fairway. Now they have a couple that are on the side of the fairway or the dogleg corners, but nothing in the middle of the fairway. Now some of you have offered that it's part of the game and there's nothing that says it can't be there, but seriously, you stripe one down the middle and your stuck with a possibly penalty stroke. You guys are some cold, hard core, old school match play, stymie your opponent, up yours friend, take no prisoners warriors. Hate to be in your money game.....

[dkolo]

Now by all means, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on this, but there's not a golf course on the tour, that I can think of, with the exception of PB's 18th and even that hole has more than enough room to maneuver around it, that the pro's get penalized for a ball in the fairway. Now they have a couple that are on the side of the fairway or the dogleg corners, but nothing in the middle of the fairway. Now some of you have offered that it's part of the game and there's nothing that says it can't be there, but seriously, you stripe one down the middle and your stuck with a possibly penalty stroke. You guys are some cold, hard core, old school match play, stymie your opponent, up yours friend, take no prisoners warriors. Hate to be in your money game.....:bugout:

That'd be like complaining about your approach landing in, or being stymied by, the sand bunker in the middle of the green at Riviera or TPC San Antonio. Plan around it.

[rkim291968]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunlucedreams

its easy. aim straight at the tree.......guaranteed to miss it.

Oddly enough, whenever I try that tactic I usually hit a laser dead centre of the tree. BOINK!

Happened to me more than once.   One of my previous home course has random skinny palm trees lined up along some holes.   What's the odd of hitting a drive and hit a tree trunk that is 10 inch wide standing 200 yards away?  Big enough to hit it and have the ball bounce backwards.   One time, a ball got even stuck at the top of the tree where it had leaves.   Aaaaaaah ... the Murphy's Law of golf at work.

My current home course has one hole with a large tree in the middle of a fairway.   I love it.   It adds more character to the hole.

[SavvySwede]

No.5 at Lakewood CC About 360 yards, slightly uphill, and there are two trees about 220-230 out smack dab in the middle of a 30 yard wide fairway also lined by trees. I usually hit an iron off the tee keeping just short of the trees leaving 130-150 to the green. It is an especially tricky hole if the pin is on the small back tier of the green. One of the best short par 4s I've played.

[bkuehn1952]

I am not a big fan of trees in the middle of a fairway.  In moderation and properly designed, the feature adds to the interest of a course. When improperly placed, a large tree in the fairway can be a source of frustration. The problem a tree (or trees) presents is unlike a bunker or water hazard.  With a bunker or water one can lay up short and go over the hazards with the next shot.  A tree punishes the layup. I am certainly no course designer but if an architect wants a large towering oak to be in the fairway, or worse, smack in front of the green, then they really need to give the average golfer an avenue to take to avoid the tree and not end up with a double or worse.

[saevel25]

I don't mind trees if they are located strategically.

To me as long as the trees do not encroach too much to be struck so often it makes the hole unplayable then they are fine.

[DaveP043]

A tree, at least you can see it from a good distance away, figure whether to go around or over it, and it usually at least looks natural to the course.  I'm more likely to be bothered by obviously man made water hazards and sand traps that seem poorly placed.

This just reminded me of the 12 at the Old Course.  There's a collection of little bunkers in the middle of the fairway, so the best line is either the left or right rough.  And of course, you can't see those bunkers from the tee.

[newtogolf]

Here is our 9th hole, Par 4 403 yards

[Golfingdad]

Here is our 9th hole, Par 4 403 yards

If 403 is from the back tee there, then that tree (for most people) would just be a visual impairment, right?  Can't be more than 200 to reach from the back tee and therefore 175 or less from the middle tees?

Looks like a nice course too!!

[newtogolf]

If 403 is from the back tee there, then that tree (for most people) would just be a visual impairment, right?  Can't be more than 200 to reach from the back tee and therefore 175 or less from the middle tees?

Looks like a nice course too!!

It's a tall tree so you have to go around it unless you get a lot of height on your drives.