A New Look

This week we removed the large old cottonwood tree at 7 green. Removing old trees is not an easy or quick process.  This winter an independent arborist was hired to review the hazard value of the tree. It was deemed a high hazard and ultimately it was 100% that the tree had to be removed.

No one likes to see an old tree come down, however we have a responsibility to provide a safe environment to golfers, guests and staff. This tree is situated close to a putting green which consolidates a lot of traffic. It was determined that this tree was a large liability to injury or death. As you can see there are a number of hollow points to the tree trunks that proves the vulnerability of the tree.

One of the benefits of removing the tree manually was the opportunity to save an active bee hive. The hive in this tree is estimated to house up to 3,000 bees. It was relocated to another area of the property to continue pollinating many of the plants in the neighborhood and golf course.

What's next? A golf course is a living and breathing entity and we are dealing with the circle of life. When we lose an old tree such as this it opens the door for other possibilities for the playability of the golf course.

Sometimes doing nothing has some benefit. In that general area, there are a number of trees in that location which will benefit from the additional sunlight now available. Go back to the top picture on this post and you will see a cottonwood on the left and a pine on the right that are growing at angles to capture sunlight. There is also an Ash tree that will benefit from the removed competition. We expect these trees to thrive.

Our master plan architect, Rick Phelps was consulted on the next step in this area. He recommended removing the tree and that the area should be left alone and played "as is" for at least one year. We can begin to gauge how different the hole will play. The golf and grounds staff will evaluate the hole over the 2013 season and make recommendations in the future.  

It should also be noted that the turfgrass conditions on this green are about the worst on the golf course. The removal of this tree gives way to improving the health of the green. Morning sunlight will now be available to the green to increase photosynthesis. Also, any of the roots from the cottonwood will no longer compete with the grass for water and nutrients.