Tree trimming is an important task on the course. As trees age, the limbs reach lower and lower. The low hanging limbs don't offer easy access to the area by golfers or by maintenance equipment while also robbing the turf below from needed sunlight. With the removal of these limbs, access is improved and turf benefits due to increased sunlight. Another great benefit is the improved aesthetics, the look of a well manicured tree or grove of trees really adds to the overall detail of the golf course.
The tree removals this year are significantly less intense as in the recent past. We have done a great job of removing trees that were affecting turf health and playability in the main areas of the golf course (greens, tees, fairways). As the need for removals around these areas decreases, we can focus more on the failing trees and trees that don't have a positive effect on the beauty of the course. Above is a Spruce that is being removed from 16, left of the start of the fairway, near the river. As you see in the picture, the canopy of this Spruce was almost devoid of needles.
Yesterday was one of the few days this winter that we could allow large equipment on the course. This was needed to remove a few larger trees that we could not take down in-house. We sought help removing a Walnut, Ash and a Cottonwood off of 14 - all of which were in major decline and threatening to fall on neighboring property.
