why did oakmont golf course cut the trees

The tree removal aimed to return Oakmont to its original design from the early 1900s, when it was a links-style layout carved out of a big piece of farmland. (Donald Miralle/Getty Images) OAKMONT, Pa. – In the last two decades, nearly 15,000 trees have been removed from Oakmont Country Club.

Full Answer

What happened to trees at Oakmont Country Club?

The 116th U.S. Open Championship at Oakmont is showcasing the incredible character of this renowned course. As a crucial part of its 20-year restoration plan, Oakmont removed more than 12,600 trees in what will long be regarded as one of the most definitive architectural renaissances in golf history.

Why are golf courses cutting down trees?

"Tree removal helps re-establish preferred lines of play along the outer perimeter of golf holes, says Spence, who has reinstated broader fairway widths at Roaring Gap, Mimosa Hills in Morganton, Grove Park in Asheville, and Gaston Country Club in Gastonia.

Why do golf courses have trees?

These trees provide the golfer with the added benefit of being able to identify whether a hole plays to the right or left, as well as a target zone, especially when a grouping or massing of trees is implemented.

Do links course have trees?

There are no trees or very few, and the land has subtle rolling terrain. However, many links-style courses are not built along the coast.

What kind of trees are on golf courses?

Beauty for the Course1- Accolade™ Elm. The Accolade™ Elm Tree (Ulmus japonica x wilsoniana 'Morton') is hardy, exhibits a graceful, upright vase-shape, with a fast growth rate. ... 2- Capital Pear. ... 3- Armstrong Gold Maple. ... 4- Red Oak. ... 5- Bosnian Pine.

What problems are associated with heavy vegetation around greens?

The large trees shade the grasses, and the tree roots compete with the surrounding grasses for water and nutrients. Large tree roots often become exposed in areas along fairways and around tees and greens. The roots damage the mowers and can cause difficult shots for golfers.

Why is it called links?

First up is the most famous type of golf course, the links course. The term derives from the Old English word hlinc meaning rising ground or ridge and refers to sandy area along coast.

Why do golf courses have 18 holes?

Andrews formalized the rules and stated, “One round of the Links, or 18 holes is reckoned a match, unless otherwise stipulated.” Legend has it that the reason for 18 holes is that a bottle of whiskey contained the same number of shots as holes on a course, thus providing just enough drink for a shot on each hole.

Why is links golf different?

The difference between a links golf course and a regular course is that the golfer is forced to work with the natural elements of the course. The links course is not manufactured and maintains the original lay of the land. This emulates how it was in the earliest days of the game.

When did golf clubs start planting trees?

Around the middle of the 20th century, they became viewed as the ultimate symbol of golf course beautification. Clubs that were built on more of an open terrain—as Oakmont was in 1903—started planting trees. Clubs that already had trees added more of them. Many were planted as memorials to one person or another.

What time did groundskeepers cut down trees?

During the mid-1990s, a dozen groundskeepers would set out at 4 a.m. most days and take aim at a tree. Guided only by the headlights of a cart, they would cut the tree down, grind the stump, conceal the area with sod and remove all evidence of what they had just done.

Is Oakmont a fast course?

Oakmont’s signature greens are as fast and vexing as ever. And what the course lacks in hardwood obstacles, it makes up for with stronger winds as a result, along with more than 200 bunkers. The absence of trees also reduces players’ depth perception as they eye a shot over Oakmont’s rolling hills.

How many trees were removed from Oakmont Golf Course in 2007?

John Zimmers Jr., Oakmont's course superintendent, now confirms that crews actually removed about 7,000 trees before the 2007 Open. But here's a surprising footnote: Since 2007, Zimmers and his team have removed another 7,500 trees.

When did Oakmont grass turn green?

Oakmont was leafy green for U.S. Opens in 1973, 1983 and 1994, but then the club stopped planting trees and started removing them in bunches. Quietly, at first, and strictly to improve the health of turf normally blanketed in shade.

How many trees did Kuhns remove?

Kuhns removed almost 500 trees that way until one day a caddie pointed out a gaping void to an influential club member. It quickly became a contentious issue among the membership. There were meetings, threatened petitions and the specter of a lawsuit. Some called Kuhns "The Butcher of Oakmont" to his face.

What is the lesson of Oakmont?

But the lesson of Oakmont is that every club should re-examine its landscape. Most would find many of their trees superfluous and, as at Oakmont, the character of their layouts would improve once those trees are removed.

When did Hazeltine National play in the US Open?

It's no wonder that the USGA subsequently selected Minnesota's Hazeltine National for the 1970 U.S. Open, despite cries that the eight-year-old course looked far too immature to host a national championship. Hazeltine at that time didn't look any younger than Oakmont.

Who won the 1994 playoff?

1994: After finishing at five-under-par 279, Ernie Els won a 20-hole playoff. Els and Loren Roberts shot 74s to eliminate Colin Montgomerie (78) before Els' birdie on the second hole of sudden death. 1983: Larry Nelson holed a 62-foot putt after play resumed Monday morning and won at four-under 280.

Who said if a club thinks they would be hurting themselves by cutting down a few trees, what

The story quoted Tom Meeks, then the USGA's senior director of rules and competition: "If any club thinks they would be hurting themselves by cutting down a few trees, go look at Oakmont and see what they've done. They are the leaders in the clubhouse.". AN EXAMPLE OF SUSTAINABILITY.

Who said playing down a fairway bordered by straight lines of trees is not only inartistic but makes

By Tom Cunneff. “Playing down a fairway bordered by straight lines of trees is not only inartistic but makes [for] tedious and uninteresting golf. Many green committees ruin one’s handiwork by planting trees like rows of soldiers along the borders of fairways.”—Alister MacKenzie.

What tools did the superintendent use to remove trees?

It was a club divided, however, so the superintendent, with the blessing of the greens committee, had to start removing trees under the cloak of darkness, armed with floodlights, chainsaws, chippers, stump grinders, high-powered vacuums, and sod to hide their handiwork.

Where did Doak remove trees?

Along with Garden City, Chicago Golf Club is another course where where Doak removed a lot of trees, as well as Onwentsia, and Medinah #1.

Where did Hanse renovate Sleepy Hollow?

Hanse cites his renovation of Sleepy Hollow in New York where tree removal made the biggest difference. “Restoring the open nature of the landscape that Raynor and Macdonald crafted has been exciting, and the restoration of the views of the Hudson River has been breathtaking,” he says.