Making the cut

Americans love their trees. Some bloom, others turn color in the fall and put on a dazzling show. Golfers even like them, except when they find themselves behind one. Golf course superintendents? Well, they put up with them and for the most part think about them when they have to. Mark Jackson, head of the golf division for the Davey Tree Expert Company in Kent, Ohio, says that kind of approach leads to problems.

“I really recommend that all superintendents do a tree inventory, make an assessment of what needs to be done and when, and develop a game plan on trees for a five- to 10-year period,” Jackson says. “Most superintendents deal with tree pruning and removal in a reactionary way. But by being pro-active and even pre-emptive in some instances (as in the case of impeding spread of disease among trees) they can stay ahead of the curve to the benefit of the golf course.”

“Tree care should be part of the regular golf course maintenance plan,” says J. Kelly Lewis, general manager/partner of Ruppert Nurseries, Inc. in Maryland. “Just like there are proper times to overseed or aerate greens, trees have seasonal needs.” Removal, he explains, is best done during the winter months when play is slower. Pruning and care is somewhat tree variety specific. Pruning for most evergreen trees is best done between early spring and early summer. Most shade and flowering trees should be pruned while dormant (no leaves).

Specific tree issues often need to be handled proactively and during the growing season. “Having a tree inventory and management plan can really assist a superintendent with budgeting and justifying the need for funds for tree care,” says Scott Jamieson, vice president of Connecticut-based Bartlett Tree Experts.

That’s why it’s wise to involve management and even membership in a tree removal/care/pruning plan, as taking down or cutting back trees, especially that favorite one of the club president, can alter the way a course looks and raise the ire of your bosses and customers.

“All clubs have different dynamics and relationships between those who take care of the course, those who manage and those who play,” Lewis says. “However, in general, an informed description of what is going to happen, when and why to all those involved may reduce the concern that comes with a surprise.”

It is important for everyone at the club/course to be informed of the facts and able to give feedback on tree removal/pruning, says Jason Wilson, superintendent for ValleyCrest Golf Maintenance at Omni Amelia Island Plantation, Fla. “A well thought out plan should be conceived with a managerial focus group and reviewed before release to the membership,” he says. “The membership should be informed why and how the work will be done, and should be included as a partner in the final decision.”

Dave Tree’s Jackson cites an example of how the simple act of cutting a large tree back can dramatically affect the aesthetics of a golf course.

“One of our private club clients in Ohio has a huge oak tree by the ninth green that was affecting shots into the green,” he says. “The problem was how to trim the tree so that the golf shot could be hit the way it was designed to be hit, but also preserve the beautiful view back from the green to the clubhouse. At first, two large limbs were going to be taken down, but it would have made the tree look horrible. So a compromise was reached where only one limb was taken down. The hole could now be played as intended and the view was not affected to any great degree. It shows that the matter has to be discussed and a plan of action developed that addresses all concerns.”

Remember, trees are not created equally. That’s why it is important to develop an ongoing professional relationship with a local arborist who knows the trees on your course and how to approach any issues, such as disease or proper pruning.

“What we do in Massachusetts for such things as planting and fertilization times and rates can differ greatly from here to Arizona or southern Florida,” says Dr. Dennis Ryan, professor of arboriculture at the University of Massachusetts. “That’s why it is crucial to have a local arborist do a survey of your important trees once a year. The problem facing the trees on the golf course is the same that Mrs. Smith is facing with her favorite tree down the road and he knows this.”

Brian Benedict, superintendent at The Seawane Club in Hewlett, N.Y., says that most pruning at his course and others in the region is undertaken as “safety pruning,” which reduces the deadwood and potential harm to pedestrian foot traffic below a tree. Another form of pruning may be shaping or vase pruning to create a desired shape for a particular cultivar of tree. This takes much more time and the hiring of a highly skilled and trained climber/arborist.

Benedict believes there is a “percentage factor” of canopy dieback that must be calculated to determine whether a tree must be removed.

“You must also take into account that by pruning too much of the tree and reducing the leaf canopy where the photosynthesis is reduced to the point the tree can’t sustain itself becomes a factor as well,” he says. “Most turf guys will lean towards removing entire trees as opposed to just pruning it unless it is a prominent tree. If a tree is being fought over for keeping, bringing in a certified arborist is always the best call.”

Pruning helps overall tree health, appearance, fruiting and shape. Pruning in late winter, just before spring growth starts, leaves fresh wounds exposed for only a short length of time before new growth begins the wound sealing process. Another advantage of dormant pruning is that it’s easier to make pruning decisions without leaves obscuring branch structure. Pruning at the proper time avoids certain disease and physiological problems.

Outside of this, Wilson says superintendents should always look for diseased wood and weak branches, which can be a potential liability. “Dead wood can easily break off trees and strike people and property,” he says. “For this reason, damaged, diseased or dead limbs should be removed immediately.”

Pruning trees is more than just cutting branches, it’s a combination of science and art. How a tree should be pruned depends on the location, growth habits and the specific needs of the course, Wilson says.

Generally, there are five types of pruning: crown thinning, which removes smaller outer canopy branches, helping to reduce weight and increase sunlight and air penetration; crown cleaning, which selectively removes hazardous, dead or dying branches from the tree canopy; crown raising, which removes lower branches to increase clearance under the leaf canopy (also known as “elevation” or “limbing up”); crown reduction, which carefully removes certain stems or branches back to lateral limbs (as opposed to “topping,” which leaves large, open wounds that subject the tree to disease and decay); and crown restoration, corrective pruning done over a period of time to restore good structure and appearance in trees that have been damaged. Removal is generally considered if the tree is damaged, diseased or damaging to landscape and fine turf. A certified arborist can help assess the health or safety or a tree, and should be consulted when in doubt.

Of course, tree pruning, and at times removal, has considerable, albeit sometimes subtle, consequences for a golf course. Removed and pruned trees allow more light and air circulation, letting grass thrive to a greater degree.

“Based on competition, a tree and its roots will outcompete grass plants every day and twice on Sundays,” Benedict says. “As far as the playing of golf is concerned, trees shape and create features on parkland golf courses. For me personally, the best trees stand alone and have a symmetrical look where the canopy is full, almost in the shape of a light bulb. Trees planted too close together serve no purpose, they should be planted and spaced appropriately so the tree has every chance to grow perfectly. As far as golfers go, they serve as shade and increase aesthetic quality when taken care of the correct way.”

The size of the tree and branches to be cut will dictate whether the use of a chain saw, hand saw or hand pruners is the appropriate tool,” Lewis says. On a golf course, much of the pruning will be to remove lower branches so maintenance and golfing activity is facilitated. Other reasons for pruning include dead or diseased branches, structural needs –such as crossing branches – and the general shaping on the tree.

“If a tree is impacting play, then the call of whether to trim or remove is best made by the superintendent,” he says. “However, if the issue is one of the health of the tree, consulting with a nursery professional or arborist is the way to go.”

Jackson cites the difference proper tree pruning or removal can make to the condition of the playing surface.

“Turfgrass, especially the modern strains, needs morning sunlight and good air circulation to grow properly,” he says. “You have to pay attention to how trees affect the sunlight in the morning because if you don’t, all of a sudden Poa annua starts moving in and outcompeting the desired grass. You may not think that a tree or trees can do that, but that is the problem, not the grass. It’s almost like magic. You take away a tree that is casting a shadow on a green and the grass responds positively in 30 days.”

Paul Brandenburg, course superintendent of Furman University Golf Club in Greenville, S.C., believes tree removal “always helps the turf, and many times helps the golfers. It’s one less obstacle. I have found that involving the golf course architect always helps.”

Often, proper maintenance avoids removals down the road, Wilson says. The total cost of properly maintained trees is much lower than one might consider because a healthy tree is one that may not require removal/replacement, or result in a liability insurance claim.

John Torsiello is a Torrington, Conn.-based writer and frequent GCI contributor.