It sure is nice to have a major project to latch on to during the slow growing months of winter.  Whenever we have a spare moment, our attention is directed towards the Tree Program.  To date, we have planted over 50 trees and removed close to the same number.  Feedback from the membership has been positive and most people share the excitement the crew and I have for improving this course.

If you've played the course in the last couple of months, you've probably noticed the new additions to our Forest.  In case you were wondering about the species of trees we've selected, here is a short rundown of what we've planted so far.


The cork oak has become one of my favorite trees for it's strength, structure, and attractive bark.  We have many of these growing very well throughout the golf course, so it was an easy choice to add to the program.  They seem to do fine with the high water table and like many oaks, they are tolerant of saline soils.



A mature cork oak in the left rough of No. 16

 All of the trees we are planting come in 15 gallon containers.  There is some data that shows smaller container trees to catch up and surpass the larger (24-48"box) in three years.  The reason is that the smaller tree is introduced to it's new soil at a younger age and can adjust while the large tree has been growing in the nursery's soil for a number of years. 

That being said, it comes as no surprise that the trees we've installed are pretty small.  Be patient because there is a price to pay with instant gratification.  Landscape design involves the same principal of patiently letting your plants grow into their space.

Here is some additional info on the cork oak if you are interested in planting one yourself or if you have a bunch of wine bottles to plug:
Cork Oak Wikipedia page

The 6th hole received the greatest influx of new trees of anywhere on the course.  The goal is to frame the hole and buffer the fence line, street, and houses.  Here, we tried to select species that would not limit the very important, morning sunlight from reaching the fairway.  One species, newly introduced to the club is the goldenrain tree.  These, like all of the trees we are using, are saline soil tolerant and grow well in our area, as proven by a couple of sites just down the street.  Goldenrain trees do not get very large, so once the sun is above the houses, it will most likely be shining on the fairway.  Also, as the name suggests, the trees have a burst of yellow in late summer to give the course some much needed color.  Here is a link to learn more: Goldenrain Tree, NC State Plant Fact Sheet

I'll run through a couple of more tree profiles in the upcoming post including 'Shademaster' honey locust, plum, and sycamore.