Farewell to an Old Friend

How many times have you crossed the bridge on #2 with someone playing Laurel Creek for the first time, and seen them duck their head as you drive under the large, overhanging limb?  Over the years, it's happened to me dozens of times, as I've taken someone on a tour of the course.  Inevitably, they comment about this unique feature.

From a maintenance perspective, several pieces of equipment are too tall, and can't clear the bottom of the branch.  In some cases, this adds time to tasks, as the machinery has to take the long way around to get to #2 or #12.  This can be a bit of hassle at times, but weighed against the positives of this natural feature, we'd never complain about the extra driving the limb has forced us to do.

Sadly, the brief, but strong storm we had Tuesday night snapped this large limb from the tree.  The winds were so powerful they threw this branch well clear of the bridge, landing in the wetlands.

The rest of the tree will be evaluated by an expert to see if it can remain, or must be removed.