The Eisenhower Tree, so much a part of Augusta National
that not even a sitting U.S. president could have it taken down, was
removed from the 17th hole this weekend because of damage from an ice
storm, the club said Sunday.
"The loss of the Eisenhower Tree is
difficult news to accept," club chairman Billy Payne said. "We obtained
opinions from the best arborists available and, unfortunately, were
advised that no recovery was possible."
With the Masters only two months away, Payne said there was no other significant damage to the course.

The
loblolly pine, which sat about 210 yards off the left of the 17th
fairway, was among the most famous trees in golf. Players either had to
hit over the 65-foot tree to keep the ball in the fairway, or try to
shape the ball from right-to-left to avoid it.
And it infuriated one of the club members after whom the tree eventually was named — former President
Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Eisenhower,
an Augusta member from 1948 until his death in 1969, was said to have
hit the tree so often on his tee shot that he campaigned to have it
removed and proposed during an Augusta National governors’ meeting that
it be cut down. This was in 1956, when Eisenhower was finishing the
first of his two terms as president.
Clifford Roberts, the club
chairman and co-founder, overruled the president and adjourned the
meeting.
It has been known as Eisenhower’s Tree ever since.
"The
Eisenhower Tree is such an iconic fixture and symbol of tradition at
Augusta National," said Jack Nicklaus, a six-time Masters winner and
Augusta National member. "It was such an integral part of the game and
one that will be sorely missed.
"Over the years, it’s come into
play many, many times on the 17th hole. When I stood on the 17th tee, my
first thought, always, was to stay away from Ike’s Tree. Period. … I
hit it so many times over the years that I don’t care to comment on the
names I called myself and the names I might have called the tree. Ike’s
Tree was a kind choice. But looking back, Ike’s Tree will be greatly
missed."
While players appreciated the history, some of them weren’t terribly fond of the century-old pine.
"Did
it get in my way?" two-time U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange said
Sunday. "It was like George Brett at third base for me. It caught more
line drives from me than I’m allowed to admit. That doesn’t hurt my
feelings."
David Duval, who contended four times for a green
jacket at the Masters, played a fade off the tee and had to be mindful
of the Eisenhower Tree. Told the news Sunday evening, he was stunned.
"Are
you kidding me? That’s terrible," Duval said. "That tree made you
really pay attention to where you were driving it. It made for a very
narrow tee shot. You either had to go up over it or around it."
Duval
thought the only tree that got so much attention on a golf course was
the original tree near the front of the 18th green at Pebble Beach. That
since has been replaced, and there is speculation that Augusta National
could do the same.
The club generally can do whatever it wants — except in this case, save Ike’s tree.
The
ice storm last week caused the tree to lose a significant amount of
major limbs. A photo in The Augusta Chronicle showed gaping sections
missing from the left side. The club had used cables to help hold the
pine together in recent years.
"We have begun deliberations of the
best way to address the future of the 17th hole and to pay tribute to
his iconic symbol of our history," Payne said. "Rest assured, we will do
both appropriately."
Tommy Aaron once lost a ball in the tree. It
most recently was mentioned prominently at the 2011 Masters. Tiger
Woods was trying to play a shot from the pine straw beneath Ike’s tree
when he injured his left knee and Achilles while swinging from an
awkward stance. Woods wound up missing two majors that year.
Bubba Watson, who can move the golf ball any direction he wants, never had a problem with it.
"Let’s
be honest — that tree was never in my way," Watson said Sunday after
winning at Riviera. "I don’t know what they’re going to do. They never
ask me. But I would think they’re probably going to plant something
there."
Payne said Augusta National made it through the storm
without any other major damage and is open for its members to play. He
said the club will not be affected in its preparations for the Masters,
which starts April 10.
Players typically start going to Augusta National over the next several weeks for practice rounds.
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