Augusta’s most famous tree is lost to an ice storm

Augusta National’s famous Eisenhower tree is no longer after succumbing to ice storms.

Augusta National’s famous Eisenhower tree can be seen on the left hand side of the 17th fairway.

The recent ice storms that swept through the United States have caused irreparable damage to Augusta National’s famous Eisen­hower Tree forcing the golf club to remove it.

A recent thread at GolfClubAtlas.com featured a photo of the battered tree (right) after the storm damage – and before it was totally removed.

The iconic loblolly pine tree stood around 190 metres from the 17th tee. Believed to be over 100 years old the tree encroached further and further into the fairway, leading some golfers, most notably President Eisenhower, to want to have it removed.

Eisenhower used to regularly hit the tree with his tee shot and his proposal to cut down the tree was overruled in 1956 by Augusta co-founder Clifford Roberts. It became linked to the former US Presidents ever since but it has been the site of many memorable Masters moments. It was the place where Tiger Woods snapped his Achilles tendon attempting a recovery shot in 2012.

Eisenhower would no doubt be pleased to hear that Augusta ground staff had no choice but to remove the tree completely in the last few days.

It remains to be seen how or if Augusta officials will redesign the 17th hole which now has a little more room off the tee.

Personally, I think it’s a great thing the tree has gone.

It was the one aspect of Augusta’s layout that always seemed a little too tricked up. By all means make the left rough a bad spot to be (maybe some bunkers) but players should be rewarded for finding the left side of the fairway, not punished by a tree jutting out into the short stuff.