Every year, it seemed that the tree in the middle of the ninth fairway at Highlands Golf Course in Tacoma got bigger. The shot to the 125-yard par-3 green got harder and harder. The tree was like a 60-foot Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, rejecting shot after shot.
If you’ve played the nine-hole, executive-length Highlands course, you knew the tree in the middle of the ninth hole was just part of the game. You either had to go over, around it or through it. It was a tough shot – and getting tougher by the year. But last year, the executive committee at the course decided to remove 14 trees from the course – including the Abdul-Jabbar tree. Some liked the idea, others didn’t.
But along the way, someone had the idea of turning the tree into a carving. But what kind of carving. One idea was a caddy. Then, someone had the idea of a Scottish bagpiper, a take off on the course’s cartoon character logo Angus.
A call was made to the Pacific Northwest’s premier wood carver Steve Backus, who came up with the concept and he was quickly hired to bring Angus to life. In April, the wrappings came off, and Angus was born in the middle of the ninth fairway at Highlands Golf Course.
“Anytime I can do something that isn’t a bear or eagle, I’m all for it,” said the 48-year-old Backus who lives on Whidbey Island but carves all over the Northwest. “They had a great idea. I had done some smaller bagpipers, but nothing that big. It was a little tricky with the hands and arms, but it came out looking good.”
Highlands is in the middle of an extensive renovation, a project which includes the re-modeling all of its bunkers and adding new tee boxes. They figured the addition of the woodcarving would be a great addition. The original plan was for Angus to face the tee box, some 70 yards away. But the people realized that people visiting the course or just hanging around the clubhouse would only see the backside of Angus. Backus was told to point Angus toward the clubhouse with his backside toward the tee box.
When the old tree was still around, it was tough just to hit the green. Now, shots are easier. Just ask Ray Gimse, a Highlands regular who aced the ninth hole just after Angus was dedicated. In fact, he recorded the ace during a men’s club scramble and it was that shot which led his team to victory.
Angus will need some tender loving care, said Doug McArthur, one of the course’s owners. “We have to put some log oil on him twice a year,” McArthur said. “That way we will be able to preserve him for years.”
Those who didn’t like the original idea of taking the tree out like it now. “People can hit the green now,” said McArthur.
