Never thought we would see this day, but hey, we have. Everyone knows Greg Norman is not the biggest fan of Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman has always been one of his biggest critics. They often had conflicting opinions about what’s good for the sport. However, Norman seems to have softened his stance on his adversary now that he is not associated with LIV Golf anymore.

When asked how he felt about courses being stripped of trees, Norman told Sports Business Journal, “Rory McIlroy is absolutely correct in saying that when traditional courses remove large numbers of trees, strategy off the tee becomes far less relevant. As a former player, golf course architect, and lifelong admirer of traditional shot-making golf courses, I believe the widespread practice of stripping away magnificent specimen trees during renovations of these iconic venues must stop.”

Norman was referring to McIlroy’s gripes about Aronimink. Before the major, McIlroy conceded the greens were the course’s “big defense,” but otherwise suggested its other defenses have been neutralized. And sinking in the tough pin locations was another challenge altogether after reaching the green. Even after adding length, Aronimink is just another classic club that today’s pros can muscle past. They did struggle a little, however, prompting not-so-pleased reactions from Scottie Scheffler, who labeled the setup “absurd” and “dicey.”

🤔 golf trivia

This Should Be an Easy One, Right?

01/10

How Many Players Are Within Five Strokes of the Lead After R1?

59394015

Oops, bogey!

But don’t worry, there’s still the back 9 to prove your high golf IQ

PLAY GOLF TRIVIA

Clearly, Aronimink could post higher scores if every fairway were flanked by impenetrable woods. The thing is, though, it didn’t start that way. The course originally had relatively few trees lining the hole corridors. By the late 20th century, it had, however, become choked with timber.

Ron Prichard, the club’s consulting architect, ripped out many during his 2002 restoration but spared several mature red oaks. A blight swept through those oaks in the early 2010s, forcing another round of removals. Today, the course resembles what the original looked like.

Sure, you can dig up a photo of a 100‑year‑old course and proudly proclaim it had no trees. Yet, as Jon Rahm put it so neatly at Aronimink, those trees were planted with the foresight that one day they’d be in play in the future. That’s a sentiment that even Robert Trent Jones Jr. echoed back in 2024 in an exclusive with Golf Digest: “For an architect, trees can function like an instrument.”

But Aronimink is just one course in a sea of many. The 2023 PGA Championship host, Oak Hill, was also stripped of its trees during the restoration. “Many of these great classic golf courses were never designed to be overpowered by today’s equipment and athleticism alone… What remains too often becomes a one-dimensional test of power,” Norman added.

Indeed, sometimes, cutting down trees makes sense, but not always. It affects how the pros play as well. PGA Tour average driving distance has stretched from roughly 260–270 yards in the 1980s–1990s to over 300 yards today, with some players regularly clearing 320+ yards. On many classic layouts, this turns holes that were once long par‑4s into short‑iron approaches for the best players.

Some older courses are being pushed to stretch tees, dig new bunkers, or nudge greens around in a desperate attempt to “re‑challenge” players, meaning modern gear and athleticism have already worn down the original design. Without a proper wall of trees, golfers can go for the bold line off the tee; if they pull it off, they’re rewarded with a shorter approach, but if they miss, the ball can land deep in the rough.

Meanwhile, McIlroy and Norman had always had a very tense relationship. The Northern Irishman was never in favor of LIV Golf and criticized the Australian veteran for dividing the golf world. The former LIV Golf CEO often took jabs at the Grand Slam champion and even challenged him and Tiger Woods over his stance about the future of golf.

However, Norman’s views about McIlroy have changed since leaving LIV Golf. Their thoughts have aligned at times over controversial topics, like the LIV Golf-PGA Tour negotiations. The Australian legend has also confessed that he regrets his feud with the 37-year-old.

These three took on the challenge of the Aronimink Golf Club and got close to success. But one of Norman’s former star players didn’t enjoy the same fate.

Greg Norman’s former star talent and Rory McIlroy’s rival suffers the wrath of Aronimink

Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, and Rory McIlroy saw the challenge of the Aronimink Golf Club. But they weren’t afraid to take it head-on and come out fighting on the other side. But another big name in the golf world didn’t enjoy the same fortune.

Bryson DeChambeau also had a huge issue with the venue, like the others. In fact, the Crushers GC captain paid the price for it in a surprising manner.

DeChambeau shot 7-over par in the first two rounds of the event. The LIV Golf pro couldn’t make the cutline and ended up being one of the most shocking players to miss the weekend rounds.

In even tougher conditions suggested by Greg Norman, maybe DeChambeau will continue to face difficulties making the cut. So, will it be a good idea to not have some golf courses that are suitable for long-range hitters, while others that short-range creative golfers can dominate?