Gary Player Goes On Tree Rant - "Stop Cutting Them Down And Plant More!"

The legendary golfer and self-confessed tree hugger said people should be fined for cutting down trees

Gary Player Goes On Tree Rant - "Stop Cutting Them Down And Plant More!"

Nine-time Major winner Gary Player is one of the greatest to have ever played the game and he has turned his hand to architecture since his playing days ended.

The South African has designed tens of courses around the world including the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, South Africa, the Edinburgh Course at Wentworth, Indian Open venue DLF Country Club and Thracian Cliffs in Bulgaria.

Player was making an appearance at Tiger Woods' latest design Payne's Valley in Missouri during the televised Payne's Valley Cup where he went on a rant about trees and how we should stop cutting them down and plant more.

"For me it's very important, having been a farmer, and having raised a lot of different crops etc. we've got to watch water, we're running out of water in the world, good water," Player said.

"A lot of people don't understand that.

"So also to not over-fertilise and over-water and the other thing that is driving me crazy, my brother went to war to fight for the Americans when he was 17 years of age and he became one of the world's leading conservationists.

"And he was a tree hugger, the same as I am, I am a tree hugger. And I'm seeing trees on golf courses today that were 80 years old and they're slicing them down by some city slicker.

"They should be fined for doing this, all the great golf courses of the world, Augusta, Pine Valley, Royal Melbourne, one of Jack's course Muirfield, Jack builds beautiful golf courses, all are tree-lined.

Related: Gary Player - "Cut the ball back 50 yards"

"It's nonsense to be cutting all these trees it's unfair. We worry about the Amazon cutting down these trees and we're doing and contributing to the same affect.

"For goodness sake stop cutting them down and plant more!

"If you don't know how to get a golf course with great shape, brush up on your knowledge because I can tell you all the great golf courses in the world were tree-lined round the greens and round the fairways."

Watch Player's tree rant below:

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