Who killed this 100-year-old golf course tree? A $2,000 reward for answers

admin — Fri, 15 May 2026 00:43:17 +0000

Tree removal is all the rage in golf these days. It opens up turf to air and sunlight, restores classic sightlines and gives courses a cleaner look. But there’s a right way to do it. And then there’s what happened at Cokato Town & Country Club.

Sometime in the wee hours of Thursday morning, a vandal (or was it vandals?) trespassed onto the modest nine-hole course in Cokato, Minn. — about an hour west of Minneapolis — and chopped down a 70-foot Douglas fir believed to be nearly 100 years old. The tree had stood in a strategic position at the bend of the par-4 7th hole, a dogleg right.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing a silver-and-white pickup truck near the course around 2 a.m., and someone making their way across the darkened grounds toward the 7th hole.

Cokato board member Adam Tabberson told GOLF.com on Thursday that the club was operating under the assumption that the culprit had played the course and had a score to settle with the conifer.

“Depending on your game, it could definitely be a problem,” Tabberson said. “You had a good chance of hitting it if you sliced.”

That wasn’t always the case. Cokato first opened for play in 1929, but was rejiggered in the late 1950s. As part of a rerouting, the fir went from factoring on the 5th hole (it was, of course, much smaller then) to its position on the 7th. That bit of history is now gone, and unlike a stolen flagstick or a damaged bunker, it can’t be replaced or repaired quickly.

“We’d have to plant something much smaller and wait for it to grow,” Tabberson said.

The cleanup is no gimme, either.

Tabberson said that chopping up and clearing the toppled tree will cost more than $5,000, a hefty bill for a facility that charges $15 for walkers and $25 to loop it twice. Still, the club is willing to spend to address the matter. It is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to the responsible party.

On Thursday, play went on as usual at Cokato, as the tree fell away from the playing corridors and did not damage the course — the one silver lining in an otherwise dark situation.

“Running a golf course is tough enough as it is,” Tabberson said. “Something like this, it’s just a bummer.”

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Cobra Golf X Palm Tree Crew Launch Limited Edition OPTM X Driver Collab

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:11:40 +0000

Performance Driver Engineered for Those Who Play Hard and Relax Harder

HI-RES IMAGES: LE PTC OPTM Driver

Carlsbad, Calif. – COBRA® Golf, a leader in golf club innovation, continues its celebrated relationship with DJ Kygo and Palm Tree Crew with the latest limited edition COBRA OPTM x PTC drivers. Inspired by a longstanding friendship between Rickie Fowler and DJ Kygo, the new models feature COBRA’s cutting-edge technology adorned with beach-inspired graphics aimed at those who play hard and relax harder.

“Kygo and I have built this partnership over years of friendship, and each collab just keeps getting better,” said COBRA GOLF ambassador and six-time PGA TOUR winner Rickie Fowler. “The new limited-edition driver and headcover deliver TOUR-level performance while capturing Palm Tree Crew’s signature beach aesthetic in a way that feels authentic to both brands.”

Like the standard OPTM X driver, the PTC LE version features impressive technologies including POI (Product of Inertia) Shaping, Adaptive POI Weighting, H.O.T. Face and FUTUREFIT33. The groundbreaking new low POI design of the OPTM X driver, which is delivered via both improved shaping and adaptive weighting, works with Cobra’s other metalwood technologies to reduce shot dispersion by up to 23 percent. Unlike MOI (moment of inertia), which is a measure of how resistant a clubhead is to twist on off-center hits on the vertical and horizonal axes, POI measures how a clubhead rotates diagonally across all axes at once. For that reason, a high MOI is desired to correct off-center hits while a low POI is desired to deliver more accurate shots that don’t create as much gear effect. The result is tighter dispersion down range.

The new limited-edition COBRA x PTC limited edition driver also features COBRA’s game-changing FUTUREFIT33 ADJUSTABLE HOSEL SYSTEM, which is the most significant and innovative metalwood fitting technology to date. The system allows for 33 unique loft and lie settings that can be adjusted independently, unlocking an unprecedented number of fitting options.

The COBRA x PTC OPTM X driver is now available online and at select retailers. The limited-edition model comes in 10.5-degrees in RH with limited-edition headcover and Mitsubishi 1K Tensei Blue shaft.

For more information or to purchase a limited-edition COBRA x PTC OPTM X driver, visit http://www.cobragolf.com.

About COBRA PUMA GOLF

COBRA PUMA GOLF is a corporate division of PUMA, one of the world’s leading sports brands, designing, developing, selling and marketing footwear, apparel and accessories. COBRA PUMA GOLF is an inclusive company, promoting game enjoyment for golfers of all abilities, attitudes and styles. The brand’s full-range portfolio includes COBRA Golf’s high-performance drivers, fairways, hybrids, wedges, putters, and irons, as well as PUMA Golf’s sport lifestyle inspired footwear, apparel and accessories. Fusing performance and style, COBRA PUMA GOLF brings a focus on innovation, technology, compelling design and superior performance with an edge to the global golf marketplace. For more information, visit cobragolf.com and cobragolf.com/pumagolf.

About PALM TREE CREW

Founded in 2020 by Kygo, Myles Shear and Austin Criden, Palm Tree Crew Holdings (“PTCH”) is a diversified holding company that owns and operates a consumer brand, global live events business and investment arm, all within one unified ecosystem. Through Palm Tree Festivals, PTC produces immersive experiences that bring together business builders, entrepreneurs, investors, and all lovers of the PTC lifestyle. PTC Brand creates unique products that capture the PTC way of life, promoting happiness and community. PTC Investments is PTC’s investment arm and is highly active in the venture and growth community. PTC Investments provides capital to early-stage business builders across the consumer and technology industries in addition to its crypto strategy focused on web3 and the creator economy.