The little stubs aren't going to catch up to the large vigorous shoots. Waiting for that won't get you where you want. Without a picture it's hard to say much more. But you will probably need to head back either the vigorous shoots or the central leader to balance up the tree.

After that use training as much as possible to move limbs where needed. This can fill in blank areas. Spreading will turn a small upright canopy into a much bigger canopy in short order.

John, I'm in the same boat with several trees I started. Fruitnut's advice is right on. It's a hard decision to head it back all over again but in the long run it will do better. The trick is to "be there" when the shoots begin, to guide them early on. If I had only a couple trees it would be so hard to head it back once again. But with 20 or 30 trees, it's easier to make the sacrifice.

I don't think you have to remove them if they are less than half the diameter of the trunk where they are attached- the variety being Goldrush. It is so spurry that wood doesn't tend to run away from you but instead slows down to fruit production.

However, because you cut to the point you wanted branches they are probably oversized. I don't think this is a good way to induce branching for a whip unless you follow it up with pinch pruning to reduce the vigor of your chosen scaffolds and let the most perpendicular shoot dominate to be the leader. The scaffolds should usually be pinched several times during growing season to generate and subdue secondary branches and maintain a straight leader on the scaffold.

Secondary branching is generally induced more efficiently by pruning after branches begin growth. However, I wouldn't do this with a whip because it would probably reduce growth the first year. Generally speaking, the best thing to do is to leave the whip alone until it begins to bear fruit besides removing excessively thick branches. "Excessively thick" branches are more than a third the diameter of the trunk (at point of attachment to the trunk) for vigorous varieties and half for less vigorous ones.

Not to change the subject, but I saw this post and just happen to be eating the first of the Goldrush apples that I had in storage, they are awsome. This was the first year I had enough that I could keep this long in storage.

It's gonna be a few years before I get one on my tree. I did find a online seller of Goldrush and I'm gonna order some next fall to see how they are.

Just make sure to save some in storage for a couple of months, they are much better after being stored, IMHO. I picked mine in late October /Early November and started eating them in the begining of February and I am still eating them.

This apple sounds like a real winner!

I've been eating Goldrush apples from my local farmers market since they reopened in May. The farm that supplies them is from Adams County, PA (of all places), and they are fantastic. They're crunchy, and tart and sweet - just a wonderful taste.

I'm thinking about putting in a tree next spring although I don't know if I can match the storage conditions they have on the farm, but the idea of eating my own apples in May/June/July is appealing!

I planted three all together and hopefully I will get some next year. I will be happy if it says good through the winter.

I got some beautiful Goldrush on b118 from Cummins. It's a vigorous rootstock that will supposedly be kept down to semi-d by the scions' lack of vigor. I once thought apples to be far inferior to tropical fruits until i got into the different cultivars. I was truly poor, relegated to the realm of the red delicious...