Heathland Courses

ThunderCat

How many Heathland courses do we have in this country? And which ones are regarded as the best ones? Ive played Howth a few times and that regards itself as a Heathland course but it looks nothing like any of the heathland courses that are on the outskirts of London for example. And I would liken Howths turf to that of a parkland course rather than a links aswell as it doesnt appear sandy, springy or free-draining. Are courses such as The Curragh, Druids Heath and The Heath any different? Cheers.

gokster

Played the Heath on Sunday (my home club is a seaside links) and I would consider it to be a true heathland course, very linksy in style and with the breeze on Sunday it beat me up!

The_Architect

In all honesty, I'm not sure we have any heathland golf courses in Ireland. Not in the traditional dry heath / sandy soil sense that is usually referred to with golf courses.

We have a few moorland / wet heath style courses.

GreeBo

Lough Erne is a nice heathland course.

f22

Bearna?

Aesop

Curragh?

The_Architect

Aesop wrote: »

Curragh?

In my view The Curragh is the closest we've got in Ireland but as a golf course it has lost many of its heathland characteristics by cultivating certain grasses, trees and other vegetation.

In golf terms, heathland courses = open spaces, more heather than trees, sandy soil, fine grasses, firm conditions.

harpsman

played bearna at w/e.seemed like a perfect example of my idea of heathland.
great little course

Sandwlch

"A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly infertile acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There is no clear difference between heath and moorland but moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths[1] with — especially in Great Britain — a cooler and damper climate.

Heaths are widespread worldwide. They form extensive and highly diverse communities across Australia in humid and sub-humid areas. Fire regimes with recurring burning are required for the maintenance of the heathlands.[2] Even more diverse though less widespread heath communities occur in Southern Africa. Extensive heath communities can also be found in California-chaparral, New Caledonia, central Chile and along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. In addition to these extensive heath areas, the vegetation type is also found in scattered locations across all continents, except Antarctica."

I dont think we have any Heathland courses in Ireland. Curragh has that feel but I dont think its the real thing. Bearna I think is just stony soil with whins on it rather than real heath type plants.

Anatom

The_Architect wrote: »

In my view The Curragh is the closest we've got in Ireland but as a golf course it has lost many of its heathland characteristics by cultivating certain grasses, trees and other vegetation. .

I'd have to check, but from what I know, there's been no cultivating of any grasses (with the possible exception of one or two new greens) or trees on the Curragh. I've been told that there are serious restrictions on any such "development" or interference with the landscape.

I'd agree its as close to a heathland course as you're probably going to get here in Ireland that I know of. It's playing really well at the moment too!;)