Your help please - Examples Needed of Public Footpaths Crossing Golf Holes

[Robin_Hiseman]

There are actually quite a few examples of modern golf courses and footpaths co-existing quite happily. There is a busy path crossing one of the fairways at The Buckinghamshire and there are several passing through Wisley. The Oxfordshire is crossed by paths too. As some of you may have deduced, my UK project has some footpaths passing through them and I am looking to build up a body of evidence to support the view that golfers and footpath users can happily share the same ground, with a few ground rules put in place. I just don't see it being a big issue. In a world full of risks, this really is a very, very minor one.

[Jon Wiggett]

Indeed Robin, Planners here in Scotland expect new golf course projects to improve access by upgrading existing paths and creating new ones if there is a reasonable need for such. As long as the path is not in an inherently dangerous position such as a blind shot or parallel to the line of play at an insufficient distance then there are few health and safety issues.

Jon

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Yes, you do cross a public road/footpath at Cavendish, 5th, 17th and 18th.
Royal Liverpool 8th/9th
Conwy 7th, 8th, 9th and you can certainly hit walkers from the 11th tee.
Alwoodley 17th drive (someone hit a police car crossing this fairway a few years ago!)
Berkhamsted roads and paths - someone posted photos on GCA within living memory
Hunstanton used to control footpath crossings with flag men. I think they use a traffic light nowadays!
Prestbury the entrance road crosses two holes, and a public footpath affects play on the 13th, 14th, 17th and 18th, possibly others
Alderley Edge several footpath crossings including blind shots
Nefyn - very dangerous with holiday makers pushing prams down to Ty Coch.
Wilmslow path across the 6th but I've never seen anyone using that path
I remember encountering a man out walking three dogs and a cat at Mellor and Townscliffe, but I can't remember whether it is a public footpath or just somewhere where zookeepers exercise their charges.
Back in the 60s there were always people walking on the course at Southfield, though whether they were doing so legally I cannot say.
Holywell - several minor roads crossing. I suspect that this is public land and pedestrian access is unlimited. Nice course!
I think there are public footpaths crossing Dunham Forest
Ringway there are public footpaths and also plenty of opportunities to go dangerously out of bounds into property or onto roads.
Hartlepool - a lot of people cross the course on their way from the only access (a narrow arch in a huge railway embankment) to the beach (to collect coal - sic!). Whether it is a legal route I doubt!
Seaton Carew - I remember people wandering across the course also on their way to the beach - legally?
Fulford - I don't think the course crosses the public footpaths, but it is easy to hit joggers and dog walkers if driving inaccurately.
Old roads and paths cross Bath (Sham Castle)
There are footpaths crossing the course at West Cornwall, but I seem to recall that many of these are dug into cuttings.
The entrance road to Llanymynech crosses the 2nd hole and I can recall having to wait to play on several holes on the back nine with walkers crossing the course.
Ludlow used to be laid out over a race course and public roads but it is well over 40 years since i played there and I think the course has been re-routed to eliminate road crossings.
New Zealand may not have any public paths, but road crossings easily give access to the course for dog walkers.
Crowborough Beacon is criss-crossed by roads and paths and I suspect Royal Ashdown is, too, but it is too long ago for me to remember accurately!
Are there public footpaths at Broadstone?
Isle of Purbeck must surely have them.
Yelverton is another likely candidate.
Denham must surely have a public path from its station to the clubhouse.
Moor Park has a network of roads crossing the courses in much the same fashion as Wentworth (beware of the speed bumps which are some of the most forbidding anywhere!)
It is far too many years since I visited Seacroft, but I fancy there are paths across the course leading to the shore.
I don't suppose there are public footpaths crossing Aldeburgh but most of the course is unfenced....
I recall lots of pedestrians at Felixstowe Ferry. Some, for sure, were walking along the sea wall, but I would expect there to be public paths across such an unfenced location.
Royal Worlington is similarly unfenced.
Caldy has the trackbed of an old railway running through the course. It is now a public footpath but it shouldn't interfere with play (nor should it at nearby Heswall).
There are several points of public access to Royal Lytham.
Bamburgh Castle is out on the rocks below the castle. There is little to prevent public access.
Ilkley is easily accessible from the road running through the course. Legally?
I feel sure that there is a public path crossing Hallamshire.
Someone is bound to have mentioned Lindrick which is on public land.
Stockley Park is rather clever in the way the golf course is routed around other public access areas, such as footpaths, cycle tracks and rest places.

Sorry if I've duplicated earlier entries.

[Tom Kelly]

As I'm sure you know there are a few roads/tracks at Liphook which people wander down without a care in the world, they cross the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th & 10th.

Royal Lytham has a path that passes in front of the 8th and 11th tees that hasn't been mentioned yet.

I think the two best examples I have seen are at Sunningdale and Woking.

[Thomas Dai]

Ludlow used to be laid out over a race course and public roads but it is well over 40 years since i played there and I think the course has been re-routed to eliminate road crossings.

Ludlow has been tweaked over the years but the 1st, 7th, 9th, 10th and 18th holes still require shots over roads. In addition, golfers have to walk over roads between holes 2-3, 5-6, 11-12 and 15-16. But you don't really notice it too much as the course flows really nicely and in rural Shropshire it's more tractors and trailers than cars and trucks! Players also have to play across the horse racecourse on holes 3, 9, 10, 13 and 15 and walk across it between holes 7-8. There are local rules should your ball be on the racecourse, although the course is closed on race days, which are normally Thursdays.

Worth playing is Ludlow, not outstanding but certainly thoroughly pleasant golf, on sandy terrain, with normally outstandingly well surfaced and true rolling small/tight greens with pot bunkers. A very welcoming club as well, with a nice homely atmosphere without airs and graces.

See - www.ludlowgolfclub.com - for more details.

atb

[James Boon]

Mark,

Your list just goes to prove how many there are! There is a footpath crossing Aldeburgh by the way. A party of about 10 walkers came through in one go and a few dog walkers also when I was there a few weeks ago, plus the obligatory signs informing golfers that a public footpath crosses the hole and to take care.

Robin,

Interesting to get some modern examples. My old course was built in 1991 and had a few crossing also.

I've always assumed the general protocol is that golfers are the ones who take care and wait for the public to be out of the way, unless a knowing member of the public waves to the contrary? Does anyone know if there are similar signs for the walkers saying they are entering a golf course? I assume there will be in most cases but haven't seen them myself?

Cheers,

James

[Mark Pearce]

Mark is right to mention Bamburgh Castle, there is a path across the course there.  Dunstanburgh Castle also has a path crossing it to allow access to the beach, as does Goswick.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Does anyone know if there are similar signs for the walkers saying they are entering a golf course? I assume there will be in most cases but haven't seen them myself?

Cheers,

James

Yes I've seen signs that warn walkers to beware of flying balls from e.g. the left.


It's been a few years but at brancster there's a sort of traffic light sytem telling you when it's safe to play.  I believe the walker trips it when they start walking and then 45 (guessing) seconds later it goes back to green?

[Neil Regan]

While putting on the 16th at Westward Ho! one afternoon, I was interrupted by a young equestrian not more than a pace or two from the green.
"Excuse me,", she said, in quite proper English, "Can you please direct me towards the town. I have lost my way."

[Robin_Hiseman]

Mark R

Thanks so much for putting in a shift to come up with this enormous lift...and I'm sure we're just scratching the surface.

When diversions are unacceptable then signage is essential. The golfers have to concede priority to the walkers and both should be provided with signage to warn of each others presence.

I'm not at all convinced by the argument that walkers are at more risk than the golf course users. Every time we go to play golf we spend upwards of 4 hours waiting for the group ahead to clear a safe distance away before we play on. Golfers know to not hit towards someone within range, regardless of who they are. If the golfer can see them, they will wait.

[Niall C]

Robin

I think walkers are more at risk because they are (normally) not aware of the risks whereas golfers are. The shout of "fore" results in golfers ducking while your average rambler is liable to look around to see who is disturbing their quiet walk.

Niall