A member of Walton Heath emailed me three days ago with the following: "The club is also undergoing
extensive tree clearance and have a programme for the regeneration of heather. Good times ahead I believe." Excellent news indeed!
The loss of heath is a significant issue at many courses and is exacerbated by the growth of birch scrub, which robs the soil of the nutrients that heath requires. Huntercombe and Woking are but two examples of courses that have far less heath today than a few decades ago.
But apart from that, Jeff, the vast majority of the design features are intact across the heath courses. For instance, I don't know of a single feature that has been lost or a hole that has been modified at West Sussex since Campbell & Co. were there.
While links golf has an almost overpowering allure, consider just an all England inland trip next time: The Addington, Notts, West Sussex, Woodhall Spa, Ganton, Huntercombe, Beau Desert, Walton Heath, Swinley, St. George's Hill, Royal Ashdown, Woking, Alwoodley, and Royal Worlington & Newmarket.
If you think Canadian golf is unappreciated, check out that group!
Cheers,