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Chris Macios

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Landscaping Goats
« on: September 29, 2015, 08:59:54 PM »
My home course 25 minutes west of Boston just recently brought in a 'team' of four goats to clear out certain overgrown areas that would otherwise be time-consuming and somewhat difficult to address with modern equipment. They are contained in a temporary electric fence and the plan is to move them around once a week - apparently they will reduce vegetation to approx 4 inches high with the exception of woody stems and plants taller than 5 feet, and they can clear out as much as 1/2 acre per week.


This is the first I've heard of this method, and I am a big fan of it. A very natural, chemical-free way to address an overgrown area, and our club now has a few new mascots that everyone gets to check out while they play (goats are currently next to the 8th tee)!


Has anyone had experience with or heard of this before? Was it successful? Apparently a few clubs in the Boston area have done it recently.


(ps first ever post here so go easy on me  ;) )
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Mike_Young

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2015, 09:12:24 PM »
been using them for a couple of years....have to have a dog with them ....but ti works...
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"just standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona"

GLawson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2015, 09:14:57 PM »
Ballyhack in VA has been using goats for a few years.  They do a great job and are well trained.  They also add a ton of character to an already incredible course.
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BCowan

Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2015, 09:19:07 PM »
We used them at radrick this year.  It's a very fad thing to do in lib towns. 
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David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2015, 09:25:27 PM »
There was a thread on this here a couple of years ago. Several courses in the Nor Cal/SF Bay Area (including Pasatiempo and San Franciosco) have been using goats to clear out brush on steeply slope areas with good success.

Here is the thread, with pictures:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,45940.msg1017513.html#msg1017513

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Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +2/-1
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2015, 09:44:22 PM »
Pete Dye tried this in 1984 or '85 at the TPC at Sawgrass.


The alligators thought it was a fantastic idea.
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Steve Lang

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #6 on: September 29, 2015, 09:50:03 PM »
Ottawa Park Sheep circa 1916





Healthy looking buggers
« Last Edit: September 29, 2015, 09:56:36 PM by Steve Lang »
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BCowan

Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2015, 09:52:15 PM »
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David_Tepper

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Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #8 on: September 29, 2015, 09:52:41 PM »
« Last Edit: September 29, 2015, 09:55:51 PM by David_Tepper »
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Jon Cavalier

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #9 on: September 29, 2015, 10:02:15 PM »
You rang?
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Josh Stevens

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #10 on: September 30, 2015, 07:49:19 AM »
We have kangaroos. They don't eat much but shit a lot
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Chris Macios

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #11 on: September 30, 2015, 08:01:59 AM »
Quote from: Jon Cavalier on September 29, 2015, 10:02:15 PM
You rang?


Jon - Love this picture, where is it taken?


I'm hoping the goats become at least a semi-permanent fixture at our course
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archie_struthers

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #12 on: September 30, 2015, 08:46:40 AM »





Love them , treat them well and you will have some great results.




p.s.     they love poison ivy.
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BHoover

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #13 on: September 30, 2015, 09:19:31 AM »
I didn't know that goats were unique to "lib towns"... You learn something new each day.

About the poison ivy, I had no idea goats liked eating it. Actually, my son was watching Curious George on Sunday morning, and a group of goats were eating poison ivy, so George started his own lawn service with the goats. Go figure.
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Jimmy Chandler

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #14 on: September 30, 2015, 11:07:59 AM »
Quote from: Chris Macios on September 30, 2015, 08:01:59 AM
Quote from: Jon Cavalier on September 29, 2015, 10:02:15 PM
You rang?
Jon - Love this picture, where is it taken? I'm hoping the goats become at least a semi-permanent fixture at our course

That is from the 18th at Ballyhack. Green to your left, facing the tee in the distance, cabins to the right. IMHO one of golf's great finishing holes.


Ballyhack started with just 4 goats several years ago; now I believe they have 15-20. And the goats are not owned by the course, but by their superintendent.

In the beginning they would fence in the goats around whatever area they wanted the goats to maintain; now they are trained and roam with some direction. Ballyhack has some wild, difficult terrain that would be very difficult to maintain without those goats.


Here are some more Ballyhack goat pics taken at 2014's George Cup.






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Jimmy Chandler

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #15 on: September 30, 2015, 11:09:11 AM »
Quote from: Brian Hoover on September 30, 2015, 09:19:31 AM
I didn't know that goats were unique to "lib towns"... You learn something new each day.
Roanoke, VA is such a "lib" place. Practically the Berkley of the South.
 ;)
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Andrew Buck

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #16 on: September 30, 2015, 11:09:53 AM »
actually was surprised to see this at a public muni in Hoffman Estates, IL when I stopped there to practice a few weeks ago.
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Paul Gray

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #17 on: September 30, 2015, 11:50:33 AM »
Not sure about goats but sheep, horses and cows wander many fairways in the UK.
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In the places where golf cuts through pretension and elitism, it thrives and will continue to thrive because the simple virtues of the game and its attendant culture are allowed to be most apparent. - Tim Gavrich

Thomas Dai

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Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #18 on: September 30, 2015, 12:00:35 PM »
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Kalen Braley

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Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #19 on: September 30, 2015, 12:24:14 PM »
This is fantastic!!!!
 
P.S.  Hopefully there hasn't been any stray-ball related casualties....unless goats are build like Pat...hard-headed!   ;D
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Jon Cavalier

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #20 on: September 30, 2015, 01:16:27 PM »
Quote from: Chris Macios on September 30, 2015, 08:01:59 AM
Quote from: Jon Cavalier on September 29, 2015, 10:02:15 PM
You rang?


Jon - Love this picture, where is it taken?


I'm hoping the goats become at least a semi-permanent fixture at our course

As others have pointed out, it's the 18th at Ballyhack. Love those little guys.











More goats in my Ballyhack tour: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,59991.0.html
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Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +2/-1
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #21 on: September 30, 2015, 03:11:05 PM »
When we were building our project in St. Emilion, a neighbor had a large herd of goats and our client allowed him to graze them on the construction site for a few days to clean up some areas.  He would fence them in a small area, and then move his fences to a different spot.


After they had left, I peeked in one of the old stone barns on the property and discovered that two goats had hidden out there and escaped the herd!


I am headed over tonight for the grand opening and I hope those goats are still in residence.
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MClutterbuck

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #22 on: September 30, 2015, 04:07:49 PM »
So we should stop fighting our rancher neighbor that cuts our fence and sends in his herd and start collaborating? Pity rabbits cant be contained to the appropriate areas...
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Andrew Simpson

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Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #23 on: September 30, 2015, 05:14:39 PM »
Brora :-)
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Jamey Bryan

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Re: Landscaping Goats
« Reply #24 on: September 30, 2015, 05:24:57 PM »
Andrew

He(?) doesn't look as happy as the Ballyhack goats!  Not doing his job either.......

Jamey
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