St Andrews New Course -open sand areas

[Pete_Pittock]

The New Course is clearing some gorse and replacing it with exposed sand according to this Golf Magazine article.
Martin Ebert is in charge http://www.golfcoursearchitecture.net/content/exposed-sand-areas-created-on-new-course-at-st-andrews

[Niall C]

Pete

You simply don't understand, this is an underhand ploy to narrow the fairway and grow the rough 

Niall

[James Boon]

Perhaps Adam can enlighten a little further, but will this be retained as open sand area, or will nature be allowed to take its course?

The same R&A ecologist has recently visited us at Hollinwell which is heathland for those that dont know, and he suggested that an area we have recently cleared of gorse could be stripped of turf and organic material leaving an open sand area to colonise naturally, allowing significant ecological benefit for reptiles, mining bees etc.

Cheers,

James

[Niall C]

James

That's an interesting question. In recent years Gailes as ripped out a lot of gorse leaving extended areas of exposed sand which to my eye look rather beautiful however to some it looks wrong. The result is that it has partly been seeded with red fescue. My supplementary question to yours would be does the planting of grass such as red fescue (or marram as Silloth did in a similar situation several years ago) enable the gorse to come back through or would leaving it bare help to keep it away ?

I suspect that might be a stupid question but its just I can't recall seeing gorse in exposed sand areas.

Niall

[Jon Wiggett]

The answer to keeping the gorse at bay is once the old stuff has been ripped out just flail mow what grows back once a year.

[Niall C]

Jon

What I think you are saying is what I expected in that the gorse will keep coming back no mater how much you've dug out the roots or how exposed you leave the ground ie sand. I've got to think though that leaving the sand exposed will help show up any fresh shoots coming through and allow them to be dealt with earlier.

Niall

[Adam Lawrence]

Perhaps Adam can enlighten a little further, but will this be retained as open sand area, or will nature be allowed to take its course?

The same R&A ecologist has recently visited us at Hollinwell which is heathland for those that dont know, and he suggested that an area we have recently cleared of gorse could be stripped of turf and organic material leaving an open sand area to colonise naturally, allowing significant ecological benefit for reptiles, mining bees etc.

Cheers,

James

They plan to retain the sand areas, but whether they will keep them wholly free of vegetation or allow some bits and bobs to colonise them they have not yet decided. Graeme told me that they're considering using sea water on the sandscapes to keep control of any vegetation.


But I'm pretty certain they don't intend to let the gorse come back.

[Jon Wiggett]

Jon

What I think you are saying is what I expected in that the gorse will keep coming back no mater how much you've dug out the roots or how exposed you leave the ground ie sand. I've got to think though that leaving the sand exposed will help show up any fresh shoots coming through and allow them to be dealt with earlier.

Niall

Niall,


that is pretty much it. I would have concerns at the new course of problems of wind blow on loose sand. There is a reason the bunkers there are generally small and deep.


Jon

[Clyde Johnson]

Graeme told me that they're considering using sea water on the sandscapes to keep control of any vegetation.




Mmm, that's interesting - Any idea how they are thinking about sourcing it/getting it out there, and how often they would need to spray?

[Sean_A]

I don't know how they will pull this off, but I am very much behind the idea.  The thing I disliked the most about TNC was the green walls of gorse...very depressing background.


Ciao

[Jon Wiggett]

Graeme told me that they're considering using sea water on the sandscapes to keep control of any vegetation.




Mmm, that's interesting - Any idea how they are thinking about sourcing it/getting it out there, and how often they would need to spray?

I would be surprised if they get that past SEPA.


Jon