Heathland vs Links

[Rob Marshall]

Is there a difference between an Heathland course and a links course other than Links is by the ocean?

[Ally Mcintosh]

Rob,


It might be easier to concentrate on the only fixed similarity which is that they are both on sand (even that is debatable because you do get the odd wet heath course on clay).


Links are formed by wave and wind. Heaths are managed landscapes (they would succeed to woodland quite quickly if left alone). You’ll get far more violent micro-undulations on links as a result. Contouring is sharper.


Vegetation is in essence different but you do get heather on a few links courses (usually further inland) and you do get fescues on heathland.


I could go on but they are quite different. Both great landscapes for golf I guess is the other similarity!

[Wayne_Kozun]

What about trees?  Here in North America when Heathland is used it is often for a course devoid of trees.  Is that technically correct?

[Sean_A]

What about trees?  Here in North America when Heathland is used it is often for a course devoid of trees.  Is that technically correct?

No, but many heathland courses if managed to the state they were originally found would have far less trees. To be honest, there are few true heathland courses remaining, its more a label than a reality these days. Nearly all heathland courses are heathland/parkland hybrids.

Ciao

[Rob Marshall]

I heard "Heathland" mentioned this morning on the radio in regards to Sunningdale outside of London.


Looking at photo's on their website, it looks like what I would consider a parkland course.

[Sean_A]

I heard "Heathland" mentioned this morning on the radio in regards to Sunningdale outside of London.


Looking at photo's on their website, it looks like what I would consider a parkland course.

It is mostly parkland with a touch of heathland character. But its classed a heathland. That said, it will drain a bit better than a true parkland course, but nowhere near as good as a links.


Ciao

[Mark Pearce]

My understanding is that it's to do with the soil, and acidity.  Many heathland courses aren't on sand and don't drain well but they all have soil which allows heather (proper heather, not the weeds sometimes described as heather in the USA) to grow.  Links courses are exclusively on the coast (or where the coast was).  Heathland courses may have trees, where the domestication of the course has removed the grazing animals that kept trees away previously.

[Jim Hoak]

So, how would you classify Renaissance where the Scottish Open was played this last weekend?  Heathland?  Looked linksy is some ways, but obviously not a true links.

[Sean_A]

So, how would you classify Renaissance where the Scottish Open was played this last weekend?  Heathland?  Looked linksy is some ways, but obviously not a true links.

If I had to choose a label it would be links.

Ciao

[Rob Marshall]

My understanding is that it's to do with the soil, and acidity.  Many heathland courses aren't on sand and don't drain well but they all have soil which allows heather (proper heather, not the weeds sometimes described as heather in the USA) to grow.  Links courses are exclusively on the coast (or where the coast was).  Heathland courses may have trees, where the domestication of the course has removed the grazing animals that kept trees away previously.

Probably a majority of golfers in the states think fescue is heather. Not sure if we have true "heather" here in the states.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Renaissance is links.


Links courses can have trees. In fact, links land over years and years will actually turn in to woodland, but only as the shore accretes outside of it. Look up seral succession of sand  dunes if you want more info.


That said, the inland parts of Renaissance were full of planted trees. That is a little different.


Heathland always has nutrient poor soil. Heathlands (as we think of them for golf) are almost always sand; but wet heathlands, upper heath (i.e. moorland) will not be sandy sub-soil.

[Tom_Doak]

So, how would you classify Renaissance where the Scottish Open was played this last weekend?  Heathland?  Looked linksy is some ways, but obviously not a true links.

There wasn't any heather at all.  Some gorse in amongst the trees, some buckthorn that had been planted, but no heather.

[Thomas Dai]

Back in time crop growing to feed the domestic population was vital. Neither heathlands nor links are essentially favourable for growing crops which is why they were primarily used for centuries for the grazing of animals. The unsuitability of heathlands for the growing of crops was why when golf spread inland the heathlands, often deemed common land, were more readily available for an activity like golf than land that was useful for crop growing and thus considered a valuable agricultural asset.
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