New courses by American designers on prime GB&I links land

[Jon Wiggett]

Ally,


I am not so sure. Though there are some cases where this is the case taking that behind means seaward side then there would be no problem in building on existing dunes as new ones would be forming all the time to replace them. However, dunes are an unstable and transient landforms. They are created over a number of years or decades and are more than often eroded away . It is only in modern times that we have the idea that the coastline is fairly fixed in shape and form but this is not the case. At the moment, the long dune system stretching to the south of Dornoch is increasing in volume with a few points of erosion but further up the coast at Golspie, the coast is being eroded at a fairly quick rate. This has bee the pattern for the last few decades but that is not to say the process will not completely turn around in the next 20 years or so. But then again maybe not.


Despite lots of study we know the 'what is happening' with coastal changes but we do not really understand the mechanisms so can not predict with any certainty what will happen in the future.


Jon

[Ally Mcintosh]

Generally speaking it’s a balance, Jon.


The coastline erodes in one place and therefore has to accrete somewhere else. That’s why erosion management techniques at a golf course can be so controversial environmentally: Using a method such as rock armour (aside from being ugly and having other detrimental affects) will mean that another area of coastline will get eroded instead of the golf course.


Seral succession of duneland is defined by the movement of the dunes and the forming of new ones behind. If the dunes are not moving then they will not succeed as they will still have to bear the conditions where only the sea grasses can survive.


Therefore there will always be links land by the sea that takes little to no management. It will just be changing ever so slowly.

[Garland Bayley]

Pepper & Campbell classify Renaissance as True Links.

[Thomas Dai]

Another aspect to links is rivers depositing materials as they reach the coast. These tend to be flatter areas than dunes. And sometimes, but not always, they combine with sea deposited material.
And then there are sandy areas deposited by storms on top of cliffs. And as has been said landscapes etc change as time goes by.
atb

[Niall C]

Garland

With respect to Campbell and Pepper, who wrote an entertaining book, I think a better arbiter on determining the classification of landforms etc would be Robert Price and his book Scotland’s Golf Courses.

Niall

[Garland Bayley]

Garland

With respect to Campbell and Pepper, who wrote an entertaining book, I think a better arbiter on determining the classification of landforms etc would be Robert Price and his book Scotland’s Golf Courses.

Niall

OK, what does he say about the Renaissance Club with respect to it being a links or not?

[Rich Goodale]

Garland


Professor Price is not saying anything these days as he died in 2012.  He was the High Priest of linksland geomorphology.  RIP.


https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/geoj.12026

[Jon Wiggett]

Generally speaking it’s a balance, Jon.


The coastline erodes in one place and therefore has to accrete somewhere else. That’s why erosion management techniques at a golf course can be so controversial environmentally: Using a method such as rock armour (aside from being ugly and having other detrimental affects) will mean that another area of coastline will get eroded instead of the golf course.


Seral succession of duneland is defined by the movement of the dunes and the forming of new ones behind. If the dunes are not moving then they will not succeed as they will still have to bear the conditions where only the sea grasses can survive.


Therefore there will always be links land by the sea that takes little to no management. It will just be changing ever so slowly.

Ally,


correct in a few cases but not in context of Coul Links and the SSSI. A SSSI is there to maintain the land as is therefore stopping the natural process and requiring management. In the case of Coul Links as with the links land at RDGC if you do nothing then it will alter quite rapidly and cease being that which was designated as been worth protecting. RDGC has a major invasive species infestation which they have been trying to get back on top of after years of neglect. Coul Links is the same.


Jon

[Rich Goodale]

RDGC has a major invasive species infestation which they have been trying to get back on top of after years of neglect
Jon

Americans?

[Jon Wiggett]

RDGC has a major invasive species infestation which they have been trying to get back on top of after years of neglect
Jon

Americans?

 


No, sharp tugs are not a problem and can often be quite charming