American Beach Heather

[Brett Meyer]

Back in 2020, I was walking through the open sandy area from the 15th tee to the fairway at Sand Valley and I noticed a plant that I thought looked very similar to heather. I pointed it out to my playing partner, who had played several of the British heathland courses and he agreed with me. A little digging around on the internet and I found that it was this plant, Woolly Beach Heather aka Sand False Heather (Hudsonia tomentosa):







For those unfamiliar with it, here's the common European heather for comparison:



Despite having no relation to the true heathers, it looked to have a very similar growth habit to common heather, creeping along the ground and eventually forming woody stems and clumps. It grows in the same poor, acidic soils. It’s also very cold hardy, growing up into Alberta. A close relative, Pine Barrens False Heather grows in the New Jersey Pine Barrens and down the Atlantic coast. The major difference is that while the European heathers have purple flowers, the American beach heathers have bright yellow ones. Another difference is that beach heathers flower in late spring and early summer while the European heathers flower later in the summer. But both have very attractive flowers.

Has anyone heard of courses on appropriate sites trying to encourage the growth of this plant? It seems to me like it would be a good idea. True heather makes for terrific rough, requiring (I think?) less maintenance and creating a play-at-your-own-risk situation where sometimes the ball comes out fine, sometimes it goes 80 yards at a 45 degree angle into a stream (my first heather playing experience).

It seems like with this plant, we could have an American heathland type of course. Now I don’t know whether beach heather is as aggressive a grower as true heather or how sensitive it is to foot traffic. Maybe it could only be an occasional component in the rough. But as far as aesthetics and playability, it seems like it would be a real winner. And it would give a golfing public that seems to be increasingly interested in golf architecture and different types of courses around the world a similar experience to something that you can currently only get in Europe.

[jeffwarne]

We've got some of that surrounding our range and in the scarred areas from the old track area on the course.
I think Friars head has some in places.

It requires sand and minimal/no irrigation throw.
I've often thought the same thing you mentioned, but it would only work in select areas with the right soil.