PaulT or anyone:
Would you mind showing me a photo of heather? Do all the so-called heathland courses have heather or have had?
Tom
Yes, as Sean writes, it's that thick stuff in front of the tee in the photo of Swinley Forest posted by Tim Liddy. Blooms purple at the right time of year but it most often has that rust colour.
True heath courses have to have heather.
All the courses listed have less heather than they once had. Although I think Swinley Forest must be similar to as it was in 1910.
It wouldn't take a great deal of effort to bring back the heather on many of these courses.
Glasgow Gailes is one missed in Scotland.
Meyrick Park and Queens Park were once more heath than park (see Rountree's painting in Darwin's book for Queen's and its purple heather). But Meyrick didn't have much when I visited.
Teignmouth definitely counts, quite a lot of heather there.
Mannings Heath? website looks much more parkland if good nontheless.
Top clubs for restoring their heaths:
Walton, Blackmoor, Notts, Alwoodley, Parkstone