List of courses where livestock still graze

[Matt Schoolfield]

I've updated the list and map again.

If anyone has more info, do let me know.

[David_Tepper]

Matt S. -

I played Reay GC in May for the first time. I don't recall any sheep grazing on the course or needing to step over or around any droppings. There were no electric fences surrounding the greens.

It is certainly possible that some of the courses in Scotland allow grazing over the winter months but not from May thru October.

DT 

[Sean_A]

My plan was to go to Scotland this year specifically to play course where livestock still graze the land. Ideally this means sheep, but also cattle or other animals where grazing functions as a a form of turf mowing. However, if there are courses where wildlife is one of the dominant forms of turf maintenance, that's obviously acceptable too.

In response to Brora voting to remove grazing animals, I'm trying to create a list (and map) of courses where this is still a thing. I found this old thread, which has about 25 courses. I will keep a list here in the first post, and update it with any changes. Please let me know if there are any missing or mistaken:

Aberdovey
Appelby
Askernish
Brambles (that's the plan at least)
Church Stretton
Cleeve Hill (Cleeve Cloud)
Clyne
Dunaverty
Gweedore
Iona
Kington
Machynlleth
Minchinhampton Old
Mulranny
Narin & Portnoo - maybe?
Otway
Painswick
Pennard
Perranporth
Rosapenna (Coastguard)  - maybe?
Royal North Devon
Southerndown
Sutton Coldfield
Tavistock
Welshpool
West Monmouthshire
Yelverton

Let me know if there are any I missed and/or got incorrect and I will continue to update this list.

I am not aware of livestock grazing

Painswick
Perranporth
Otway
Aberdovey
Narin and Portnoo

I think Sutton Coldfield may have removed the cows. I haven’t seen them in some time. If I recall the fences were removed, but not sure.

Holywell had sheep.

Happy New Year

I am not aware of animals grazing

Traigh
Benbecula

Ciao

[Jeff Schley]

I've updated the list and map again.

If anyone has more info, do let me know.

Thanks Matt for the legwork.  This is pretty cool niche to catalog.

[Tom_Doak]

Would the courses grazed freely by Kangaroos in Australia be part of the consideration?

Anglesey GC - Has become a haven/reserve for them
St Andrews Beach -?

Kangaroos in Australia are as common as deer in Michigan, but even less well liked.  They are mainly a road hazard.

[Mark Pearce]

My recollection (and Frank Pont could confirm) is that Utrechtse de Pan has goats which are penned, with the pens being moved to control the rough.  I've always thought this was a great idea and would think that offering free grazing to farmers willing to allow their sheep or goats to be used in this way was a win/win for clubs and farmers.

[Matt Schoolfield]

Update on Traigh:

Golfers had to share the ground with cows and sheep up until the 1990s, and the livestock were kept off the greens with fencing wire.

This all changed in 1993 when the owner and golfing enthusiast, Jack Shaw Stewart, invited the well-known Scottish golf architect, Johnny Salvesen, to completely redesign the course, incorporating some additional land to the east.

https://www.traighgolf.co.uk/history

[Adam Lawrence]

Matt S. -

I played Reay GC in May for the first time. I don't recall any sheep grazing on the course or needing to step over or around any droppings. There were no electric fences surrounding the greens.

It is certainly possible that some of the courses in Scotland allow grazing over the winter months but not from May thru October.

DT

That's certainly the situation at Askernish. The land was crofted back in the 1920s, and getting the crofters' consent was essential to the recreation of the golf course. It was always the case that the animals graze there in the winter, and go up onto the hill in summer, and it still is.

[Matt Schoolfield]

Adding Vaul GC

Removing Benbecula for now, as I can find any evidence, but I've emailed the club to double check.

[Simon Barrington]

Would the courses grazed freely by Kangaroos in Australia be part of the consideration?
Anglesey GC - Has become a haven/reserve for them
St Andrews Beach -?

Kangaroos in Australia are as common as deer in Michigan, but even less well liked.  They are mainly a road hazard.

True for wild Kangaroos, which wouldn't be included.

Angelsey GC is a slighty different case as the course is fenced, to keep their Kangaroos in & safe.
They act as a reserve/sanctuary as their natural habitat had been damaged by fire and development.
So in essence they are retained on site, graze the course, and they run tours for 5000 people a year (incl. myself & my son) so proving grazing wildlife can attract visitor revenue ;-)

   https://www.angleseagolfclub.com.au/cms/kangaroo-tours/

Not sure of St Andrews Beach as was scheduled to play there but rained off by a storm, they may be free-roaming & wild?

[James Reader]

I've updated the list and map again.

If anyone has more info, do let me know.

I’m pretty sure Halifax (Ogden) doesn’t have any grazing on it. I was a member for 6 or 7 years from 2005 and have played it regularly since and, apart from a few sheep that escaped from a neighbouring field on one occasion, I’ve never seen any animals on it.