Rough Magic

Nowadays with so much emphasis on development and countryside control it is increasingly difficult to find ecologically interesting places to enjoy. The older generation remind us of flower-rich meadows, full of the sounds of grasshoppers and larks – places that in more innocent times were taken for granted. Many golf courses and particularly links courses still offer such an experience. A mere shank (dare I use the word) off the fairway and one enters a magical hinterland, textured with grasses and herbs, spangled with orchids and brightly coloured insects, serenaded by songbirds.

With no artificial fertiliser being used the dune rough is an undulating natural paradise. Assuming you have found and played your ball, take particular note of the sunny, south-facing slopes and the shaded hollows: it is here you will come across the most interesting species of flora and fauna. If you are open to and aware of the natural magic of the dunes, it will captivate you.