Oh Deer

[bobmac]

I played 27 holes around Belton Park GC yesterday and what a delight it was.
I had almost forgotten what a good golf course in good condition looks like.

I must have seen over 200 head of deer there ranging from very little ones to the big daddies.
Shame I didn't take my camera with me but took this pic with my phone's camera (shh)
Does anyone else have lots of wildlife on their course?

 

[Macster]

That is fanatastic Bob, what a pleasure to see.

Unfortunately I dont see Deer on my own course, just lots of wabbits at dusk/dawn etc, and the occasional Sparrowhawk etc.

However, I do see them frequently in the farmland behind the house when out walking the dog, and its is always a pleasure. I sometimes even wander out at dusk with a cup of tea solely to try and see them, and have got pretty close on a few occasions.

That pic is wonderful tho, - Belton Park ? -close to Belton Woods ?

 

[tincup]

At my old course Lofthouse hill golf club there was next to no wildlife but at my new club Cleckheaton golf club there are loads of rabbits running about and a field of cows

 

[bobmac]

Yes, Its about 5 minutes away from Belton Woods.
No comparison in my opinion.
If you haven't played it, give it a go.
http://www.beltonpark.co.uk/

 

[USER1999]

We get millions of wabbits, and the odd fox, a few muntjac deer, a squirrel up the top of 10th pin the other day, and lots of ball stealing crows.

 

[kevinmarkham]

I'm in Ireland, but I did play Forest of Arden once, at around 6.30am, before the green keepers went out. I was surrounded by deer and rabbits for much of the round. There were a couple of foxes, some swans, herons, pheasants and a stoat. None of them seemed bothered by my presence and I really felt like I was intruding.

In Ireland, I'd suggest a visit to Killarney for deer. Mind you, they seem oblivious to shouts of 'fore'

 

[brendy]

Clandeboye GC has two courses on an estate which has a few deer roaming but not as many as mentioned in the original post.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We have a few muntjac deer, rabbits moles (sadly) pheasants, geese (Canadian and Egyptian) and several pairs of kites which look fantastic as they circle overhead.

We did have a group of green parrots last year but sadly they seemed to have disappeared this year and use to live in a dead tree down our 10th

 

[MarkS]

Green Parrots? Blimey i have never heard of that. Presumably they must have been released/escaped from a domestic dwelling?

We have cappabarras (sp?) meerkats, lama, peacocks and a few medium cats, monkeys etc in a small zoo by the 4/5 greens but nothing much wildlife wise wandering free - unless you include the students that is.

 

[USER1999]

Parrots are quite common around London now.

 

[MarkS]

Really? Blimey.

 

[kevinmarkham]

If you ever get to Fota Island in Co. Cork you'll hear the feeding time at the Wildlife Park behind the 4th green. The monkeys go mad apparently.

I was told by the Director of Marketing that the Park's meerkats often escape and can be found on the 4th fairway, talking in Russian accents

 

[MarkS]

Simples!

 

[slugger]

Cool pic.

We found a newborn baby badger squirming about out in the open rough last week. We saw a deer the week before and have seen stoat a couple of times, including one that was in the middle of murdering a wabbit

Lots of birds including buzzards and smaller hawks.

All at swanston golf club.

 

[Herbie]

Great pic Bob, and yes I will be doing that one.

 

[Region3]

Apart from rabbits, squirrel, and normal watery type birds (herons, swans, moorhens, coots) I've seen a few woodpeckers where I play which I've never seen anywhere else locally.

And before anyone thinks it.... no, I wasn't in the bar

 

[need_my_wedge]

Rabbits, Squirrels, Woodpeckers, Foxes and Deer all roaming around our course.

 

[MarkS]

its amazing we ever any golfing done with all this wildlife wandering about

 

[CrapHacker]

Chartham Park in East Grinstead is FAMOUS for it's wildlife, often seen roaming free and untethered around the fairways.

Obviously the herd of cows on the 12th is always a special treat, but if you go there at the right time, and stand perfectly still on the 17th green, you can sometimes see a lesser spotted Smiffy with it's unique cry of 'notanotherbluddythreeputt'.

Of course this is a sight not unseen on other local courses at the right migratory times of the year.

An untethered Smiffy. No photograph can do it justice.

 

[MarkS]

how do you prevent the cows from damaging the fairway, or greens?