The battle to save the links courses disappearing into the sea
Golf courses and coastal erosion: Montrose
The dagger shaped split that’s carved close to the fairway just in front of the 2nd tee both thrills and frightens golfers.
There’s not much separating you from the clifftop and a decent sized drop onto the beach below. It feels like there’s no guarantee a strong gust won’t send you tumbling over at any given moment.
Golf has been played at Montrose for more than 450 years but that history is at risk of being washed away.
Storm Deidre threatened to do just that last December. It deposited hundreds of tonnes of sand all over the course – the dunes having now eroded to the point where they no longer offer any protection.
Rising sea levels and erosion at work: Montrose Golf Links has been around since 1562, but the North Sea keeps getting closer. Over the weekend, a storm blew the beach onto the course (‼️). Never seen pictures like these:
(Story: https://t.co/RhMkZTpDYa) pic.twitter.com/xXb0YJ9Ujg— Dylan Dethier (@dylan_dethier) December 18, 2018
Research from Dundee University reveals the North Sea has moved 70 metres towards Montrose in the last three decades, caused by reduced sediment and rising sea levels.
It’s imperilled the links but, as links director John Adams reveals, there’s another huge problem.
“The sand has secreted north and the beach profile has changed,” he explains. “We’ve got virtually no sight of dunes but a hell of a lot of sand.
“Montrose is the most at risk place in Scotland for flooding. Golf is important but Montrose town itself is significantly at risk and there’s a funding package being looked into.”
The 2nd hole is clearly the most eye-catching example but Adams says there is slippage all across that coastline.
“Since a walkabout earlier this year we’ve lost another metre of dunes. We lost two and a half metres last year and we lost eight metres on our old third hole.
“But it’s not just the golf. It’s the town and that’s the emphasis. I’m more concerned about walking down the 15th, looking through the gap out to sea, and seeing the bottom of a ship.”
Head to the next page to continue reading our special investigation on golf courses and coastal erosion in order or choose from the options below…
Next page:
Formby’s future-proofing plan for new holes
Explore more:
How Royal North Devon lost 20 metres in three nights
Is Abersoch an avoidable catastrophe?
The affect of coastal erosion on golfing communities
What can be done to tackle coastal erosion?
How Royal Dornoch is fighting coastal erosion
The stark reality of coastal erosion
Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
