Historic Montrose Golf Links Battles Accelerating Coastal Erosion in Fight for Survival
Scotland's fifth-oldest golf course lost seven metres of coastline in 2024 alone, threatening iconic holes and the town itself
The second hole at Montrose Golf Links tells the story of a crisis unfolding in real time. Its distinctive dagger-shaped split fairway, once a comfortable 50 yards from the beachline in 2006, now sits precariously close—fewer than 25 yards separate the green grass from the encroaching North Sea[3][7]. In October 2024, waves overtopped the rock armour protecting the second tee, requiring emergency repositioning[17][29]. If current trends continue, this iconic par 4 could disappear entirely within a decade.
For a golf course that has survived 462 years of Scottish weather since 1562, making it the fifth-oldest course in the world[1][4], the speed of change is alarming. What once eroded at roughly one metre per year during the 1970s and 1980s has accelerated dramatically[5][6]. In 2024 alone, Montrose lost seven metres of protective dunes—more than double the three metres annually predicted by a 2021 Dynamic Coast study[5][9].
"It was envisaged we'd lose maybe one metre, maybe 1.5 metres, per year but we've just lost seven metres in one year," explained former chairman John Adams. "If we lose another seven metres it is on the middle of the fairway. In a decade it is gone and, if it keeps coming, it will go into the town."[5][9]
A Course Under Siege
The physical transformation of Montrose Golf Links has been dramatic. Between 35 and 40 metres of coastline have vanished since erosion began accelerating in the late 1980s and early 1990s[23][36]. Waters have surged inland up to 80 metres since the 1980s[11], with the sea creeping 70 metres closer to the first three holes over 30 years[11][45].
The third tee, relocated in 2017 in response to erosion concerns, has already been lost to the advancing sea[18]. Long-term projections paint an even grimmer picture: erosion could reach 170 metres by 2100, approximately 558 feet of golf course consumed by the North Sea[24][43].
Course director Chris Curnin framed the crisis in stark terms: "Climate change is often seen as tomorrow's problem, but it's already eating away at our course."[33][34]
The vulnerability became dramatically visible during severe storms that have battered the Angus coast. Wild weather events have not only stripped away protective dunes but also deposited massive amounts of sand across fairways, temporarily rendering portions of the course unplayable[2][19]. The course manager expressed the helplessness many feel: "We are completely at the mercy. We've got nothing we can do. Absolutely nothing."[3][7]
More Than Golf at Stake
While the loss of historic golfing ground would be significant in its own right, the implications extend far beyond the game. Montrose is designated as the most at-risk location in Scotland for flooding, and the golf course's dune system serves as the town's primary—and in some areas, only—defense against rising sea levels and intensifying storm surges[11][45][53].
The dunes protecting Montrose Golf Links aren't merely separating fairways from beach; they're the last line of defense for an entire community. If the course falls to the sea, the town's exposure to catastrophic flooding increases exponentially.
This dual threat has elevated the erosion battle from a club concern to a community imperative, drawing attention from local government, environmental agencies, and the broader Scottish golfing community.
The Second Hole's Uncertain Future
Returning to that distinctive second hole—with its strategic split fairway that has challenged golfers for generations—the hole exemplifies both what's at stake and the difficulty of the fight. The rock armour installed to protect it required £18,000 in repositioning work in November 2024, a temporary measure described as a "sticking plaster" to help the course survive winter storms[25][26][27].
The course, rebranded "The 1562 Course" in July 2018 to celebrate its ancient heritage[46][47], now faces questions about whether that heritage will survive the coming decades. Each storm season brings fresh anxiety about whether the second hole—and the first and third alongside it—will endure another year.
Fighting Back
Montrose Golf Links and local authorities aren't surrendering without resistance. In January 2024, the course secured £440,000 from the Scottish Government's Coastal Change Adaptation Fund[1][10], a critical injection that enables planning for more permanent solutions.
Plans approved for 2025 include construction of two rock groynes on Montrose beach, designed to interrupt sediment flow and reduce erosion rates[12][16][28]. These structures represent a more systematic approach than emergency rock repositioning, though they're still considered interim measures.
The links management committee is pursuing substantially more ambitious permanent protection: rock armour installation along holes one, two, and three, estimated to cost £5 million[1][10][61]. A business case for this major infrastructure investment is expected in early 2025[1]. Additional proposals include sand replenishment work carrying an estimated £2 million price tag[30].
A Scottish Government spokesperson noted the broader support available: "In our Programme for Government 2020, we announced a new £11.7m capital budget over four years for coastal change adaptation, starting in 2022-23."[1][10]
A Scottish Epidemic
Montrose's predicament represents the sharp end of a crisis affecting Scottish golf broadly. According to research, 109 Scottish golf courses—roughly one in five—have been identified as at-risk from coastal erosion by 2050[31][32]. Scotland's eroding shorelines are disappearing at an average rate of one metre per year[52][54], though sites like Montrose far exceed this average.
Steve Isaac, Director of golf course management at the R&A, acknowledged the sport's unique vulnerability: "There is no question it's becoming a huge factor. I believe golf is more impacted by climate change than any other sport aside from skiing."[1][10]
Racing Against the Tide
As winter storms continue to test Montrose's defenses, the second hole remains both symbol and reality of what's being lost. That dagger-shaped fairway, carved by centuries of play and strategy, now serves as a measuring stick for how quickly the sea advances.
The 2025 groyne construction and forthcoming business case for permanent rock armour represent hope, but they're racing against a relentless opponent. Seven metres lost in a single year wasn't supposed to happen—yet it did. What happens if 2025 brings another seven metres of loss? Or 2026?
For now, Montrose Golf Links continues to welcome players to test themselves against a course that has challenged golfers since Mary Queen of Scots' era. But each round played on that threatened second hole carries additional weight—a reminder that some battles against nature, even on golf's most historic grounds, may ultimately prove unwinnable without substantial intervention and investment.
The question isn't whether Montrose will fight. The question is whether the fight can be won before the North Sea claims one of golf's most ancient and revered links.