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Storm Dierdre wreaked havoc across the country last weekend – and delivered another stark reminder of the threat that coastal erosion poses to some of the country’s top seaside courses.
Montrose Golf Links had the second fairway of its 1562 Course – the fifth oldest course in the world – blanketed by sand blown up from the beach as high winds buffeted the Angus coast.
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Mobile phone footage, filmed by head greenkeeper Darren McLaughlin, captured the moment at lunchtime on Saturday.
The championship links has already been altered in recent years in an attempt to offset the threat of erosion that has seen the coast creep 70m closer to the course in the last 30 years alone.
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However, this weekend’s sand deluge provided perhaps the most stark warning that more needs to be done to protect the 450-year-old course from the elements, with an industrial blower set to be brought in this week to clear the devastation.
“This is our major worry,” McLaughlin told The Courier. “The reason we posted that video was to raise awareness of coastal erosion. We had to capture it as best we could. We have never had it this bad.
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“It is the time of year where the course isn’t as busy. If this had happened in April or May, that causes us huge issues.
“What the golf club is trying to make the relevant authorities aware of is that the golf course is at risk.”
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