St Andrews Links Trust has bought a parcel of farmland in its bid to save its courses from catastrophic coastal erosion.
The three fields at Easter Kincaple Farm sit at the western extremity of the historic Links.
And they were identified as an area of potential weakness in a Dynamic Coast Scotland survey in 2021.
The purchase means the area between the A91 and the Eden Estuary coastline can be included in the trust’s ongoing protection work.
And it also leaves the door open for the future expansion of the Links and its facilities.
The land acquisition follows heavy winter storms which saw St Andrews West Sands lose up to a metre of sand.
It also comes amid news Montrose Golf Links have lost seven metres of coast in a year.
Protection against erosion a priority for St Andrews Links Trust
St Andrews Links Trust operates seven links golf courses, including the historic Old Course.
And building resilience against coastal erosion and flooding has been a priority for more than a decade.
The Trust and their partners have already carried out significant dune restoration work on the West Sands.
And the efforts amount to Scotland’s largest and longest-running dune restoration programme.
In addition, they have carried out beach feeding and salt marsh planning on the Eden coastline.
Together, the work has provided protection against coastal erosion across the Links.
However, the land at Easter Kincaple is thought to be an ingress point for erosion and flooding.
Its purchase includes a condition it is kept for agricultural purposes for the foreseeable future.
Trust has no immediate plans for development
Trust chief executive Neil Coulson said coastal erosion is already impacting communities and facilities across Scotland.
“Not only does this land allow us to add to our coastal defences, it also helps protect against any future development by third parties,” he said.
“We have no immediate plans for development of the land other than to enhance coastal erosion mitigations.
“However, while the decision to purchase has primarily been taken on environmental grounds to combat coastal erosion, it may offer opportunities for future expansion of the Links and its facilities in years to come.”
Ensuring long future for golf at St Andrews
Lead West Sands ranger Ranald Strachan says last winter’s storms and high tides had impacted recent restoration efforts.
And he described the past few months as challenging.
“However, while its always disappointing to see restoration efforts washed away, it is the exact reason they are built in the first place,” he said.
“They provide the first layer of protection in climatic events such as those experienced.
“There is no doubt we are in a much stronger position than we would be due to the dune restoration work and coastal management that has been undertaken.
“We will continue to implement defensive and adaptation plans at both the West Sands and the Eden Estuary to ensure there is a long and successful future for golf at St Andrews.”
Conversation