A race against time and tide is on to stop the fifth oldest golf course in the world from falling into the sea.
Signs that the 453-year-old Medal Course at Montrose Golf Links is slipping into the North Sea began in 1994, with the disappearance of its original sixth tee.
Storms over the last two years have accelerated the rate of disintegration of the dunes, to the point where it became apparent that the coastal tees are under threat.
The links board has proposed changing some holes conceived by totemic Scottish designer Thomas “Old Tom” Morris in 1901 and refined by Willie Park Jr two years later to preserve the course.
Claire Penman, secretary of Montrose Golf Links, said: “It would be a great shame to let such a historic course go in that way.
“But nothing has been decided and we won’t submit any plans to the council before all the members have had a chance to look at what’s happening.”
All the local clubhouses have information available on what is likely to happen to the course until January 5, along with what is proposed for the course that holes one, three, seven and 18 be reduced in yardage and holes two, six and eight be increased.
The biggest increase would be to hole six, extended from 510 to 600 yards.
Although the board has decided to save as much of the links as it can, with work beginning after the 2018 Open in Carnoustie at the earliest, not all members have been supportive of extending the sixth.
Tom Cole, a member of both Montrose Caledonia Golf Club and Royal Montrose Golf Club, said he felt the plans might only take professional golfers into consideration and could turn local golfers away from playing in the town.
“Action needs to be taken to stop the erosion but I believe the proposal of extending the sixth par to 600 yards isn’t the right one,” Mr Cole said.
“A lot of members are in their late fifties and sixties and may not want to play on holes that long.
“We want to keep current members. We don’t want them going off to other clubs.”
Ms Penman said the longer sixth would likely be for professional use only, with a shortened yardage permanently available for members.