Urgent work to protect world-famous North Berwick West Links golf course gets green light
New coastal defences are planned for the 13th and 14th greens
Councillors have approved urgent work to protect North Berwick’s West Links course to combat the "critical risk of coastal erosion".
New coastal defences have been given the go-ahead with the major project to strangthen the shoreline now set to get under way.
It comes after two years of work in the wake of Storm Babet which took around four metres of greens and tees. New defences are now set to be installed around the 13th and 14th greens, as well as the third tee area.
The Scotsman reported last month that North Berwick - the 13th oldest club in the world - has hired leading golf course architect Gil Hanse to oversee a project which aims to “polish and protect” the course.
Hanse’s first task will be to produce a master plan for the East Lothian course with the combined objective of “preserving its heritage while preparing for the future”.
The plan for one of Scotland’s bucket-list venues, where golf has been played since the 17th century, will focus on “restoring key features, maintaining the course’s unique character and prioritising sustainability”.
American Hanse is renowned for restoring some of the game’s most historically- significant courses, including US Open venues Oakmont, Merion and Los Angeles Country Club. He also consulted for iconic venues such as Seminole and Sunningdale.
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