The future of one of the world’s oldest golf courses is at risk after investigators found its greens were being damaged by its own water system.
A report due to go before East Lothian council members says the irrigation system at Scotland's Musselburgh Links Old Course uses water from the nearby River Esk, and the salt content is destroying the turf. Musselburgh Links sits on the eastern end of the Edinburgh metro area along the Firth of Forth.
Staff have been watering the course by hand since last summer in an attempt to repair the damage, but the report says that approach is unsustainable.
The future of the course and its reputation are at risk unless a new independent irrigation system is installed at a cost of about $200,000.
The Musselburgh
course is recognized internationally as one of the oldest golf courses in the world, with historical records indicating golf was played on the site as early as 1672 and suggestions that Mary, Queen of Scots played there in 1567.
The course hosted the Open Championship six times between 1874 and 1889 and continues to attract golfers and visitors from around the world.
A report due to go before the council’s Common Good Committee next week says the course is an important asset for both Musselburgh and East Lothian, contributing to the area’s sporting heritage, tourism and local economy.
However, the report says damage to the turf from the irrigation system, which is shared with the neighboring Musselburgh racecourse, has led to complaints from members and visitors. The system has not been used since June of last year, with staff instead watering the course by hand.
“Over a number of years, greenkeeping staff have experienced recurring deterioration in the quality of fine turf on the course, particularly on the greens,” the report says.
“This deterioration has consistently coincided with the use of the existing sprinkler irrigation system. During periods of dry weather, playing surfaces have experienced significant decline, resulting in complaints from both members and visitors.”
An independent review of water drawn from the river and Pinkie Burn found high sodium absorption levels that were affecting the course.
“As a result, the irrigation system has not been used on the golf course since July 2025, and all watering has been undertaken manually,” the report says. “While this approach has enabled the course to remain operational, it is labor-intensive, unsustainable in the long term and exposes the facility to ongoing operational risk.”
The committee will be asked to approve taking a proposal to the full council next month to replace the irrigation system with a new independent system at a cost of about $170,000 to $196,000.
The committee is also being asked to approve funding for an apprentice greenskeeper to bolster the course’s current staff and help secure its future. Annual maintenance of the new system is expected to cost about $6,500, while the new staff position is estimated at approximately $47,000 per year.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Course that hosted Open Championship 6 times at risk of being destroyed
