Historic club offers lifetime memberships to fund coastal erosion work

One of the world’s oldest links venues, Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club, is offering a lifetime overseas golf membership to help pay for protection against storms.

In recent months, storms have left serious damage to the first two holes of Fortrose & Rosemarkie in the Scottish Highlands.

Established in 1793, Fortrose & Rosemarkie is the 15th-oldest recorded club in the world with the fourth oldest golf course, where the game has been played continuously since 1702.

“We lost up to five metres in some places [due to storms in October 2023] and the fence to the left side of the first tee fell down [in December 2023] with high winds as there was no support around this area. We need to protect tees number one and two as a priority,” said club manager Mike MacDonald.

Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club

The club hopes to raise money by selling lifetime overseas and country (golfers who live 50-plus miles away) memberships.

For £5,000, golfers will receive full playing rights, access to play in club competitions, discounted green fees at 15 other reciprocal golf courses, including Royal Dornoch, Golspie, Tain, Brora and Moray, and a range of other benefits.

MacDonald said he hired an excavator to clean up the shoreline, but he believes that rock armour is the best long-term solution.