High tides take 2m of pitch and putt course

Louise Walsh

The chairperson of a pitch and putt club which lost over one metre of its course to Thursday's high tides, said it was 'heartbreaking' to watch the amenity gradually succumb to coastal erosion.

A tee box which now lies teetering at the edge of the wave-battered 18-hole course at Laytown will have to be moved after further damage was caused by the sea during the county's yellow weather warning.

Chairperson Mark Fay and club members are now in the process of starting a fundraising campaign for measures, including replacement fencing, to try and protect the 51-year-old course from further damage.

"I'd say in the last two winters, we have lost over four metres of land, one and a half metres of which was taken by the sea on Thursday. That's land we will never get back," he said."

"We will probably have to move at least one tee box because when you stand on it, you are looking right down into the sea. The next wave and it's gone."

"We are lucky that we have room to shuffle things about. The tide went around the greens which have held up well but there are holes now between them that we need to address."

The club which lies over two hectares of coastline has 108 members, a further 40 associate members and an additional 60 green fee visitors each week.

Mark estimates that the course has lost 30m to coastal erosion since 2012.

"When you look out to sea and see the life buoys, that is where the course used to be.

"The members have spent about €54,000 on the course in the last two years and we are due to hold our first national title here later this year."

"I'm just sickened by it all. It's just a constant battle and it's heartbreaking."