Walkers should be aware that local club rules allow the playing of golf shots from the foreshore - even although the foreshore is outwith the official boundary of the golf course. As a result, the official Fife Coastal Path and the popular award winning beaches effectively become active parts of the golf course!

On the second day of the 2002 dunhill links championship at Kingsbarns Golf Links, Montgomerie played this shot at the 12th, from the kelp covered foreshore.

Should Monty's shot have been allowed?

This issue was raised with Fife Council (read Golf on beaches beyond approved boundary) :-

"It has been obvious for some time that golfers are prepared on occasion, whether by accident or design, to straight line the dog-leg holes and play from the beaches and foreshore, and from the dunes. It had not been obvious, until Colin Montgomerie was allowed to play from the foreshore during the recent dunhill links championship that this practice was deemed acceptable at management level."

"Apparently, according to championship director Mike Eriksson, Monty’s shot was permitted, without penalty, because his ball was lying within the golf course, in a Lateral Water Hazard zone, and the ball was playable."

"This may surprise local councillors, planners and informed residents. Having studied the site location plan, planning reports and statements from the developer, they would be entitled to believe that the golf course was bounded on the north east by coastline, beyond which lies the foreshore from which Monty played his shot. They would be aware that the Fife Coastal Path runs along the foreshore at this point, and that the area is part of the Fife Ness SSSI. They would be aware of the Scottish right of safe recreation on the foreshore."

Fife Council are aware of the situation, but unable to act - as planner Nick Brian explains :-

"I appreciate that the use of the beach, all be it occasionally, does present a different line of play and potentially an increase in danger to walkers and users of the breach from golf balls. To this end I have written to the operators of the golf course regarding their attitude to players using the beach. It is possible that the beach could be regarded as out of bounds and thereby subject to penalty since it is clearly beyond the boundary of the original planning consent site. However, it would not be possible to impose such a local rule of play on the golf course from a planning point of view. Nevertheless, I will be making this suggestion."

" I trust that this clarifies the position for you in the meantime and clearly this will need to be monitored for the future to determine whether or not the circumstances change. Important to this, will also be the attitude of golf course operators in terms of their approach to shots being played from this position."

Even the mighty R&A appear powerless in this matter. Peter Dawson is aware of the situation but, for whatever reason, has decided to merely "watch developments with interest."

Not everyone is ignoring this issue. SNH now appear to be asking questions. Good for them.

Also, on second day of the 2002 Dunhill Links Championship at Kingsbarns, Ernie Els played this 2nd shot at the 16th from the supposedly 'environmentally sensitive' dunes which line the very edge of the golf course.

Note the red markers beside the Fife Coastal Path which define the Lateral Water Hazard line during the championship. During normal play many people consider this line to define the boundary of the golf course, and they play accordingly.

What is going on here?

Also, on second day of the 2002 Dunhill Links Championship at Kingsbarns, at the 15th, Cambo Ness 'signature hole', event sponsor Johann Rupert, having played his tee shot amongst the whelks, would probably have attempted to play his 2nd shot to the green from the rocky foreshore that lies beyond the boundary of the course, had his ball been playable.

In playing, or attempting to play, shots from outwith the recognised bounds of the course players like Montgomerie, Els and Rupert are sending a clear message to recreational golfers, many of whom will now believe that it is acceptable to play golf from our public beaches and sand dunes.

The 'I can play golf from wherever I like, whenever I like' attitude seems to be on the increase. It certainly should not be further encouraged in this way.

For the good of all - golfers, coastal walkers, beach users, women, children and whelk pickers - Kingsbarns Golf Links should be encouraged to clearly define the outer boundaries of their golf course - with the line on the ground matching that which appeared on their planning application.

This development has attracted much publicity. Read the news here

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