Most golfers worry about sand traps, water hazards, or nasty rough. But at Melrose Golf Club in the Scottish Borders, players are dealing with a new kind of obstacle called Great Crested Newts.
The nine-hole course recently discovered that the amphibians had taken up residence on its grounds. Far from a minor nuisance, the creatures are a protected European species, which means the club is legally obligated to take steps to protect their habitat — even as golfers keep swinging.
Expensive Program For the Course to Launch
That protection program doesn’t come cheap. Greenkeepers must juggle daily course upkeep with ecological surveys, habitat maintenance, and the purchase of specialized equipment. To help the cause, the Scottish Borders Council’s William Hill Trust Sub-Committee has granted the club £9,998.
The grant adds to nearly £6,000 raised by members through events and a GoFundMe campaign, proving that Melrose’s 200-strong membership is committed to both golf and environmental stewardship.
Club secretary Gavin Guill explained the dual mission to the council: “The equipment is to free up time for the small team of green-keeping staff to make them more efficient on the course and free them time to help with the management of the protected species.”
For a community club like Melrose, the balancing act between tee boxes and newt ponds is as quirky as it is challenging. But with new funding secured, the club can keep its fairways playable while making sure its amphibian residents are safely settled in. Now, it is time to get back to the game of golf.
