Sinkhole at Traigh Golf Course

A large sinkhole has appeared on a Scottish golf course

A 22-foot long sinkhole has appeared on Traigh golf course on the west coast of Scotland

A large sinkhole has appeared near a green on the UK mainland's most westerly golf course – Traigh near Arisaig in the Highlands of Scotland.

Sinkhole

The 9ft deep, 22ft long hole was caused by heavy rain, washing away a drain running under the fairway by the seventh green.

The club will now have to find money to help it pay the estimated £16,000 cost of the repairs needed. Some 200 tonnes of sand will be required to fill the hole. Could it just become a really challenging new bunker? Maybe not...

The sinkhole has been fenced off and the nine-hole course remains open to members.

Traigh is one of the UKs’ most scenic golf courses, with stunning views out across the sea towards the Isles of Rum and Eigg and beyond to the Cuillins of Skye.

If anyone is worried about the dog, don’t fear. Traigh Golf Club has confirmed it made it out of the sinkhole unharmed!

Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly. 

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?