Global
Warming Initiative at St Andrews
St
Andrews Bay - the new £50 million golf resort currently being built in Fife -
has teamed up with the University of St Andrews to carry out important research
into the effects of global warming on Scotland's courses.
A
team of university geoscientists has been given unlimited access to the St Andrews
Bay site, where the construction of two championship courses is
under
way, and are undertaking a series of experiments funded by the resort.
Iain
Mackinnon, operations director at St Andrews Bay, said: "It is vital that
the courses we are building can stand the test of time. This research will help
establish the long-term future of our courses by ensuring we have measures in
place to cope with any climate changes resulting from global warming."
Dr
Richard Bates, of the university's sedimentary systems research group, said: "Today,
the pressure to maintain quality courses despite the rising number of users, changes
in course conditions and changes in nature is
greater
than at any other time in the history of golf. Many of Scotland's courses, in
particular some of our most ancient ones, are in highly
vulnerable
coastal locations which are at risk from erosion and salt water intrusion into
their ground water supply resulting from climate change. Being able to monitor
the progress of the golf courses being built at St Andrews Bay will help greatly
with our research into this problem."
The
St Andrews Bay development will feature two golf courses - the first, designed
by the late Gene Sarazen and European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance - will be
open for play in July 2001. The second course, designed by Sarazen and Bruce Devlin,
will be open in 2002.
