Golf’s oldest courses have changed over centuries, but the 150-year-old Open venue, Musselburgh Links, faces an unusual problem. Its own sprinklers have been damaging the greens they were meant to protect. The nine-hole course once hosted six Open Championships, but it now needs a new irrigation system to save its playing surfaces. The proposed fix could cost up to £150,000 (around $200,000).

A report heading to East Lothian councillors puts the problem bluntly. “Over a number of years, greenkeeping staff have experienced recurring deterioration in the quality of fine turf on the course, particularly on the greens. This deterioration has consistently coincided with the use of the existing sprinkler irrigation system. During periods of dry weather, playing surfaces have experienced significant decline, resulting in complaints from both members and visitors.”

The water came from the River Esk and Pinkie Burn, through a system shared with neighbouring Musselburgh Racecourse. An independent review found high sodium absorption, which was affecting the course.

Sodium isn’t always harmful. The problem starts when there is too much of it compared to calcium and magnesium. According to Penn State Extension, this can damage the soil and make it harder for water to pass through.

In simple terms, the soil struggles to drain water properly, which affects the grass roots. This could explain why the damage got worse during dry weather, when the course relied more on its sprinklers.

The system has been switched off since mid-2025. The council report says July, though one local report says June. Staff have watered by hand ever since, and the report admits the strain: 

“Whilst this approach has enabled the course to remain operational, it is labour intensive, unsustainable in the long term and exposes the facility to ongoing operational risk.”

Water problems aren’t new to Musselburgh Links. Back in 2015, Souters Sports installed a new irrigation system after finding old lead pipes and several leaks. It’s unclear if that’s the same system the course has now stopped using. But a decade later, staff are back to watering the greens by hand.

The proposed answer is a completely independent irrigation system costing £130,000 to £150,000. Annual maintenance would add about £5,000. Councillors are also being asked about an apprentice greenkeeper at £36,000, which is a separate cost from the installation.

The Common Good Committee is due to consider the proposal on Tuesday, November 10. As it stands, this is a request and not an approved budget.

The scale is modest next to the Home of Golf. St Andrews is installing 1,500 new sprinklers on its Old Course, more than doubling the current 800. Its Links Trust says irrigation water across its courses now comes entirely from sustainable sources, including rainwater and boreholes.

Musselburgh’s claim to history is hard to match. The first documented round was on March 2, 1672, when Sir John Foulis of Ravelston lost a match to two men known only as Lyon and Gosford. Mary, Queen of Scots, reputedly played nearby in 1567, though that isn’t documented.

The Open came to Musselburgh six times between 1874 and 1889, more than Royal Portrush or Turnberry have hosted. With only nine holes, players had to complete four laps to make the 36-hole championship. The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers later moved to Muirfield, and the Open left with them.

The course also shaped the game’s rules. The tool used to cut holes at Musselburgh measured four and a quarter inches, and the R&A made that the mandatory hole size in 1893. It also staged what is described as the world’s first women’s golf competition, on New Year’s Day 1811. Today it’s a public course run by East Lothian Council, and visitors can hire hickory clubs.

Musselburgh gave golf its hole size, its rotation of Open venues and some of its earliest competitions. Now it needs help with something much simpler: clean water. History alone can’t keep a green alive, so the council’s answer on Tuesday will show how much that history is worth.