It's a picturesque coastal golf course with a history dating back over a century - and was designed by one of the sport’s all-time greats.

But a row over stray balls landing on a neighbouring resident’s property has caused a health and safety probe leading to the closure of the club’s 18th hole.

Holyhead golf course, located in picturesque countryside south of the Welsh port town, is now fundraising to build a replacement green.

In the meantime, players are having to make do without the par four 18th hole, in existence since 1912, which has had to be abandoned.

Another hole is also currently out of bounds, as it will be remodelled and split to allow for creation of replacement 18th.

Golfers at the £700-a-year course - designed by one of the sport’s historic icons James Braid, who also designed courses at Gleneagles and remodelled The Open Championship venue at Carnoustie - have been left baffled and infuriated by the situation.

Braid, who died aged 80 in 1950, was a Scottish professional golfer who won The Open Championship five times and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. He designed over 400 courses in total.

Arfon Williams, 59, a member at the par 71 heathland course for 35 years, said: ’It’s a disgrace. The course was here first. It’s a terrible decision by the council because a few balls have been going over.

‘How many cars have been hit? None.

‘You know the risk when you buy a property by a golf course. We have grown trees and put up out of bounds markers and moved the bunkers. The club have done everything in their power.

‘It’s going to take a long time for the new grass to grow together. It’s a shame, because of one person.’

The situation was branded ‘ridiculous’ by one member, who added: ‘It’s not the sort of story anyone would believe over a pint in the 19th hole in the clubhouse.

‘The course has been here over 100 years but the one complaint now means it has to close the 18th. The club can’t afford to fight it.’

Another man at the members’ club said the 18th hole, next to a road, was ordered to be shut on January 3.

He said: ‘We can’t just erect a fence. I’ve only ever heard of one car being hit in the road in 20 years.’

Holyhead Golf Club says permanently operating as a 17-hole course would deter visiting players - and would make standard 18-hole competitions void.

The club said it has been quoted £75,000 for the works to create the new hole, which it hopes will be completed by May.

A fundraising appeal to find an initial £7,500 has already raised more than £6,000.

A Holyhead Golf Club spokesman said: ‘A neighbour said golf balls were leaving the boundary of the course and going onto their property.

‘He has evidence balls were going into his garden and he raised the issue with the council.

‘We are very disappointed. I don’t know of any golf club in the country who can just find £80,000 out of thin air. But we can’t bury our heads in the sand and just hope everything will be OK.

‘We have got no defence against it. We have to comply.’

The neighbour who complained declined to comment.

Isle of Anglesey County Council said the notice was issued to ensure the health and safety of both golfers and neighbours.

A spokesperson said: ‘The County Council’s Public Protection team has served an improvement notice to Holyhead Golf Club under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

‘The council has a statutory duty to ensure the health and safety of golf course users as well as members of the public that may be affected by the golf course.

‘Our Environmental Health officers continue to work closely with the Golf Club in relation to this matter.’