Golf club hit by vandals just before it reopened

A Bournemouth golf club was attacked by vandals and arsonists, causing widespread damage, just days before it reopened after the Covid-19 lockdown.

Knighton Heath Golf Club was targeted in early May.

Knighton Heath Golf Club after the attack. Image from Twitter

Thousands of pounds of damage was caused.

The spate of damage across the 90-acre site included two greens being set alight.

Various tee signs, 150-yard markers, ball washers and trees were also destroyed, broken, uprooted or stolen.

Knighton Heath Golf Club after the attack. Image from Twitter

Reunert Bauser, Knighton Heath Golf Club general manager, told the Daily Echo: “We have a couple of groups of members who patrol our course.

“They left on the Friday evening at 8pm and all the signs were fine. When we arrived the next morning six of the signs had been damaged beyond repair.

Knighton Heath Golf Club after the attack. Image from Twitter

“It was just pure vandalism that happened and it is depressing.

“We also had two of the greens targeted by someone who poured a flammable substance over them and set them alight.

Knighton Heath Golf Club after the attack. Image from Twitter

“The signs had been up for around five years and nothing had ever happened to them before. It took us a long time and a big cost to put them up in the first place. They cost around £600 each.”

He said the vandalism had created an additional financial burden and an unexpected cost to address.

“The greenkeeper was not happy,” he added. “Greens cost a lot of money to put in and manage.

“You have people trying to set the greens alight and you are left with no idea why they are doing this.

“It is disheartening for the greenkeeper as he puts a lot of work into the course. It is taking shape and it is one of the better courses around at the moment.

“To fix the greens will mostly take time.”

Knighton Heath Golf Club after it reopened. Image from Twitter

The course has since reopened and golf has been busy on it in the last few days, with compliments on social media about its state.

This comes as St Neots Golf Club found 15 of its flags stolen just after the lockdown ended – and may deploy a scuba diver to search its lakes to see if they are in there.