‘Teenagers have been camping in one of the bunkers’

Greenkeepers at a prestigious Surrey golf club had to wake up teenagers who were camping in a tent in one of the bunkers over the Easter holidays – and were met with abuse.

A number of golf clubs have reported vandalism to their courses so far this year, with some stating that it was caused by bored teenagers.

The latest to do so is Guildford Golf Club, the oldest in Surrey, where secretary Tom May said the vandalism began over Easter. He said it has cost the club thousands of pounds and caused grievance to the greenkeeping team.

The children responsible for last weekend’s fire were abusive to the greenkeepers when woken from their tent in the early hours of Monday morning, he added.

The youths had also strewn beer bottles across the bunker, reports In Your Area.

However, Mr May was keen to stress the club welcomes shared use of the course, and likes seeing non-golfers making the most of the open green space.

He explained: “I always try to emphasise to all our members that it is a community space for everybody.

“We spend hundreds of thousands of pounds each year to make it as pristine as possible for our golfers to play on the course, with the added benefit that the public can enjoy it as well.

“We always remind our members to be polite and courteous to the public. While there is a right to roam, they must be aware there is golf being played.”

He said the issue of vandalism is rather constant, having dealt with smashed clubhouse windows and furniture hurled from the first-floor balcony in recent years.

He added: “Tee markers got picked up and thrown into the woods or stolen, which all have to be replaced.

“Flags are picked up and used as javelins or stolen. We got brand new flags last week and they were stolen on the first evening of the course being in use after lockdown, then more were stolen at the weekend.

“Our tee markers cost around £150 plus staff time to install them. The amount of those that have been bashed over is astonishing.

“They are concreted into the floor, so someone is standing over them continually kicking. We have had people joyriding in our buggies.

“One thing on its own is not a large cost, but when it happens frequently in peak vandalism season then it adds up very quickly.”