‘Heartbreaking’ as vandals tear up green at Gloucestershire golf club

Vandals have driven onto the course of a golf club that recently avoided closure and torn up one of its greens, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

The perpetrators entered Gloucester Golf Club and damaged the third hole before doing ‘donuts’ on the eighth green, causing up to £6,000 worth of damage. They then exited through a broken gate, which has now been replaced.

In 2017 Gloucester Golf Club was on the verge of going under when the company that owned it announced it was pulling out following seven years of losses.

However, the club’s members saved the facility by agreeing a lease with the owner. Since then, its membership has increased from 400 to 700 people.

The club’s general manager, Keith Wood, described how this incident has put the club back in a difficult situation: “We have recently become a members’ club after being within five minutes of being shut down.

Gloucester Golf Club. Image from Twitter

“To see the damage and cost caused by these vandals is unacceptable and it needs to be addressed and made to realise the damage and cost they have caused.

“We now have nearly 700 members who are so proud of their golf course and so this damage is heartbreaking as it now puts that green out of action for several weeks.”

Gloucestershire Constabulary said: “Police were called with a report of criminal damage to a golfing green at Gloucester Golf Club.”

Local councillor Brendan O’Donnell said: “It’s this behaviour from such irresponsible people which lets the community down.

“I am very disappointed in whoever did this as they have caused thousands of pounds of damage.

“I hope that the culprits are found and perhaps some form of restorative justice can be imposed.”