More Scottish golf clubs report cases of vandalism

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir January 20, 2022 13:20

Two Scottish golf clubs have become the latest to report shocking levels of vandalism.

The 118-year-old Erskine Golf Club in Renfrewshire has revealed that a wooden shelter which acted as a weather refuge for golfers next to one of the fairways has been destroyed.

It is thought a lump of concrete was used to smash the wooden supports into pieces. A number of lager bottles and cider cans were found around the wreckage.

A post on the club’s Facebook page said: “Why do people feel the need to behave like this?”

Meanwhile, Lochgelly Golf Club in Fife has also suffered issues with both drunken yobs and local dog walkers leaving a mess on the course of late.

Members have said the fairways are dotted with excrement and they’ve had enough of lazy and irresponsible owners not picking up after their pets.

Greens convenor at Lochgelly, Sandy Gilfillan, told the Central Fife Times: “It’s been an issue for a long time but it’s gotten worse.

“We’ve got a serious challenge just now dealing with dog fouling and we’ve written to Fife Council to see if they can lend any support with signs and bins.

“It’s a problem that’s on the increase and needs to be brought to the public’s attention.

“The golfers are really perturbed by it.”

He continued: “I was walking the course with the ground staff when a lady pulled me up about the dog fouling and said ‘Do you realise how bad it is?’

“She was taking poo bags with her but she shouldn’t have to do that.

Erskine Golf Club. Image from Facebook

“The ground staff are having to pick it up and understandably they’re not happy about it either.

“Of all the people that walk their dogs here, probably 90 per cent are responsible owners and do the right thing.

“It’s the 10 per cent minority that are spoiling it for everyone.”

This comes after the course was plagued by vandalism last summer.

The club has said it is looking into installing CCTV cameras to try and catch the culprits, blaming large groups of drunken youths for causing “extensive damage every single weekend.”

Flags were stolen, melted or snapped, tee markers taken or broken, litter bins set on fire, sponsor boards destroyed, young trees ripped out of the ground and broken glass left everywhere.

Gilfillan said the latest problems were exasperating and added: “Clearly with lockdown and the Covid restrictions more people have been buying dogs and it seems more people are taking them for a walk on the course and not picking up after their dog.

“Predominantly, the areas worst affected by dog fouling are the third fairway, close to the old dirt track that takes you to the farm, and the 10th and 12th fairways.

“It’s a private course but I’m pretty sure there’s a public right of way from about the 12th tee to the 8th fairway.

“People have walked it for years. We can’t stop them and even if we wanted to, there’s no way the club could afford to put up a wall or a fence.

“All we ask is that if you’re going to walk your dog on the course, do the responsible thing and pick up after it.”

The latest cases of vandalism come after a golf club in Dundee found a second abandoned burnt-out vehicle on the course in just a few weeks.

English courses have also suffered vandalism in recent days, with at least three venues reporting issues since the beginning of December.

 

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir January 20, 2022 13:20
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