Vandal driver wrecked Sidmouth Golf Club green

Ninth hole blighted by ‘doughnuts’

The ninth hole at Sidmouth Golf Club was targeted by ‘mindless vandals’ who tore up the green by driving ‘doughnuts’ around the hole.

Police are investigating and the club has said it will incur a significant financial cost to rectify the damage caused last week when a car was driven on to the course.

PCSO Jay Pepper blamed the damage on ‘boy racers’, and added: “I was shocked by what I saw.

“They completely tore the green to pieces.”

The PCSO says it looked as though a car had done around half a dozen ‘doughnuts’ around the flag, sliding round in circles at speed on the green, ripping up the carefully prepared grass.

The hole, which was being prepared for the winter, is now out of use and a spokesman for the club said they were very disappointed by the incident.

A contractor was called to the course yesterday to size up the job to repair the ninth green, but the spokesman said Sidmouth Golf Club had recently undertaken a lot of work on its greens.

He added: “We had just carried out a particular treatment on the greens at some significant cost so this is very disappointing.”

PCSO Pepper condemned the act as totally mindless vandalism, and said the police believe the vehicle may have driven up Peak Hill or Muttersmoor Road to get to the golf course.

The force is appealing for witnesses who may have seen a car driving up those roads overnight between Wednesday, November 23 and Thursday, November 25, to come forward.

The non-emergency number to call with information is 101 and the crime reference number is KS11/676.