‘Disgusted’ Scottish golf club launches probe after theft

The home of world No.14 Robert MacIntyre has launched a probe into a thief who stole new turf from the club this week.

MacIntyre, 28, grew up playing Glencruitten with his dad, Dougie, who is still the Head Greenkeeper at the renowned Oban venue today.

But, with MacIntyre expected to return home this week in preparation for his first Masters appearance in three years, the club has been left in a somber mood.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, secretary John Tannahill said the club is ‘disgusted’ to reveal that 12 rolls of turf, delivered to redo the eighth hole, have been pinched.

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“The whole club are disgusted by it and quite concerned that somebody would have the knowledge to try to time it in such a way,” he said.

“Given the amount of work the greenkeepers had put into doing it and then having all of that trauma.

“It would have been easy enough to see the delivery arrive. So, it wouldn’t necessarily needed to have been someone who knew it was coming.

“They may just have been someone who’s passing on that road and saw it being delivered and then has gone back on the chance and found that the car park was empty so were able to go ahead and do it.”

The club appealed for the culprit to hand themselves in but, so far, nobody has.

Currently, all Tannahill knows is the colour of the clothes the thief was wearing when they stole from the delivery point, located in the car park, and the colour of the car.

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“It’s really quite irritating but to be quite honest, I didn’t expect to get a response from it anyway from the individual,” he added.

“What I thought I might have got was somebody indicating who it was.

“At this stage now, the turf, if it hasn’t been laid somewhere else, it wouldn’t be of any use to anyone, it doesn’t last that long, when it’s in bales.

“It’s also the largest project that has been undertaken on the course for some years.”

The MacIntyre pair firmly put Glencruitten on the map last year, when the Ryder Cup winner landed the RBC Canadian Open title with his dad on the bag.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Tryst Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.