“Fires and vandalism” – Another golf club falls victim to lockdown thugs

Another Glasgow golf club has spoken of falling victim to vandals during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Greenkeeping staff carrying out essential maintenance at Crow Wood, just off the M80 motorway between Stepps and Moodiesburn, have spoken of cycle tracks on greens, rubbish on fire and other acts of mindless vandalism.

Course manager Ali Graham told the Glasgow Times: “It is happening most days to be honest.

“We are here during the day doing what we have to do and when we come in the next day there is always something.”

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Like all golf clubs and courses across the country, Crow Wood has been closed since March 23, when the UK government announced a series of restrictions designed to help contain the spread of coronavirus.

However, with people encouraged to exercise daily, some otherwise unused golf courses have become de facto public parks.

“There has just been a massive influx of dog walkers and people on bikes,” added Graham. “The greens are hard to upkeep so that is our main concern. We are asking people to respect the greens. This is our jobs and we are out here working.

“We spend a lot of money on our greens. They need a lot of care and it is not helping when the public is cycling or playing football on them.”

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Crow Wood is by no means the only golf club to call for the public to treat its facilities better during the lockdown period.

Earlier this week, The Bishopbriggs Golf Club released a statement asking for locals to be more respectful of its course, whilst officials from a golf club that plays out of Leven Links have condemned dog walkers who are have allowed their pets to ‘desecrate’ the world-famous course.