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One of Britain’s longest standing golf clubs has been targeted by vandals, with members left disturbed and shocked after a Nazi symbol was carved onto a green.

Thames Ditton and Esher Golf Club in Surrey, a venue established in 1892, has been plagued by motorbikes tearing up its course for several months.

The most recent evidence of the distressing destruction was demonstrated by the X account @ks_blake on Saturday.

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“It began last April,” Mark Rodberd, the course’s general manager told The Standard.

“Over the summer, every now and then, we’d have problems with these dirt bikes going on the golf course and using it as a race track, making marks on the grass which appeared to be very deliberate.

“The Nazi symbol is completely different to what we’ve had before. It’s shored up a lot of interest on social media and it’s an accumulation of everything that’s been building up since last year.

“We have reported each and every incident to the police and council but generally speaking, it does always end up being the same type of response and the case closes after a couple of days.

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“It’s difficult this time of year. There’s not a whole lot you can do to fix the damage because the grass isn’t growing. We tried to cover up the Nazi symbol with some soil but the next day it was very visible.”

The Surrey club has long been regarded a pillar of the community, enjoyed not only by golfers but by walkers and residents who enjoy the public green space.

Locals, therefore, are being urged to remain vigilant and support prosecutions, with police yet to identify the culprits.

“It’s demoralising,” Rodberd added. “We’re a community-based, non-profit club, and a lot of what we do is led by volunteers. You feel like it’s one step too much.”

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Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.