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Vandals have caused significant damage to one of Scotland’s most prestigious golf courses.

Downfield, located in Dundee, was set upon by quad-bike driving thugs last week.

Multiple greens, including the fourth, seventh, 13th and 17th, were all reportedly attacked, with tyre tracks visible on various fairways, too.

bunkered.co.uk understands the damage caused could cost thousands of pounds to repair.

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One club member told us: “It’s just mindless. You wonder what goes through people’s heads to do something this like. You feel for the greenkeepers who work so hard all year, particularly in the winter, and then are confronted with this. It’s not on.”

Downfield is widely acknowledged as one of the country’s top inland courses. The host venue for the inaugural Scottish Open in 1972, it has been used to stage countless high-profile events since, including the World Seniors Matchplay, the Benson and Hedges International, the Scottish PGA Championship, and the Scottish Amateur.

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In 1999, when it was used for Open qualifying, Paul Lawrie earned his place in the championship at Downfield before going on to win the Claret Jug at nearby Carnoustie.

The Dundee club is just the latest to be targeted by vandals. Last week, bunkered.co.uk reported that Thorndon Park Golf Club near Brentwood, in Essex, was facing a repair bill of up to £50,000 after two masked yobs – also on quad bikes – attacked the course, inflicting damage upon six greens and more than half of the fairways.

Shortly before Christmas, Pwllheli Golf Club – a part links, part parkland layout on the Cardigan Bay coastline in north Wales – reported that a car had been driven on its 11th fairway, causing significant damage.


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Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor

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