Thames Ditton and Esher Golf Club in Surrey, one of the oldest in the region having been established in 1892, has been the victim of regular vandalism in recent months, with motorbikes tearing through the course, but the latest attack is a significant departure.
While it could be argued that the damage to the course was a by product of the [suspected] youths having fun on the motorbikes, it’s highly unlikely. However, there is no denying that the most recent attack was different and very much deliberate as a swastika – the symbol of the Nazi regime – was carved into one of the club’s greens.
“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.
“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 club is not just enjoyed by local golfers, but is a popular walking place for residents of the area and the club feel that an attack on the golf course is an attack on the community itself.
“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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