Royal Troon’s neighbour attacked by vandals
By Alistair Dunsmuir
Vandals have damaged a golf course located just five miles away from Royal Troon one week before it hosts the Open Championship.
The head PGA professional at Prestwick St Nicholas Golf Club has shared images online, which show the extensive damage caused to the course.
Prestwick St Nicholas Golf Club. Image from Facebook
Gareth Hardy posted pictures of what appear to be deep holes that had been dug up on the course, including putting surfaces. At least one green seemed to have been left unplayable.
The Prestwick club is expecting an influx of additional visitors, with Britain’s biggest golf tournament teeing off nearby just one week later.
Prestwick St Nicholas Golf Club. Image from Facebook
Thousands of fans are expected to flock to Royal Troon to watch the last golf ‘major’ of the year, and many had been expected to make the short five-mile trip south to play a round at St Nicholas.
Hardy says the club’s greenkeepers have worked hard to fix the damage to the best of their ability.
He wrote on social media: “So disappointing to arrive at work this morning to this.
Prestwick St Nicholas Golf Club. Image from Facebook
“I really have no idea what goes through people’s heads to do this – the week before the Open where we are expecting lots of visitors here.
“It is just that green, and the greenkeepers have fixed it as best they can, but the damage is bad.”
After the head professional shared the images, hundreds of locals moved to slam the behaviour of those responsible for the “disgraceful” behaviour.
One said: “Unbelievable. Who gets enjoyment from that?”
Another added: “Absolutely shocking! No one knows how hard it is to get the greens and course as good as they can be and now the recovery.”
A spokesperson for nearby Barassie Links Golf Club commented: “Terrible news! We hope that our friends at Prestwick St Nicholas Golf Club can get it repaired.
Prestwick St Nicholas Golf Club. Image from Facebook
“No idea what goes through people’s heads to do something like this.”
Prestwick St Nicholas was co-founded by Old Tom Morris in 1851 and is the 26th oldest golf club in the world. It is a traditional Scottish links golf course occupying a prime position on the shores of the Firth of Clyde.
A number of people have commented on this story on our LinkedIn page.
By Alistair Dunsmuir
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Disgusting – what is wrong with people!
Is it a coincidence that someone was posting on a Facebook page about Scottish colf courses, a few days after this, saying that a visit to that club was so bad, in his opinion, that he would never go back again?
Appalling act of vandalism, we need to gather together and find the culprits and shame them with community payback … it is this mindless vandalism costs business and people their livelihood
Sickening . Absolutely breaks my heart to happen to a golf course anytime – but during a smaller club’s biggest financial visitor weeks right as The Open will be taking place just down the coast at Royal Troon Golf Club is incomprehensible. Located just around the bend in the road and on the coast from its more famous neighbor Prestwick Golf Club – Prestwick St Nicholas GC is a joy to play and should be added to more hashtag#golfitineraries when playing the hashtag#links in hashtag#ayrshire. My heart goes out to the club and their members. If you weren’t aware of this true links gem, please do yourself a favor and add it to your ‘must play’ list. See you on on the tee!!!
Just disgusting that people would do that to any golf course, much less Prestwick!!
I trust the agronomy team can fix this