The community-run golf course was greeted with the “disappointing” sight of a burnt-out car, which had been stolen from a property and then driven into the bunker on the second green, on the morning of Sunday, October 11, ahead of its annual Texas Scramble Fundraiser.
“It won’t put us off,” golf course bounces back after “devastating” car vandalism (Image: Clydebank Overtoun Golf Course)
Speaking to the Post, Douglas McAlister, chair of the course’s Charitable Trust and MP, explained that it did not ruin the event; however, he noted: “It’s all that people were talking about.”
He added: “Human nature means people are going to take pictures of it and put them on social media.
“But it was disappointing that people would see that image of Dalmuir Golf Course.”
The course is maintained by volunteers who had worked hard to get the greens into “incredible condition” ahead of the event and, for this reason, McAllister called the incident a “double blow.”
As a result, the group moved quickly to get the car removed, with the vehicle taken away on Wednesday morning.
“It won’t put us off,” golf course bounces back after “devastating” car vandalism (Image: Douglas McAllister)
He added: “What we didn’t want was it attracting other people to come down and take pictures of it, almost like a trophy shot to pose next to this burnt-out car on the golf course.
“We’ve worked so hard to improve the condition of the golf course and enhance its reputation, and that image really doesn’t help.
“Our thoughts are with the owner of the vehicle as well. It must have been quite a dramatic weekend for them.”
Despite this, the event was a success, raising more than £5000, something the group said they are “absolutely over the moon” about, and McAllister stated: “Every penny will be spent on the course.”
Douglas added: “It won’t put us off. These things never do.
“We just take it as part of the challenge of running the golf course, which has been a huge success.”
A 34-year-old man has since been arrested in connection with the incident, as we previously reported.