Last Monday (January 14) vandals entered the grounds of Cessnock Colf Course – also known as Stonebridge - at some stage between 7.30pm and 5am, pouring what was believed to be diesel fuel in a wide, arcing horseshoe shape on the course’s fourteenth green.

Course superintendent Merv Hayward said that the damage would take more than a month to repair.

“To returf the damage would take us around six to eight weeks to get it back to where it was, and it would cost us around $1,500 to $2,000,” an exasperated Mr Hayward said. “If we were to returf the whole green, we would be looking at maybe six to eight grand. These idiots just don’t realise how much it costs.”

Mr Hayward said the attack was the latest in a string of incidents at the club over the past few weeks in which damage had been done to the fifteenth and fourth greens.

The Advertiser reported in March last year that the club had been the victim of three attacks in the space of two weeks.

Mr Hayward added that while police had been notified of the incidents, they had been unable to act due to a lack of evidence.

“They always seem to go where they know people can’t see them,” Mr Hayward said. “So we’re planning to install cameras on the holes that have been targeted.”

While he is unsure of who is behind the attacks, Mr Hayward said he believed it may be school-aged children due to the timing of the vandalism.

“Nothing will happen for three or four months and then it seems to start up again.

“It seems to coincide with the school holidays when the kids are bored and have nothing better to do.”

Club Captain Peter Conroy echoed Mr Hayward’s sentiment.

“It’s very frustrating,” he said. “You give time to the club, you give a number of days a week and we’re getting new members, the course is in good condition and then you see something like this.

“There is just no point to digging up or damaging a green.”

Mr Conroy added that with the amount of residential development happening around the club, incidents of vandalism do little to foster a sense of community that the club is striving for.

“We like to consider ourselves a community centre as much as we are a golf course,” Mr Conroy said.

“For us it’s all about building a community spirit, but this kind of behaviour does very little to enhance that.”

Mr Hayward added that he would like to see those responsible own up and take responsibility.

“If they want to do it they are more than welcome to come back and fix it up,” he said. “It would be interesting to see how long they last.”

He even offered the offenders an alternative.

“In my day, we found things to keep us occupied. If people are bored, there are plenty of things here for them to do that will keep them busy,” he said.

Anyone with information about these incidents should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.