A golf club frequented by Anton Du Beke and the late Eric Morecambe has been plagued by a spate of vandalism, with motorbikes tearing up the course and culprits carving a Nazi symbol.
Thames Ditton and Esher Golf Club in Surrey, established in 1892, stands as one of Britain's oldest golf clubs and a cornerstone of the local community. Members have been left shocked and distressed by the recent incidents.
Several neighbouring facilities, including Wimbledon Golf Club and Old Cranleighans, have also fallen victim to what appears to be the same group, raising alarm about this wave of destructive behaviour. The club has urged local residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the police.
Mark Rodberd, general manager of Thames Ditton and Esher Golf Club, said: "It began last April. 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."
According to Mr Rodberd, after an initial spate of vandalism last spring and summer, there were a few months of relative quiet until the anti-social activity resumed.
Since October, the site has been targeted around eight times and the trespassers appear to be escalating their activity, with a Nazi swastika carved into the green last Saturday. The offensive insignia was spotted by dog walkers and the club has had to handle complaints about it from the public.
Mr Rodbard said: "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 golf club resides on ancient common land, meaning it isn’t possible for the site to be monitored by CCTV or protected by fencing, unlike other privately run golf clubs.
The green space is cherished by a wide range of people—not just golfers, but also college students, dog walkers, and residents who visit for fresh air and recreation. However, the continued damage is making it increasingly difficult to preserve the area.
The club has contacted local MP Monica Harding to seek urgent assistance, with both the Police and Elmbridge Borough Council unable to provide resources to help identify those responsible.
Mr Rodbard said: "It's demoralising. 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.
"The police have suggested trying to close off the routes to the green but of course it's a community space on common land. Hopefully, someone knows who is doing this. We're asking the public to help us put a stop to this."
