Drivers destroying Beverley Golf Club fairways
Wed 11th October 2017
Car tyre tracks, 'cardonuts' and ruts in the fairways are making life difficult for Beverley's golfers. Beverley and District Golf Club is one of the oldest golf clubs in Yorkshire (arguably the oldest golf club in Yorkshire) and unique in that it is built on common land, the Westwood, and is there for everyone to enjoy. Driving cars or motorcycles anywhere on the Westwood, where cattle freely graze, is not allowed although people can park for short periods of time along the roadsides.
Recently, a post on Instagram, showing 'cardonuts' made by cars being revved up and slung around on the Westwood was followed up by the local police and the perpetrators spoken to. However, since then, more 'cardonuts' have been found along with evidence of cars being driven along the fairways and around the Westwood, destroying the environment and making the Golf Course almost impossible to use.
The Golf Course has a reputation of being challenging and therefore attracts golfers from all over the country. Golf Pro, Stewart Fraser said: " Whoever is destroying the Westwood and this beautiful course needs to realise that what they are doing might be fun for them but is not fun for anyone else. The Pasture Masters and Golf Groundsmen who look after the Westwood are very concerned that the damage is so severe that the fairways could take months, if not years to recover. Fairways affected include the 2nd (which is close to the Club House, 5th, 7th, 13th and 14th."
It is likely that the people causing the damage are using the cover of darkness to hide their tracks until the morning, when they are long-gone. However, if Beverlonians could watch out for noise, lights, cars and motorcycles being driven on the Westwood at any time of the day or night and, if they see anything suspicious, contact Humberside Police on 101, we might be able to keep our 'Jewel in the Crown' of Beverley intact.
