Historic golf course repeatedly attacked by vandals

Dartmouth Golf Course in West Bromwich boasts a rich history that dates back to 1910, but this fabulous venue is currently facing a major crisis after repeated attacks by vandals have set back months of preparation for the new season.

Three incidents involving motorbikes have caused significant damage costing thousands of pounds to repair. It was February when the first attack occurred, with a repeat coming in March, before the most recent act of vandalism on Wednesday night that has seen the surfaces of the greens being churned up.

Underlining the senseless premeditation of the vandals, they even cut a piece of the razor wire that had been protecting the course, only to then wrap it around one of the flagsticks.

Temporary Greens Have Been Introduced Due to Damage

(Image Credit: Dartmouth Golf Course)

Consequently, during a time when this nine-hole layout (with 18 distinctive tees) should be fully opened and ready to embrace the peak months of the year, several makeshift greens have been introduced to ensure that play continues for members despite the damage.

Speaking to Express & Star, the club's vice captain Dan Elwell said: "This is just mindless vandalism. They were doing donuts on the greens. There are divots and six-inch grooves in the greens. Over the last three months, we have been subject to three acts of vandalism.

"The latest occurred last Wednesday evening. We have contacted the police on each occasion, who have just given us a crime reference number for each occurrence, but got no actual help in preventing re-occurrence.

"The fact that they wrapped razor wire around the flag feels like they are mocking us."

What More Could Local Authorities Do to Protect The Course?

Given these repeated attacks, it's no surprise that the club has taken things further, contacting West Bromwich MP Sarah Coombes with the Sandwell Council Anti-Social Behaviour Unit now investigating these events, but there is a belief that the local authority could be doing more to protect this beloved facility.

Mr Elwell added: "The land that the course sits on is owned by Sandwell Council. 

"In our opinion, the responsibility for security of the site sits with Sandwell council, but as of yet we’ve not had any joy in securing some sort of permanent measure to stop vandals entering the course.

"The costs each time the greens need to be repaired are into the tens of thousands and can take months to fully recover.

"We are losing money because we cannot charge golfers to use the course as it is at the moment, and our season starts soon."

Action is Now Required to Ensure it Doesn't Happen Again

There is a meeting scheduled for today (Friday 17 April) encompassing several key figures, including the local MP and police representation, to discuss what preventative actions could be taken to ensure that no further incidents occur.

Mr Elwell said: "We are hoping to get public support for permanent structures to be installed to prevent access to the course because we cannot go on like this."

Vandalism remains a growing problem for golf courses all over the UK, with some venues having to take extreme (and costly) measures to protect themselves from these criminal acts.

The Golf Business brought this story to our attention and, sadly, it's unlikely to be the last tale of this sort that we see in 2026 as no part of the country has been untouched in recent years by vandals targeting golf courses.