intentional damage by a golfer Cancel The title field is required!

1. Richardson II James S

   
   8/3/2012 11:08 AM

   Had a golfer take a club and swing it into 3 of my my Crenshaw greens taking out large chunks. Did it three times on one green, twice on another, and kicking a two foot scuff mark on another. I caught the lowlife and am in the process of pressing charges.
   
   Here is where i need help. establishing a value to the damage. I am in contact with a sod farm in NC to get me a price for replacement sod (will have to be different since Crenshaw isn't available) and having it shipped to me in Alabama. Other than chemicals, and labor to remove and repair, is there anything I am missing?
   
   I know, i could actually take a divot tool, and repair the damage. But it is the principle of making this guy pay for what he has done, and be held accountable for his actions.
   
   Any advice is more than welcomed. I am in my second year as a Head Superintendent, so I am dealing with a lot of this for the first time.
   
   Thanks
   Jimmy Richardson

   
   
   
   
2. James Smith

   

   112 posts
   
   8/3/2012 12:08 PM

   While getting re-imbursed for the vandalism would be nice I would prefer that he never step foot back on my property again. Even if you press charges he may make you go to court in order to get anything and in my opinion it is not worth the effort. Kick him out of the club and pass his name along to other clubs that are close to yours.

   
   
   
   
3. Richardson II James S

   
   8/3/2012 12:08 PM

   i offered to sit down with him and work out an agreement, but he chose to get an attitude and basically question my grounds to do anything to him.
   
   He will definately be banned from my property, and it is a good idea to speak with other clubs in the area. Am trying to, I guess in a way, score one for the good guys, we dont get the opportunity often to catch much less punish those that abuse our pride and joy...

   
   
   
   
4. Steven Huffstutler

   

   11 posts
   
   8/3/2012 12:08 PM

   Call the Police and file a complaint. Take him through the system and I guarantee he'll be remorseful when it's over.
   
   Good luck
   
   Steve

   
   
   
   
5. Kevin Girt

   

   0 posts
   
   8/3/2012 1:08 PM

   Would he be remorseful or resentful and cause more damage down the road. Found it helpful to deal with one's pride, Try posting his picture with the damage and explanation of what he did in the pro-shop and circulate it to the other clubs. as long a report to the police has been made it wouldn't be slander or defamation but it would sure as heck be embarrassing to him.

   
   
   
   
6. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   8/3/2012 4:08 PM

   Is there a way to calculate for possible lost revenue?
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
7. Robert Crockett

   

   4 posts
   
   8/3/2012 4:08 PM

   There's the Turf.....the labor involved with installation and post care and anything else you can make up. To bad his punishment can't be like have him sit at the club entrance with a huge sign fitted to him that has a picture of the damage and the song playing "I'm Sorry" on it. If he's not from the area, it's no big deal for him. Sure his piers might think twice about playing golf with him again. I would be embarrassed to have been in the group playing with him. I call the police and file a report, but have never actually caught a vandal in the act.
   
   Sorry it happened....Glad you caught him.

   
   
   
   
8. Ronald Conard

   

   4 posts
   
   8/3/2012 5:08 PM

   Kill him

   
   
   
   
9. Clay Putnam

   

   33 posts
   
   8/3/2012 6:08 PM

   Didn't you have a transmission failure on the way to repair the damaged greens? And didn't the transmission fluid leak all over the fairway causing extensive turf damage? And didn't a pump fail when you turned on the irrigation to flush the transmission fluid? And didn't the golf shop have to turn away a 144 person outing because the course was in no condition to allow golfers on the course? And didn't you have irate golfers who played behind this jamoke that said they would never come back to play your course because the course was in such a damaged condition?

   
   
   
   
10. McDaniel Gregory B

    
    8/3/2012 6:08 PM

    I had a member that did it every time we aerified. I plugged them for years , but I decided to just leave one on a green for a couple of weeks and it never happened again!!

    
    
    
    
11. Wahlin Scott B

    
    8/3/2012 9:08 PM

    Melvin Waldron, CGCS said: Is there a way to calculate for possible lost revenue?
    
    Mel

    
    
    Lost revenue would be my concern. People hear your greens are damaged and they stay away for while. I had a green vandalized once and it hit our revenue with an average 50% reduction for 6 weeks. The police located the culprit and I got the money. If there is any difference between budgeted and actual revenues, you should at least get that.

    
    
    
    
12. James Smith

    

    112 posts
    
    8/4/2012 6:08 AM

    Jeffrey Wallace, CGCS said:

    Clay Putnam, CGCS said: Didn't you have a transmission failure on the way to repair the damaged greens? And didn't the transmission fluid leak all over the fairway causing extensive turf damage? And didn't a pump fail when you turned on the irrigation to flush the transmission fluid? And didn't the golf shop have to turn away a 144 person outing because the course was in no condition to allow golfers on the course? And didn't you have irate golfers who played behind this jamoke that said they would never come back to play your course because the course was in such a damaged condition?

    
    
    That's a lot of questions. I don't know about anyone else, but my head just exploded. Could you do five different posts? That way, anyone that may be more stupider than me can answer each one. Then I'll be smarterer. Plus, your post count will show 8 more posts. I mean 3. No, wait.....4?
    
    Math are useless.

    
    Is this even possible?

    
    
    
    
13. Clay Putnam

    

    33 posts
    
    8/4/2012 12:08 PM

    Jeffrey Wallace, CGCS said:

    Clay Putnam, CGCS said: Didn't you have a transmission failure on the way to repair the damaged greens? And didn't the transmission fluid leak all over the fairway causing extensive turf damage? And didn't a pump fail when you turned on the irrigation to flush the transmission fluid? And didn't the golf shop have to turn away a 144 person outing because the course was in no condition to allow golfers on the course? And didn't you have irate golfers who played behind this jamoke that said they would never come back to play your course because the course was in such a damaged condition?

    
    
    That's a lot of questions. I don't know about anyone else, but my head just exploded. Could you do five different posts? That way, anyone that may be more stupider than me can answer each one. Then I'll be smarterer. Plus, your post count will show 8 more posts. I mean 3. No, wait.....4?
    
    Math are useless.

    
    
    Well the culprit is really screwed now. You can add murder charges to the counts against him. Jeffy's head exploded because of the culprit's vandalism.
    
    You'll be missed Jeffy, sorta. I'm sure there's someone out there that will miss you. R.I.P.

    
    
    
    
14. Ronald Conard

    

    4 posts
    
    8/4/2012 1:08 PM

    Clay Putnam, CGCS said:
    You'll be missed Jeffy, sorta. I'm sure there's someone out there that will miss you. R.I.P.

    
    
    I will. He's so generous with his girlfriend and when things get mopped up he'll even take her back. No buyer's remorse at all.

    
    
    
    
15. James Schmid

    

    1 posts
    
    8/4/2012 1:08 PM

    Don't worry about it. Just plug it out, and dont allow that person to play anymore, and move on.

    
    
    
    
16. Steven Huffstutler

    

    11 posts
    
    8/4/2012 1:08 PM

    Erase him with a sandblaster.

    
    
    
    
17. Reece Jody D

    
    8/8/2012 7:08 PM

    I agree with all the Death Penalty suggestions.

    
    
    
    
18. John Borcher

    

    0 posts
    
    8/8/2012 7:08 PM

    Hang them from a tree outside the pro shop so all the other golfers know what happens to those that damage the course. Kind of like they used to do with pirates.

    
    
    
    
19. McCallum David K

    
    8/9/2012 6:08 AM

    I like all the comments about capital death for the guy. He killed the green.....he is now in the same category at Mitt Romney............killer killer killer!

    
    
    
    
20. Trevor Monreal

    

    5 posts
    
    8/9/2012 7:08 AM

    I agree with the boring but correct response of others.
    Make it so he is never welcome back to the property.
    figuring out the overall cost of the damage he did will cause YOU more stress/headache than it ever will him.
    Or...make him play with the ladies group for a few outings...he'll take up bowling then.

    
    
    
    
21. Steve Nelson

    

    0 posts
    
    8/9/2012 9:08 AM

    James, I gather we're talking about a handful of divots and a scuff mark. Don't kill yourself over this. There's plenty of other things to stress about. Fix the divots and carry on. Present his name and your evidence to your GM and in a straight forward, unemotional conversation request that this person not be allowed to play there anymore. Done.
    
    Those things are all in a days work here at the lowly muni. After 21 years of the same stuff and then some happening daily, I don't even think about it anymore. It's just part of the job here.

    
    
    
    
22. Timothy Walker

    

    0 posts
    
    8/12/2012 8:08 PM

    The aggravation isn't worth it...recommend he not be allowed to play there, repair the damage, write a bill for repairing with sod, and press charges...then move on. If you can repair with a divot tool, then so be it, the point is made and he may not be allowed to return. There are far too many more important things to be concerned over that can not be controlled or as easily repaired....

    
    
    
    
23. Quigney Michael T

    
    8/13/2012 12:08 PM

    Pressing charges and making him suffer through the court system process is worth it. Hopefully he will have to take time off work to go to court. The embarrassment of facing a judge or magistrate for a charge like this is worth it too. We had 3 high school kids break into our cart barn and do significant damage to 7 carts and less significant damage on the course. I counted every penny - including my time in calculating the damage. The total bill was $15,000.00. It was so satisfying watching Mommy and Daddy cut us a check. Two of the parents offered to have them work at the course rather than pay the damages. The best feeling was telling them that I didn't want there little angels to set foot on property again. If they did - we would call the cops. I also told them it wasn't my job to discipline and raise their kids. People who do damage to our courses are scumbags and we should treat them as such.
    
    I needed a good rant - thanks!
    
    One thought would be to include each of the responses to this post as a consultants fee. My fee is $1000.00. I'm sure some of the other posters would charge a similar amount. Keep posting - send him the bill.
    
    Mike Quigney
    Moon Golf Club

    
    
    
    
24. Timothy Walker

    

    0 posts
    
    8/13/2012 2:08 PM

    mike, that was a beautiful story and well worth it .... my fee is also $1000.00, but since this is the 2nd message make it 2,000

    
    
    
    
25. Ronald Conard

    

    4 posts
    
    8/13/2012 5:08 PM

    My solution costs quite a bit more than a grand but can be negotiated.

    
    
    
    
26. Robert Crockett

    

    4 posts
    
    8/14/2012 6:08 AM

    Timothy Walker, CGCS said: mike, that was a beautiful story and well worth it .... my fee is also $1000.00, but since this is the 2nd message make it 2,000

    
    Yes....I agree....$500.00