Vandals have caused “extensive damage” to a much-loved Aberdeen golf course less than a week after it fully reopened to the public.
The greens at King’s Links were out of action for nearly 12 months after they were damaged last year, but reopened to the public last Saturday.
Employees of Sport Aberdeen and the Sports Turf Research Institute devoted hundreds of hours to restoring the popular golf course to its former glory following the erroneous application of a strong chemical last spring.
However, just five days on one of the newly-refurbished greens has been significantly damaged after a motorbike was ridden across it.
Sport Aberdeen, which operates the public course along with several others in the city, said it could be forced to step up security at its sites following the incident.
The organisation’s managing director Alistair Robertson urged members of the public with information on the incident to contact Police Scotland.
Vandalism ‘incredibly disheartening’
Mr Robertson also said the vandalism would increase the financial pressures on the charity, which delivers sporting activities in communities across Aberdeen.
He said: “I am in utter disbelief and absolutely appalled that an individual would go out of their way to purposely vandalise one of our city’s best-loved public golf courses.
“The fact that the greens were only reopened to the public less than a week ago is incredibly disheartening for us, and for our members, who have been eagerly awaiting the chance to play the Kings Links again.
“Golf Aberdeen staff, our maintenance partners at idverde and members of the Sports Turf Research Institute have worked tirelessly over the last nine months to bring the Kings Links greens back to their former glory and why someone would vandalise this community facility in such a senseless manner is beyond me.
“I would ask that if anyone has any information relating to this to please contact the police on 101. We have worked to rectify the damage and the affected green is now back in play.
“We will now be re-evaluating our security measures, increasing the financial strain on the charity which has been hugely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Police Scotland were contacted for comment.