With the lush and perfectly cultivated "greens" on the many golf clubs throughout the area, where amatuers and professional alike play the game they love, it seems that it has given thieves the ideal opportunity of not only disrupting the game itself but has caused untold concern for owners of the many golf courses in and around Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells, since the theft of the highly prized turf has been stolen from a local golf club in the area.

Police are now investigating the theft of turf, estimated to be worth around £1,000, from the West Malling Golf Club.

Between 6.30pm on Thursday 13 August and 6.30am on Friday 14 August turf has been removed from the edges of a green and two tees at the course. Officers are working with the club and investigations are on-going.

It seems that many clubs do not have the provision or the money to cater for every hole on the course to be monitored by the use of cctv cameras, the greens are situated a short or great distance away from the clubhouse, which gives thieves the opportunity to recklessley drive across the land and choose where they desire to steal the turf from.

The time indicated when this happened was possibly during the night, when there is no-one around to prevent this occuring or to keep the golf club at a secure level from intruders or thieves.

Although this crime has just been revealed to the public, it will now be up to the golf course owners and staff to endeavour to be vigilant to protect their own golf courses from the unscrupulous thieves who are determined to steal the prized turf.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police on 01732 379217 (if possible quoting reference 011693)

or Kent Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. 

Callers to Crimestoppers do not have to leave their name.