Damage caused by vandals to golf courses and their golf car fleets is an $8 million to $10 million problem that course owners, operators, club professionals and superintendents are struggling to solve, according to a white paper published by Club Car. The survey, called “Golf Car Vandalism: No Joyride,” was developed following research to identify owners’ and operators’ chief operational concerns.
Among the survey findings were statistics that underlined the critical nature of the vandalism problem:
• 72 percent of courses reported vandalism or golfers playing extra holes without paying a green fee
• 27 percent said they had retrieved a vandalized golf car from a lake or creek
• 48 percent reported unauthorized use of golf cars
• 42 percent reported golf cars being driven in restricted areas
• 21 percent reported theft of golf cars
Golf course vandalism is a growing problem across the country, said Joel Willis, an insurance executive interviewed for the white paper. “Vehicle and equipment replacement costs, plus lost revenues if the course has to shut down for repairs or prepare temporary greens, make these kinds of incidents an owner’s worst nightmare,” Willis said.
Partially in response to the vandalism problem, Club Car introduced its GPS-based Guardian SVC system earlier this year, which allows courses to define restricted areas and limit vehicle access. For more information, visit www.clubcar.com
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