A BREAK-IN at Sanquhar Golf Club has left members angry and confused after essential equipment worth up to nearly £10,000 was stolen from the club’s shed last week.

The club’s greenkeeper’s shed was ransacked on the night of Thursday, August 6, with thieves making away with what is estimated to be around £8,000 worth of machinery including fertiliser and strimmers.

The shocking incident has left the club reeling after it was just starting to get back on its feet following the easing of lockdown restrictions in June which allowed for renewed course action.

However members say they have been overwhelmed by local support after a gofundme page set up following the break-in raised over £1,500 in just four days, helping them to buy back the equipment lost in the raid.

Josh Muncie, Club Captain, said: “The greenkeeper discovered the break-in in the morning. The work doors were lying open and the padlock had been snipped. We were due to get a new greenkeeper’s shed next week, but the one now is all burnt as they cut through the rubber and took everything.

We’re left with just two machines.

“It’s the first time anything like this has happened. They took the gate off its hinges and just drove off. They also snipped the electricity so the car park lights wouldn’t even come on. We got a new utility vehicle which is just a year and a half old but now that’s £8,000 gone.”

Josh says the club was enjoying increased membership after reopening last month, but that the robbery has thrown a major spanner in the works as they now seek funds to keep the club going.

He said: “We’re just a regular golf club, we’ve not got a lot of money. We just scrape by. We got a few new members because of coronavirus as the boys who played for the local football team can’t do so now and so now want to play golf. It was just getting good and now this has happened.

“The gofundme page is helping us out and local clubs as far as Dumfries and Carlisle have been offering essentials to keep us going.

The secretary is still having bother getting us strimmers, fly-mo’s and blowers which is a shame but the help we’re getting is unbelievable.

“Hopefully we get back on our feet and it won’t have too much of an impact in the long-run.”

To donate, visit https://uk.gofundme.com/f/help-sanquhar-golf-club