Damage at Sikeston Country Club golf course in thousands

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Sikeston Department of Public Safety is investigating the worst case of vandalism the Sikeston Country Club has ever suffered to its course.

Darryl Best, head superintendent for the Sikeston Country Club, discovered the damage to the course at about 6 a.m. Monday and reported it to the department around 6:15 a.m.

"Sunday night they got us pretty good," said Kevin Collins, golf professional at the country club.

What the department believes to be a small vehicle, based on the width and depth of the tire tracks, drove on the course -- down the fairways, up over tee boxes -- and did doughnuts on the putting greens for holes 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17 and 18.

"They were out here for at least 30 minutes doing this, and that's a lot of time to spend on property when you could get caught," Collins said.

The country club has been the victim of vandalism before. Collins said they get someone who drives onto the course and damages it just about every year.

The cost to repair the damage at this point is estimated to be between $7,000 and $10,000, according to Collins.