Theft of golf clubs while eating
 

I have heard a lot of clubs have been taken lately while people have stopped after playing for food or drink.Any truth to it?

I hadn't heard of any such thefts. This is very unsettling!

We played Mallory (foursome) today and then had the wives meet us there to eat afterwards.After eating we all returned to the parking lot.Us golfers were in our carts and our wives met up and came in one car.My golfing partners golf bag had been unstrapped and removed from his cart and placed on the pavement in front of his cart. The pockets on the bag were open and spare golf balls and tees were scattered across the parking lot. Best he could tell nothing was missing, so why go to this extreme and not take anything?

There was an article in the Local section of the Sun earlier this week...yes, there have been a rash of golf club thefts at country clubs; The general pattern has been afternoon...golfers finish their round, go into the country club for food or drink, and clubs are stolen from the golf cart while it is unattended. They have only been taking high end clubs, presumably for pawn or ebay type market. Marion and Sumter sheriffs are aware of it and investigating. I don't recall the exact number of incidents in the last couple of months, but, something like 10-15. Protect your clubs or keep and eye on them!!!

Schotzyb...your friend was lucky; hopefully, he reported it to the clubhouse and/or sheriff.

Its been going on for years. I remember a couple of years ago they arrested a guy, a Villager, who had been caught doing some of the stealing.

Be careful where you park I never park where a car can come up and pull my clubs off my cart into their car. When at a country club I always park in the golf cart parking lot not where the cars park. If I go to a town square I always go by home and leave my clubs at my home.

Many people have more costly clubs than I but I like my clubs and don't want to go through the hassle of replacing them. I know of only one person who has had their clubs stolen. I don't want to become the second person that I know who has had this happen. After all I have to look at myself every day when I shave and I don't want to see someone who regrets parking in the wrong place.

Just be careful and don't make it easy for anyone to help themselves to your clubs.

Seems that the thefts are from the auto parking areas where golfers also park their carts. It's best not to park there and as Indy Guy said do park where autos can't make an easy entrance and exit. Especially do not park at the squares with clubs you're only asking for problems. Believe several recently taken from the auto parking lots at Palmer, Lopez and prior to that Hacienda. It's a shame but don't forget we have a population of 70,000 similar to larger metropolitan areas. We also have a large non-villager population around us that can access all our streets and parking areas.

I always cover my clubs with the rain cover when I go in to eat . I have a green bag with the logo of MONTGOMERY WARDS painted on it.....NOBODY touches my bag , in fact a year ago someone left a new WARDS catalog on the cart seat......
I'm not sure but I think I've been ensulted..........

Fumar

It might not be the entire bag. A friend lost a $400 driver. Taken from his bag while he was at lunch at the Oasis at Lopez. It does not matter if you park in the auto lot or a golf cart lot. These guys cruise the area and it might look like they are moving their bag to their cart to go home but they are not going home.

Anyone moving a bag from a cart to a cart should be questioned.

I would be embarrassed if my clubs were stolen. If it got in the paper it would read, "Villager's Clubs Stolen, Value $50.00 including bag, 10 used balls, 12 tees and a moldy sweatshirt. No reward offered".

That article mentioned a value of $2,000.00. Who, in their right mind, would leave $2,000.00 worth of clubs sitting in a parking lot unattended? Or a $400.00 driver for that matter.
Some may have a false sense of security. We are friendly, we have gates and we have a lot of stuff just begging to be stolen.
And why is The Villages being hit? As Willie Sutton said when asked why he robbed banks, "It's where the money is".

this is a really sad istuation...with no apparent solution...i tend to agree with Fumer that maybe that by putting the club cover on the bag will at least make it a bit more difficult for a potential thief to get at the clubs

When you think about it, many sets of golf clubs are worth $2,000. When you add up the cost of the irons, driver, putter, bag, balls and gadgets.

And, what are you going to do with those clubs while you have lunch. You can't take them into the restaurant with you, you can't take them home and come back. It's an interesting problem.

I believe that thieves are aware that few or no police patrols occur in the Villages and the clubs are fair game. Somebody recently wrote on this forum that I should not be "agitating" for police presence since there is little need for them here. YA RIGHT!

I saw Fumars bag. It has a new cover. It says Goodwill.

I would venture a guess the same folks who leave their clubs
 

on the cart in a parking lot also lock their cars with a few dollars of gifts on the back seat.
I don't tempt anybody, I go the extra mile to take them home.
Happens in all golf cart accessable communities. That's why you lock your car right? Don't leave your keys in the ignition right?

BTK

Most thieves take advantage of the opportunity. Best thing you can do is to do what you can to reduce the opportunity. It's a shame we have to take these steps, but that's the way things are.

One option would be to get something like a computer desk lock (its a 1/4 inch metal wire with a lock atttached to it) and attached it through your golf bag handle or particualrly the metal ring and onto the golf cart itself. You could actually connect it through 2 bags if necessary. This may not be the best solution but if a crook sees or finds a problem with a quick snatch, he/she will let it go and onto to something easier and more vulnerable.

If you notice some foursomes park their carts back to back so the clubs are kind of concealed and it would be extremely difficult to get the bag free of the cart.

One of those rope bike locks that would fit around the golf bag and the golf cart roof supports would be a good deterrent.

After thinking about this incident for awhile, the likely scenario is that the potential theft of my friends clubs was aborted when the thief or thieves thought they were about to be caught and just dropped the bag and took off.

Or could someone (a friend perhaps) simply be leaving a message showing how easy it would have been to steal the clubs but never really intended to do so. If that was the case, that would be risky and defintiely NOT adviseable!

Golf Bag Thefts
 

Golf bag alarms are available. There are several manufacturers. Here is a sample:

http://www.wheatroadgolf.com/accesso...lert/index.htm

Should scare away anyone trying to move your golf bag.

Thief "Bait"
 

What they need to do is set up a "Bait" Cart in a parking lot (or?) with something of value and have a plainclothes officer watching.

Once the "reputation" that this is being done then "hopefully" the word would get out and maybe there will be one less thief left on the street

Just takes a few people getting caught and put in newspaper to make them and their friends think twice :mad:

Well anyway I got that idea from watching 20/20 news commentary :popcorn:

Add another instance of Club Theft. This time at Mallory Square. And again, while golfers were inside eating lunch. Took golf bag and all, in broad daylight. What a shame, and a tarnish on our 'hood! :cus:

Just curious, where were they parked? Agree with ChattanoogaTn, time for a bait cart by the sheriff's department.

In front parking lot of Mallory, not back in the cart parking lot. I understand most thefts occur in the "car" parking lots. Happened yesterday, 5/23 - Sat.

Makes sense stealing from main vehicle parking lot. Much easier to stop behind a golf cart loaded with clubs , jump out, throw them in the back seat of the car and take off.Though not entirely safe it might be better to park in the golf cart parking area.

Another solution
 

Here is a link to another anti-theft device by Burton. I bought one of these bags in anticipation of moving to TV (delayed) but the bag does a good job of keeping honest people honest. It locks the clubs in the bag and locks the bag to your cart with a retractable cable. Not a fancy bag but it is a decent cart bag.

Click here to learn about the lock system

New R-11 stolen at Glenview
 

While putting near starter shack, golfers new R11 was stolen....He is sick over it!....Please, please this is open season on golf club theft...WATCH your clubs

Cart Thefts
 

I believe most cart thefts are crimes of opportunity. Make it inconvenient for thieves to steal what you don't want taken. I use a cable lock to prevent the rain cover from being lifted on my cart. You cannot remove the bags or clubs when this is done. Sure you can cut the cable or slice the cover. The point is, why would they do any of this when they can just go to the next cart?

I'm beginning to wonder how much is theft and how much is carelessness. In the past week, I've picked up 4 bags that fell from the back of carts and tracked down the owners. One set was valued over $3K (an LPGA member). None of these people knew their clubs had fallen off their carts.

Common sense is the greatest of eqaulizers.
 

There will ALWAYS be a certain percentage of those who are on the lookout for easy prey to make a buck.

They are not stealing the club(s) to play golf...they are to sell to get cash to buy _ _ _ _ _ _ (fill in the blank).

btk

My friend's clubs were stolen a few weeks back, while parked in the side lot (carts only) at Cane Garden. The thief apparently wasn't very golf savvy: the clubs he took were cheapos, while there were two sets of Adams in the adjacent cart.
We've had to resort to the lockable canvas cover available at many of the pro shops -- including Cane Garden. Padlock not included.
I resent that we have to do that, but such is life.

If I had a new R11 I'd put it in an old headcover! $399 now on e-bay for $250!! Let's be careful out there.

The Good News
 

An article appearing in Golf Digest wanted to test golfers honesty. so they left 25 PW around various golf courses. Of the 25, 21 were returned to the clubhouse. I am gald I read this hread because I thought with the capture of those two brothers that the problem was solved. I guees I will have to invest in one of those golf bag covers that locked onto the cart. does any know where to purchase them?

PW vs. new Driver = big difference!

I know that someone on this thread had mentioned various locking devices. Try the search above if no one responds here.

A friend bought one at Hacienda Hill pro shop...................

Leaving a $400 driver sitting anywhere is just being careless.

Wish someone would steal my driver. Danged thing quit on me.

Gracie, I'll be your chauffeur anytime you want. Just shout out! :1rotfl:

Be very careful when buying clubs on e-bay. Taylor Made has set the lowest price possible at $399.99. All reputable golf dealers cannot sell at a lower price.