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