Bay bowlers are devastated after a man in a stolen car ploughed his way around their club's newly-laid green, wrecking plans for a major tournament today. Members of the Tauranga Bowling Club, who spent hours on their hands and knees over the past six months carefully weeding and preparing the green,were greeted by a mass of tyre marks this morning. The driver of the stolen car was found asleep inside it in the carpark outside the club. Police were interviewing him and say charges are likely. The vandalism has severely affected plans to hold the first major triples tournament on the green today. Twenty eight teams from around the Western Bay were to play on the new green but the damage meant only 16 would play on a second green at the club. Club members would sacrifice their places so visiting sides could still compete. "It's been a team effort to get this green up to this level," committee member Jack Jarvis said as he surveyed the damage. "Hours and hours have been put in by club members with many of them on their hands and knees picking out the weeds and it's cost thousands of dollars." He said it was lucky the culprit had not "floored it" and ripped up the soil on the surface. "It may not look that bad but bowlers don't like an uneven surface. The damage is still substantial." Greenkeeper Shane Morton, who had a major involvement in the upgrade, was shattered. "This is soul destroying," he said. Mr Morton turned up at the club at 5.30am to put the final touches on the greens for the days' competition. What he saw made his stomach sink. "There were just tyre marks everywhere. "It's disappointing for all the members who have worked so hard on it. "It looks like he has whizzed round and round, then driven out and fallen asleep." The full extent of the damage would not be known until later in the day when the dew and moisture had burned off.
