A groundskeeping truck and lawnmower at Bluff Creek Golf Course are burnt following a fire that broke out early Sunday morning.
Submitted photo
A Bargersville golf course is looking for answers following a vandalism incident that damaged their irrigation system, groundskeeping equipment and the green.
The incident occurred sometime between 10 p.m. Saturday and sunrise on Sunday morning at Bluff Creek Golf Course, 2710 Old State Road 37 North. At around 4 a.m. cameras at the course first clocked one of several fires that were set at the course, said Steve Knieper, an owner and manager of the course.
Fires claimed the building that houses the golf course’s irrigation system controls, a Dodge pickup truck and a lawn mower. Vandals also set fire to the grass around certain parts of the course, Knieper said.
Vandals also took multiple golf carts and drove them around four or five holes of the green, messing up grass and destroying the pins marking the holes in the process. One of the golf carts was also run into a pond and left there, he said.
Knieper estimates there was between $75,000 and $100,000 in damage overall.
While insurance will take care of the damage and golf season is about six weeks away, the damage is a blow to the course, he said.
“We’ve done a lot of work in the last few years so this sets you back. With the insurance maybe, hopefully, we can build it back better,” Knieper said.
There have been incidents of vandalism in the past, but nothing quite like this, Knieper said. The neighboring paintball park, Indy Paintball Battleground, has also experienced vandalism in recent months, he said.
The fire could be seen and accompanying explosions could be heard from Oak Meadows Mobile Home Community, the trailer park that abuts the golf course. Investigators from Bargersville Police are going through footage from the trailer park to look for leads, while Bluff Creek management is spreading the word about a reward, Knieper said.
The reward is $500 for anyone who provides a tip that leads to a successful arrest and prosecution, he said.
Bargersville Police are still investigating the incident and didn’t provide a comment by press time. The Bargersville Fire Department is investigating as well, seeking information about the “maliciously set” fire, the department said in a Facebook post.
Anyone with any information about the vandalism can contact the following numbers:
- Bluff Creek Golf Course management: 317-610-9729
- Bargersville Police: 317-422-1222 or after hours at 317-736-5155
- Bargersville Fire: 317-422-5187
- Indiana Arson Hotline: 1-800-382-4628
- Crime Stoppers: 317-262-TIPS
In the meantime, Knieper and the team at Bluff Creek are focused on recovering in time for the course’s traditional spring opening time in six weeks. They’re already lining up quotes to rebuild the irrigation building once the insurance money comes through.
“We’ve already fixed the greens. The root system is good and once the rains come we will be good,” Knieper said. “We are hoping to have it all back in six weeks.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 3:35 p.m. Feb. 13 with additional information from the Bargersville Fire Department.
