Skaneateles (WSYR-TV) - The lack of snow has kept most snowmobiles in the shed. But a few riders are just too eager to get outside. They've been crisscrossing golf courses and the Skaneateles Country Club has been dealing with the damage.
A few snowmobilers saw the tee at the eighth hole as an opportunity to catch some air.
Now Skaneateles Country Club will have to seed some areas and sod the worst ditches, which will be a long term issue.
The country club’s superintendent, Bob Marshall, said, “In the spring, when we start mowing, we'll have to mow those areas by hand as opposed to larger equipment and that's more time consuming.”
General Manager Jim Fields said, “It's the lack of respect for property. We try to be as helpful as we possibly can. We try to be good neighbors to everybody. And then you almost feel violated when someone says we're going to just run across your property anyway and tear it up because we don't care.”
But snowmobilers say the damage to the course is nothing compared to the damage to their reputation.
John Arpino, of Weedsport Winter Wanderers, said, “When you see something like that it portrays more of an image of a hot-rodder, it's just not what we're all about. So we're always trying to put fires out.”
A trail circles the golf course, but riders know not to deviate.
Arpino said, “When we finally get snow, we have the grooming equipment, trails well groomed, well marked. It's a blast, it really is. To have something like this is a crying shame.”
He said every rider knows how much damage their machines can cause.
Arpino hopes that after seeing the damage, riders will stick to the 10,000 miles volunteers groom for them across the state.
The snowmobile club put signs up around the trail, about 100 yards away from the golf course.
The Weedsport Winter Wanderers have pledged to add more signs, and have warned neighbors in the area to look out for riders off of trails. The country club has filed a police report.
