ENCINITAS, Calif. (KGTV) - Video shows a group of eBikers who have been creating mayhem at a North County golf course for weeks.
Thursday afternoon at the picturesque Encintas Ranch Golf Course was a not-so-fun day of golfing for Mike Mack and three friends.
“Thinking about them rather than the golf round,” said Mack.
He first saw them — four youths on eBikes — on their 9th hole, as the teens grabbed three golf balls that had just been hit.
“I said, ‘Is that your golf ball?’ They said, ‘Maybe,’ and then took off,” said Mack.
Two holes later, Mack hit record on his phone, as the eBikers returned.
‘They stole one of our golf balls, then drove across the green, leaving a big, huge 15-foot-long skid mark,” said Mack.
Mack says when he wasn't recording, the eBikers were tearing up more grass and being a nuisance.
“Other people, they were flipping them the bird. They threw one of the balls in Leucadia Blvd at some cars,” said Mack.
Mack says the eBikers were lurking just off the course, and would ride onto it, create their havoc, before riding back out.
“They cut across the course. They knew exactly where to go. They were laughing the whole time … Knew they could get away,” said Mack.
Mack says when they talked to employees about it, there was an instant recognition.
“They said, ‘Those kids? They’re back? They’ve been terrorizing course for two to three weeks,’” said Mack.
The golf course is run by JC Golf and sits on property owned by the city of Encinitas.
Managers confirm numerous trespassing incidents in the past weeks, declining to comment on the amount of damage. They say other courses in the area have also been targeted.
The use of eBikes, has also sparked growing frustration in nearby Carlsbad, with reports of eBikers taking part in a TikTok 'door kick' challenge, resulting in damaged front doors.
As for the damage to the golf course, that is hard to stomach for Mack.
“To see people vandalizing the golf course in broad daylight and laughing, that is the biggest challenge to watch,” said Mack.
Managers at the course say they're doing everything they can to stop the trespassing, but declined to talk about their specific measures.
