BERIGAN Posted July 8, 2003 Report Share Posted July 8, 2003 Errant drive finds sand trap Teen flips SUV while `doing doughnuts' on course By ERIC HANSON Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle Special to the Chronicle A 2002 Ford Explorer rests on its roof on the sixth hole of the Cinco Ranch golf course Thursday morning. The driver, a 17-year-old boy, has been charged with felony criminal mischief. Police estimate damage to the course at $15,000. The par-5 sixth hole at the Golf Club at Cinco Ranch is 532 yards long, with water on the left and a fairway bunker on the right. But on Thursday, an inverted Ford Explorer created a new obstacle across the front of the green. "We actually had a few ladies who hit their approach shots over the car," said Karl Ludeke, general manager of the course. The upside-down sport utility vehicle was a temporary hazard that a handful of golfers had to overcome Thursday before it was uprighted and towed away. Ludeke said a 17-year-old boy drove the Ford onto the course and made several tight circles on the green before one of the wheels slipped over the lip of the bunker and the vehicle flipped over. The teen, Parker Allen Dial, of 22000 Wickfield, was charged with felony criminal mischief, said Sgt. James Owen of the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's office. It was the third time in recent weeks that someone has decided to, literally, drive the fairways of the course, which is crossed by the Fort Bend-Harris county line near Katy. "Usually it happens when school gets out or at spring break," Ludeke said. Thursday's vandalism occurred a few minutes after midnight. When employees arrived for work in the pre-dawn hours, they found at the clubhouse a note from the teen's father explaining what happened. Course employees called police and at about the same time officers arrived, the man and his son also showed up, Ludeke said. "The police told me that the boy was mad and just wanted to tear some (stuff) up," Ludeke said. Sgt. Jason McDaniel of the constable's office said the teen did about $15,000 worth of damage. Vandals, he said, often operate in a group but in this instance it was just one person. "Usually when they do something like that it's with their buddies," McDaniel said. Course maintenance crews planted new sod on the damaged right side of the green, moved the pin to the left, and the hole was open for play all day, Ludeke said. Although a few golfers tried to hit over the 2002 Explorer, most of the players simply picked up their balls when they got near the green and walked over to the next tee box. "So they were only able to play 17 and a half holes," Ludeke added. He said the course's maintenance staff will not know for several days whether the entire green needs to be replaced. "Our main goal is to get in shape for play this weekend and early next week so that we can assess whether we need to completely rebuild the green or resurface just half of it," Ludeke said. People often do not realize how much work and money goes into the growth and care of the grass of a golf course, he said. "It's frustrating," Ludeke said. "Now we got a kid doing doughnuts on it and just destroying it and not even realizing what he is doing." http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/1979868 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted July 8, 2003 Report Share Posted July 8, 2003 Well I read this thread because, based on the title, I was shocked by the thought that an SUV might roll over. How could that possibly happen, I wondered. Actually I have no idea why people drive these things. They handle like a garbage truck and flip over just turning into the drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted July 8, 2003 Report Share Posted July 8, 2003 You'll never guess what they call "doin' doughnuts" in Minnesota and Wisconsin (especially around the twin-cities area)... Harvard Dialect Survey: "whippin' shitties" (yes, that Harvard) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted July 8, 2003 Report Share Posted July 8, 2003 Although a few golfers tried to hit over the 2002 Explorer, most of the players simply picked up their balls when they got near the green and walked over to the next tee box. "So they were only able to play 17 and a half holes," Ludeke added. Wimps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Larsen Posted July 8, 2003 Report Share Posted July 8, 2003 That's against the rules! You have to play the course as you find it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted July 8, 2003 Report Share Posted July 8, 2003 Whippin' Shitties?!?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacman Posted July 8, 2003 Report Share Posted July 8, 2003 (edited) Whippin' Shitties?!?!? great name for a Punk Rock band. Edited July 8, 2003 by jacman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris olivarez Posted July 10, 2003 Report Share Posted July 10, 2003 Bluesman Mem Shannon recorded a song "SUV" that said it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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