MUSKEGON, Mich. — Among the greens of Muskegon Community College's University Park Golf Course, there’s hidden gems of beautiful natural landscapes.
“We have hawk nests, we have baby skunks, we have groundhogs, we have a number of dens around here," explained Park Superintendent Kurt Hildwein.
“I have a very nice job. Sixty-nine acres of beautiful landscaping and I don't have to deal with people a whole lot," he said. “Very fulfilling."
But beyond the birds chirping and trees swaying in the breeze, was a mystery.
“We've always had a problem with the golf balls disappearing," he said.
It was stumping golfers and course staff alike. After careful examination, Hildwein found a pattern with the missing balls.
“We just started noticing golf balls appearing at specific holes,” he said.
These patterns showed Hildwein the location to set up the trail cams — where he finally caught the bandits.
To his surprise, it was a family of foxes. Hildwein traced them back to their den.
“If you just sit here and observe them long enough, you'll see them playing with a ball," he said. “They're not very scared. And with time, we can get closer and closer.”
Hildwein says they’ve been stealing from golfers for years.
“Just like your dogs at home, you give them toys and they love throwing them around," he laughed. “There were some theories about them taking golf balls, thinking that they were eggs.”
He says the little thieves have actually attracted more golfers.
“Just draw people's attention and then they want to come out," Hildwein said.
He loves that it’s part of his course’s charm.
“That's why a lot of people golf. It's for the crazy game of golf, but it's also to get out and see nature," he smiled.
Hildwein bought a new camera to see how many golf balls are inside the foxes’ dens. He looks forward to figuring out how far the extent of their crimes go.
For now, stolen golf balls just seem to be par for the course.
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