Overnight e-bike riders tore through 10 holes at Camas Meadows Golf Club, leaving behind torn-up fairways, greens and sand bunkers so damaged that course managers had to carve out temporary greens just to keep two holes playable. The Southwest Washington course remained open through the mess, but the scope of the destruction has management asking neighbors for help and golfers for patience.
According to KATU, the damage forced Camas Meadows to install temporary greens on holes 7 and 8, and the club is now offering golfers a discount for playing through those two holes while repairs continue. In a public statement posted on October 11, Camas Meadows Golf Club
said the riders tore through all 10 holes, inflicting extensive turf damage across fairways, greens and bunkers, and the club asked nearby residents to share any home security video or information that might help identify those responsible.
The course sits amid natural wetlands near Lacamas Lake and has operated as an 18-hole, par-72 public facility spanning more than 6,600 yards since it was established in 2000, per the club's own background materials.
Camas Police Contacted, But No Confirmed Investigation Yet
The Camas Police Department has been contacted about the damage, though the station's report notes it remains unclear whether a formal investigation has been opened. Camas Meadows has not provided a cost estimate for the repairs or a timeline for when the damaged holes might return to normal play.
The incident comes less than a year and a half after local officials fielded questions about e-bike rules. In July 2025, the Camas-Washougal Post-Record reported that officials were hearing questions from residents about e-bike regulations.
State Law Now Draws a Hard Line on High-Speed E-Bikes
Washington lawmakers have since moved to tighten that distinction statewide. Senate Bill 6110, which took effect in June 2026, revised the legal definitions under RCW 46.04.169 so that electric two-wheelers capable of exceeding 20 mph on throttle power alone, or built to be easily unlocked past legal speed limits, are now classified as mopeds or motorcycles rather than standard e-bikes, according to the Washington State Legislature. That reclassification means operators of those faster machines are legally required to carry a driver's license, vehicle registration and insurance, closing a gap that had let high-powered e-motos slip through under bicycle rules.
The golf course sits adjacent to a newer source of nearby riders: The Nines at Camas Meadows, a residential development that added 77 homesites along the perimeter of the ninth hole and surrounding fairways, according to Romano Capital. The development is directly on the golf course and close to Lacamas Park.
E-Bike Damage at a California Golf Course
A golf course in Lincoln, California, faced up to $15,000 in repair costs after alleged e-bike damage, according to KCRA 3.
For now, golfers heading to Camas Meadows can expect a discount on holes 7 and 8 while the club works out what comes next, and whether the surveillance footage it's asking for turns up any leads.
