Jason Greenway's satellite navigation system was also stolen from his van, taking his total losses to £1,500.

The Compton Close resident said: "I am really gutted. I am angry and distraught. I was not too bothered about the sat-nav but the fact that they took the golf clubs has upset me."

Mr Greenway, a floor-layer, often leaves his van at Leamington Liberal Club car park in Upper Holly Walk.

Having parked it there on Saturday, he checked up on it on Sunday, but when he returned on Monday morning he found that the side window had been smashed.

He said: "It's one of those things you thought would never happen to you - especially in the grounds of a car park."

A member of the Leamington Irish Society and Whitefields Golf Club near Rugby, Mr Greenway has been playing every week for about four years and had been saving up to buy the new set of clubs.

Now he says he cannot afford to replace them - but is having to pay his monthly subscriptions to both clubs without being able to play.

His partner Lianne Faulkner added: "Normally Jason is quite good and removes his valuables from his van, but on this occasion it was left in view of a camera and they still got to it.

"It just shows that they will take any risk to get hold of them.

"I was told when speaking to a friend that one of his friends had also had their sat-nav stolen from the same area. We would not wish this upon anyone else."

A Warwickshire police spokeswoman said: "We have issued many warnings for people to not leave their valuables in their cars.

"We cannot prevent opportunist thieves from taking items that are left on display in vehicles and cannot stress enough the importance of people removing anything of value."