Tom Lawson - 1947 speed of digging is greater due to the fact he is a larger animal. They do greater damage to roots than the smaller closely related mole- rat. The general pattern of the tunnels are the same however. All these moles prefer the well watered grass of the golf course and lawns to the drier grass off the greens. They do a great deed of damage in South Africa & they have small beady eyes like the mole rat. general pattern of tunnel and mounds.