Help! A golf ball hit my house!

Thursday November 11, 2004 | 19:42:40 457 words, 5107 views

Believe it or not, some residents of a golf community actually think it’s YOUR fault when your drive strikes their humble abode lying just 20 yards right of the fairway.

A few weekends ago I was visiting some friends in town for business in Jacksonville for the weekend with my brother. Though they had a cushy pad at the Sawgrass Marriott Resort (so that’s why accounting fees are so high. . .), finding a tee time or $200 to play it was a long shot, so we found a reasonably priced course down the road, Windsor Parke, a nice public golf community.

The course is extremely penal: someone in our foursome ran out of balls by the 13th. But probably the most laughable thing to happen was on the back nine, when my brother’s drive sailed right and disappeared into the trees. As we rode up to the probable landing zone, a woman came out of her house and stepped across the white O.B. stakes, the only thing separating her backyard from the course.

You would think these white stakes separated Jews and Palestinians, Jon Stewart and conservatives, or Ron Artest and common sense. Because she was clearly not approaching to offer us cider and cookies. She looked visably shaken.

“Excuse me,” she said in a nagging, “I-can’t-believe-you-didn’t-take-your-shoes-off-before-you-came-inside-again” voice. “But your ball hit my house. It almost hit my window.” Adding insult to injury, she went on to say, “You’re wayyyy off track you know.”

Way off track? Your house, along with thousands of others across America nestled so close to the fairway an Olympic long jumper would have a breeze with, is in the way! Did you not get the memo that 90% of golfers can hit the side of a barn (or in this case pool room) but can’t for the life of them keep it in bounds?

This isn’t the only occassion I’ve come across homeowners infuriated with my group’s mishaps (I’m not that bad at golf, really). For most of us, a mishit doesn’t mean a drive rolls barely into the first cut of rough. Most golfers blade wedge shots forty yards over the green, shank 8-irons, and their driver could be deemed a “WMD” in the right country.

Would you buy a loft on Bourbon Street and complain about the noise? Buy an SUV in New York City and rant about the parking? Well, for every luxury an on-course property has, there’s a Top-Flite five yards away from landing in your lemonade. Rather than get upset with the golfer who has opened your eyes to the apparent golf course in your back yard, how about calling your realtor who conned you into this intrusive hell with more resale value. . .or just wear a helmet while gardening.

14 comments

Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: [Visitor]

It is very unfortunate when a journalist writing for a golf publication is so ignorantly mistaken. Brandon Tucker's article on "Help! Someone Hit My House" is sadly innacurate. It is most definetly the golfers responsibilty when he hits something or someone. Obviously not everyone knows this but a writer for a golf column should. I agree that many course side homeowners are ignorant to thier risks and what to expect from golfers. It is undeniably the golfers responsibility of what his actions do when banging their balls all over the place. If you don't like the risks or challenge of a course with homes close to the fairway, then go play in a cornfield where you belong. But if you hit my house, then you're damn sure going to pay for the damage (hence, the difference of being INbounds or OUT of bounds, you dumbass).

Permalink 2004-11-15 @ 13:46

Comment from: Anonymous [Visitor]

It is the typical ignorance and greedy attitude of the 1st comment that is why we have so many lawyers and lawsuits. It is always someone else's fault. If you don't want the risk of a golf ball in your house, go live next to a park! A golf course is built for golf not bird watching. Your temper-tantrum of a comment shows off your true ignorance and errogance! Do as most people need to do; grow up and take responsibility for your actions. If you move into tornado alley and your house gets destroyed are you going to sue mother nature? Don't live on a course if you are not willing to deal with what you knew BEFORE you moved in! The recreational golfer is not the dumbass, you are my friend.

Permalink 2004-11-15 @ 14:34

Comment from: [Visitor]

There are guidelines on how far away housing lots should be from the centerline of a golf hole. If this is followed, then the odds of an accident just follow the good old natural law of simple bad luck. Nobody's fault.

Permalink 2004-11-15 @ 16:30

Comment from: [Visitor]

"It is the golfer's responsibility when he hits something or someone" is a ridiculous statement that implies you golfers can actually hit a target when you want to. If that were the case, you'd all be shooting par.

Permalink 2004-11-15 @ 19:46

Comment from: Anonymous [Visitor]

I live on a course, albeit our homes are constructed so that it is very rare for one to be hit. My house is on the right side 280 yards from the blue tees and 80 yards from the center of the FW. I've had only a couple of balls in the yard in the year I've lived there.

Now, based on quite a bit of research I've, the fact is that in some states the golfer is responsible for damage. It can also depend on whether the home or the course was on the books as in development first. Where I live, the golfer is not responsible although I would offer to pay the deductible out of my pocket because I feel like it is the correct thing to do.

As I have told other homeowners in our community though, "You live on a golf course. Your house will get hit with a ball. Get over it."

Permalink 2004-12-02 @ 10:02

Comment from: the hack [Visitor]

Was this a major issue before the juiced balls, titanium drivers, graphite heads, and all the other recent technological impreovements which allow even the worst "hack" to hit with power and wreak devastation upon the poor golf course dwellers?
Maybe the PGA can jump on the steriod bandwagon (lots of publicity) and have mandatory drug testing prior to teeing off.

Permalink 2004-12-17 @ 18:49

Comment from: snowqueenmaria [Visitor]

If you hit my house with a golfball, I hope you will knock on my door and pay.
Show me the money...

Permalink 2004-12-18 @ 21:39

Comment from: ihatewhinnybitches [Visitor]

Does she complain about her hubby's golf "balls" hitting her
the house too??

Permalink 2004-12-28 @ 11:20

Comment from: move_the_tee_box_position [Visitor]

I live on a private course and must say it's rare when a member hits the house... but when the club holds functions.. LOOK OUT! I blame the club for their ignorant placement of the tee box / stance. Move one of the tee box stand guides foward or back so the potential projectile will not be armed and ready to explode.

Permalink 2006-07-21 @ 12:59

Comment from: Visitor [Visitor]

My son was taken golfing by his girlfriends father as a thank you for some work he had done. While golfing my son hit and broke a window of one of the million plus $ homes surounding the course. The owner came out, my son appologized. The owner told him he was responsible for the replacement of the $500 dollar window that has been broken 5 times so far this year. If you can afford to buy or build a million dollar home why to you need to do it on a goldf course? My son will no longer be able to play considering that he can't afford to replace $500 windows. Some may say he shouldn't be golfing then, but how does one learn?!?!?

Permalink 2007-08-08 @ 18:32

Comment from: Joe [Visitor]

how about plexiglass windows after the first time it gets knocked out?

Permalink 2008-03-27 @ 15:47

Comment from: Tina [Visitor]

How about when a golf course moves in right next to you? I have a ten acre lot which a golf course decided to plant its course right next to. I have about 50 feet from the side of my house that adjoins hole 6. as well as another hole is in the front. My kids cannot even play in the yard as golf balls come flying into it. I have found 38 balls in just one weekend coming into my yard. Who's responsibility is it when my children are hurt by disrespectful golfers who act such as this?

Permalink 2008-05-07 @ 15:19

Comment from: Ryan [Visitor]

I think that the answer to the question "Who is responsible?" is pretty clear:

Situation #1. If a golf course is built AFTER a house, then it should be the GOLF COURSE'S responsibility (as long as the home owner did not have notice that the golf course was going to be built). Tina, you should call an attorney (there should be a trial lawyer's association in your state) and have him or her contact the golf course as soon as possible. Not only should the owner of the course pay for any damage, but the course should also pay for erecting any fences or nets to protect your house and your children. The course should also be responsible for any property value loss caused by an ugly net in your back yard (but this could be offset if your property is worth more because of the golf course).

Situation #2. If a golf course is built BEFORE a house, then it should be the HOME OWNER'S responsibility. The owner clearly assumed this risk when the house was purchased. The owner is able to make changes on their property to minimize damage (planting trees, erecting nets or fences, or putting protective coverings over windows), which the player has no control over. The owner should have a home owner's insurance policy that will cover damage and, depending on the location of the house, a good window repairman.

Situation #3. If the golfer hit a house on purpose or was clearly negligent in some way, then the PLAYER should be responsible. I can't imagine that there would be many situations like this and even fewer that could be proved in a court. If a golfer was trying to hit a house, then the player should be responsible. If a golfer did something negligent, then the player should also be responsible. What would be a negligent golf act? For example, I would think that it should be considered negligent if a ball lands out of bounds and the player hits the ball even though the house is directly in the golf ball’s intended trajectory. I don’t think that a court would ever find that a golfer was negligent as long as he or she was playing within the rules of the game of golf, even if the player was a terrible golfer.

Permalink 2008-07-07 @ 13:56

Comment from: Ally [Visitor]

My family lives on a golf course and while the home has been hit numerous times, that's not our problem. It is the golfers who drive their carts onto our property to retrieve an "out-of-bounds" ball or drive the cart into our yard. Out of bounds is just that. Numerous of our sprinklers have been broken due to thei "poor" shots.

Permalink 2008-07-09 @ 17:53

Brandon Tucker

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WorldGolf.com's Brandon Tucker offers his unique perspective on golf and travel destinations from Scotland and Ireland to Myrtle Beach. He also chimes in on news events on the PGA and LPGA Tours, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and other happenings around the world of golf.