Hitting a house with a golf ball - Responsibility Debate

[Bean]

I’m separating this from the general “Golf!!!” thread as I am hoping for some healthy debate:

On the golf course, if you slice a ball so badly that it hits a house and breaks a window, are you liable for damages? Where is the line between responsibility of the golfer, the golf course and the home owner? What other factors come into play?

Have at it.

[Beerfest]

I think a factor that should come into play is which came first..the course or the house.

More times then not, id say the course was there before the house, so homeowners should of known the possibilities of a broken window, dents, etc.

[mykalberta]

Every place I have played I have been told by the course that the golfer is responsible for it.

If you have ever played in Phoenix that is where they really walk the line imo, some of those fairways are crazy narrow.

[Mass_nerder]

Usually courses that wind in through communities will post warnings declaring that you are responsible for any damage cause by errant shots.

[Kybosh]

I've always been told that it is the golfer's responsibility. I personally think, however, that if you buy or build backing on a golf course you don't have the right to bitch when people hit your house.

[corporatejay]

I suppose it depends on whether you want to play there again or not. If you're a member at a golf course, you probably want to stay in the good graces of the course, if it's a public course, I go with "hey, you're the idiot who bought a house a golf course, suck an egg" position.

[Mass_nerder]

From what I've heard, it's tough for home owners, along courses, to get extra insurance against damage from golf balls.

[Byrns]

The golfer should 100% pay for it, I can't see why they shouldn't. It's not like the house is sitting in the fairway.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

From what I've heard, it's tough for home owners, along courses, to get extra insurance against damage from golf balls.

So buy a house elsewhere.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Beerfest

I think a factor that should come into play is which came first..the course or the house.

More times then not, id say the course was there before the house, so homeowners should of the possibilities of a broken window, dents, etc.

Plus, sometimes having a house that borders a golf course is one the incentives someone has to buy there. If they buy a house adjacent to the golf course because they wanted to live next to the golf course, then I think they should assume that risk.

[kirant]

For the most part, I'd argue that the golfer should pay. Most courses are extremely generous with their siding and, even with most wind shifts and uncontrollable problems like that, wouldn't pull the ball that far off course.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Yeah, I'm not sure why there's a debate here.
You hit the ball, you knew there were houses there, why would you not be 100% responsible?

Saying it's the house owners responsibility becasue they built a house there is on the same line as saying that getting rear ended in your car is 50% your fault because you drove your car onto the road where it might get rear ended.

That being said, the person who's house get's hit does have to accept that there is a risk and not be a total dick about it, but they shouldn't have to pay for the damages caused by someone who is voluntarily participating in a leisure activity next to their house.

[DownhillGoat]

Anywhere I've played around here it's the golfer that's responsible.

The only time I've seen the course responsible was back home. When I was a kid our house got hit by a number of golfers at the driving range. The range had to repair the damages. Can't remember all the details as I was pretty young at the time, but IIRC it was due to the range being made closer to the residential section than the town had originally approved.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

I don't know what it's like in Alberta, but here where there are houses by golf courses there are nets set up to catch any errant balls that are hit.

I would think that there should be some responsibility to negate any damages by putting some sort of protective barrier up. If you don't do that, then the golfer should not be on the hook for the entire cost to replace the window. That said, you did hit the ball and therefore are responsible.

As a poster mentioned above if the house was there first, I would think the course would have to put up the protective barrier. If the house came second, then there's a calculated risk for not putting up your own barrier. You knowingly built next to a golf course, there will be balls that are hit onto your hard, and possibly through your windows.

I don't know how insurance would handle this situation, they probably only would insure if you had protection in the form of a fence or a net.

Regardless I don't think it should be 100% the golfer, but they should be responsible.


Edit: I'm picturing houses right along the course where it's plausible they would get it. Not 100 yards off the fairway, I guess in the end it's contextual

[LGA]

I definitely read that as "Hitting a horse with a golf ball" and was imagining fantastic scenarios where those two may collide.

[CaptainCrunch]

About 90% of the courses that I've played at have posted that damages are the golfer's responsibility.

Its not like the houses are sitting right in the fairway, or even close to the rough areas so your slice or hook has to be fairly wicked to break a window.

The golfers are pretty much responsible for damages that they do.

[edn88]

When I golfed at Country Hills I played with a few lawyers who insisted that you were not obligated as a golfer to pay for a window that you broke accidentally.

And I found this online... not sure if it should be considered gospel or not

http://library.findlaw.com/2000/Feb/1/126692.html

[troutman]

http://www.golfcourserealty.com/feat...rance-3921.htm

http://www.golf.com/golf/special/art...731735,00.html

[Mass_nerder]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

I don't know what it's like in Alberta, but here where there are houses by golf courses there are nets set up to catch any errant balls that are hit.

I would think that there should be some responsibility to negate any damages by putting some sort of protective barrier up. If you don't do that, then the golfer should not be on the hook for the entire cost to replace the window. That said, you did hit the ball and therefore are responsible.

As a poster mentioned above if the house was there first, I would think the course would have to put up the protective barrier. If the house came second, then there's a calculated risk for not putting up your own barrier. You knowingly built next to a golf course, there will be balls that are hit onto your hard, and possibly through your windows.

I don't know how insurance would handle this situation, they probably only would insure if you had protection in the form of a fence or a net.

Regardless I don't think it should be 100% the golfer, but they should be responsible.

They do place nets along the course, but only in places where it would be common for the ball to stray off the course. Places where the fairway might dog leg, or behind the green.
They can't line the entire course with nest to stop the occasional slice in the middle of the fairway.

[corporatejay]

Saying it's the house owners responsibility becasue they built a house there is on the same line as saying that getting rear ended in your car is 50% your fault because you drove your car onto the road where it might get rear ended.

That is a terrible analogy. It would be the equivalent of expecting someone to pay for kicking up a rock and cracking your windshield.