600 Golf Balls in Your Back Yard = $5 Million

[GolfLug]

43 minutes ago, Darkfrog said:

Just speculating, but maybe the club's lawyer(s) weren't very good/prepared for the case.

Yeah, but still.. I mean the club lawyers could have sat there picking their noses throughout the hearing but it still seems crazy excessive at face value. SMH. 

[Sandy Divot]

Did they get to keep all the Prov1s, too?

[Vinsk]

Had I been playing this course they would’ve been awarded $6mil.

[woodzie264]

3 hours ago, boogielicious said:

I have no sympathy for these people. Their builder probably had to clear out bushels of golf balls when prepping the lot. They should also be included in the blame here. But FFS, you bought a house on a course! WTF were you thinking?

Yep

[TourSpoon]

One could make the argument that Tiger Woods could be a co-defendant in the lawsuit. Without his influence in growing the game through his massive popularity over the last 25 years the ball count would undeniably be closer to 200. I would attribute fault to a 33-66 split.  Obviously he gets the larger portion for not just moving the needle, but for being the needle.  

 

[NM Golf]

What bothers me a little here is that sets a bad precedent. Every person that lives 200 yards up the right side of a fairway is going to see this and think they can cash in. How many more golf courses are going to get sued because of these two idiots winning this absurd amount of money.  

This whole thing is ridiculous, you bought a house on a golf course for crying out loud. It's like buying a house on a beach in Florida then getting bent out of shape when a hurricane shows up. You knew the risks!

 

 

[iacas]

9 hours ago, NM Golf said:

What bothers me a little here is that sets a bad precedent. Every person that lives 200 yards up the right side of a fairway is going to see this and think they can cash in. How many more golf courses are going to get sued because of these two idiots winning this absurd amount of money.  

This whole thing is ridiculous, you bought a house on a golf course for crying out loud. It's like buying a house on a beach in Florida then getting bent out of shape when a hurricane shows up. You knew the risks!

It's not decided yet. The appeals will last awhile, and they may not actually win in the end. They may just be out a lot of legal fees.

[TourSpoon]

On 4/28/2022 at 8:26 PM, iacas said:

It's not decided yet. The appeals will last awhile, and they may not actually win in the end. They may just be out a lot of legal fees.

Big pockets usually outlast small ones. The only ones winning are the attorneys! 

[darthweasel]

there is a better article about the case available that I came across. The course suggested a line of play in cutting the dogleg that brought the house in question into play, the course was asked multiple times to install a net, refused, the club failed to adhere to their legal obligation under Massachusetts law and basically ignored them repeatedly, they did not ask for any set amount but simply safety remediation and that was the amount awarded. Like many people, when I first heard it I thought it was ridiculous and the more I read up on it the course was willfully negligent and dismissive while actively encouraging that line of play. The amount seems high to me but there is definitely some merit to the case. 

More on $5M lawsuit from house that got pelted by golf balls

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The story of the Tenczar family, who sued a country club and won nearly $5 million after too many golf balls damaged their house, struck a nerve with Golfweek readers. Several were quick to point o…

 

[ChetlovesMer]

1 hour ago, darthweasel said:

there is a better article about the case available that I came across. The course suggested a line of play in cutting the dogleg that brought the house in question into play, the course was asked multiple times to install a net, refused, the club failed to adhere to their legal obligation under Massachusetts law and basically ignored them repeatedly, they did not ask for any set amount but simply safety remediation and that was the amount awarded. Like many people, when I first heard it I thought it was ridiculous and the more I read up on it the course was willfully negligent and dismissive while actively encouraging that line of play. The amount seems high to me but there is definitely some merit to the case. 

More on $5M lawsuit from house that got pelted by golf balls

---

The story of the Tenczar family, who sued a country club and won nearly $5 million after too many golf balls damaged their house, struck a nerve with Golfweek readers. Several were quick to point o…

 

There's always more to the story, isn't there?
Thanks for posting. 

[imsys0042]

Wow, that puts it in a completely different light.   Glad someone followed up on the story.   Basically under Mass law, clearly the course needed to do something and they ended up in court.  

[NM Golf]

Interesting, there is a very similar situation that I know of here where people used to cut a dog leg by aiming over houses. The course eliminated that issue by erecting a net down the entire left side of the tee box. I don't think in the situation here it came to need litigation. 

[TourSpoon]

After reading the article it is safe to say that the homeowner's request was justifiable in asking for reasonable (and legally sound) measures to be put into place and the course blew them off. That picture of that house is ridiculous in showing that this is beyond a casual nuisance and a real safety issue. You would have to wear a helmet to mow your yard! INCOMING!!! 

Edited May 6, 2022 by TourSpoon
grammar

[roejye]

On 5/4/2022 at 11:38 AM, darthweasel said:

there is a better article about the case available that I came across. The course suggested a line of play in cutting the dogleg that brought the house in question into play, the course was asked multiple times to install a net, refused, the club failed to adhere to their legal obligation under Massachusetts law and basically ignored them repeatedly, they did not ask for any set amount but simply safety remediation and that was the amount awarded. Like many people, when I first heard it I thought it was ridiculous and the more I read up on it the course was willfully negligent and dismissive while actively encouraging that line of play. The amount seems high to me but there is definitely some merit to the case. 

More on $5M lawsuit from house that got pelted by golf balls

---

The story of the Tenczar family, who sued a country club and won nearly $5 million after too many golf balls damaged their house, struck a nerve with Golfweek readers. Several were quick to point o…

 

Reading some earlier stories and seeing how when the course changed the tee, the problem stopped, I assumed that it was poor hole design. Reading this one I see that it was poor design, combined with minimal effort on the course's part, and even encouraging people to take a bad line. While it theoretically could set a precedence, I don't think it will.

[darthweasel]

18 hours ago, NM Golf said:

Interesting, there is a very similar situation that I know of here where people used to cut a dog leg by aiming over houses. The course eliminated that issue by erecting a net down the entire left side of the tee box. I don't think in the situation here it came to need litigation. 

course across the river  from me in Vancouver just closed and rightfully so. At one time it was a mediocre course that had its fans and actually had a couple of pretty cool holes...like the Trestle hole... but they kept selling off bits and pieces of land and then slightly rerouting holes. The first couple of holes got much, much worse.

One in particular ended up as something like a 250 yard hole....if you hit it directly over the dogleg and the multiple houses you now crossed. It was a blind shot going that way. The redesign of the hole was intended to hit maybe 140-180 yards out to the right, then approach the hole from there but I am guessing a lot of people, many of questionable abilities, attempted to drive the green. 

It was a redesign that made a mediocre but playable course into one that was legit dangerous. The Cedars...gone, not lamented. 

[Golfingdad]

On 4/28/2022 at 5:26 PM, iacas said:

It's not decided yet. The appeals will last awhile, and they may not actually win in the end. They may just be out a lot of legal fees.

Here’s an update:

Court overturns $5 million verdict against country club for errant golf balls hitting house | Golf News and Tour Information | GolfDigest.com

It’s not over though, looks like they just decided they ignored some important info (ie, golf is hard and most of us stink at it) and it looks like they can have another trial while considering that.

[saevel25]

Here is a picture from the tee box (from golf course website).

Their house is about 176 yards from the tee box.  

And about 70 yards from the center of the fairway. 

The hole is about 300 yards, so drivable for some. Also, some might want to challenge the left side to get it down into that small gap just past the 2nd bunker. 

Looking at the trees from the tee box, they are not tall enough to block golf balls. The tees are slightly elevated as well from their back yard area. 

I can see how many golf balls would end up in their yard. 

I am not sure what opinion of the court is correct. I do not know the legal history of these type of case in that state. I do not know the state laws. 

[The Flush]

It looks like a few trees planted between the tees and cart path could solve this problem.