When ball is out of bounds.. Private Property

[rehmwa]

15 minutes ago, JonMA1 said:

I agree with this. While I understand the potential for injury or damage from a lawn mower hitting a lost ball, I'm hesitant to trespass. 

Of course my reaching stick is a 15 footer.  If that won't reach, clearly the ball is defective and doesn't fly straight enough to be worth retrieving.

[JonMA1]

19 minutes ago, rehmwa said:

Of course my reaching stick is a 15 footer.  If that won't reach, clearly the ball is defective and doesn't fly straight enough to be worth retrieving.

Ha ha.

(I carry one of those as well. I keep mine hidden deep inside the golf bag, safe from the ridicule of "real" golfers.)

Sorry, off-topic.

[Buckeyebowman]

One course we play frequently has housing around it. On some holes it's really tight! There is a variety of signs in the back yards. Some are a flat out NO TRESPASSING! Others say, "NO CARTS, pick up your ball and drop on the course". And one says, "I bring lost balls to the pro shop. Retrieve your ball there!"

Golf course living can be nice, but I think it can depend on the size of your yard!

[ghalfaire]

Having a home on a golf course I don't advise trying to get your ball back by trespassing.  In my case all the course homes have fences that make it unlikely anyone would climb to get their ball.  Six feet of wrought Iron so even a Pro V1 isn't worth it.  When I find a ball in the back yard I usually throw it back onto the course, unless of course it is a Pro V1.

[Midpack]

As far as playing, it's OB on every course I've played.

As for retrieving the ball, it depends on the situation. If it's clearly visible (no search required), and out in the open not too far in, I will retrieve the ball as long as there are no fences or landscaping, signs or other obstacles. But if it's close to a private home, or there are any people in the yard, or I don't see the ball without searching, or any kind of obstacle/sign/landscaping - I wouldn't try to retrieve the ball. I do what I'd want others to do if it was my property. It depends entirely on how close to the course the homes are, but I assume most people with homes on golf courses know there will be balls on their property at some frequency. YMMV

There was a home on a course I played on with a garage side much too close off the tee to one hole. The siding was so battered, I assume the owner gave up trying to repair it. Very sad...

Edited October 10, 2017 by Midpack

[WUTiger]

Don't know the culture at other places, but my course's residents are fairly tolerant of people stepping into a yard to retrieve an OB ball.

I have discussed retrieving balls with residents at Senior coffee.Our course is part of a residential development, with many holes having OB both left and right.

Most of the homeowners don't mind if you walk onto the grass and pick up a ball near the OB line. They just don't want you to drive a cart onto their property (and possibly flower bed), or look into their window.

Reciprocal politeness!

[Aaronrogers]

We think alike....I have guys pokin' round my hedges 3' from the house with Private property signs at every other house. Walk by and pick it up fine, but no carts or exploring.

Just bought and pretty sure that's the deal here too. I guess maybe some of these guys can't afford a new set of balls.... Thanks 

[David in FL]

21 minutes ago, Aaronrogers said:

We think alike....I have guys pokin' round my hedges 3' from the house with Private property signs at every other house. Walk by and pick it up fine, but no carts or exploring.

Just bought and pretty sure that's the deal here too. I guess maybe some of these guys can't afford a new set of balls.... Thanks 

When you buy a house on a golf course, there are certain things that come with it.  Hopefully you realized that when you bought...

[Aaronrogers]

That's fine... Just no Easter egg hunting 

[scotth]

Our back deck is 35 feet from the green on a golf course, and I don't mind players walking in to get their ball either.  What does drive me crazy are: 

1. The players that have play their ball from our yard.  
2. Taken massive divots in our newly reseeded yard.
3. Kids going as fast as the can down the hill and slamming on the brakes in my yard attempting to do donuts.
4. The jackass standing on my deck "for a better vantage point" to find his ball in my yard.
5. The friend of the jackass above who actually had the gall to ask for a refill on his coffee while his friend looked for his ball. (total stranger never saw him before or after).
6. People driving over our side yard, parking golf cart in my driveway looking for ball in the front yard.

All this and only lived in house 11 months.  Now we have a fence for most of back yard, and put our own white stakes connected with yellow rope dow the 230 feet of our yard that is next to golf course.

[ghalfaire]

19 hours ago, David in FL said:

When you buy a house on a golf course, there are certain things that come with it.  Hopefully you realized that when you bought...

Yes that is true and usually you have to sign a document stating you understand the potential for damage to your home and personal injury due to living on a golf course.  You do not however give up your private property rights and any golfer on your property without your permission is subject to trespass laws.  So if a homeowner allows you to walk onto their property and retrieve your ball you should thank them because they are not required to do that.

 

[CCC]

If you own a home on a golf course, that's about halfway down the right side of the fairway, you have to expect players are going to be retrieving their wayward ball from your yard. Having a great view on a golf course comes with having golfers in your yard - at some point. If you want to spoil the pristine view of the beautiful golf course, put up a fence to keep 'em all out.

Playing a shot from someone's yard is totally not cool. That's what I call being disrespectful.

Reminds me of people buying a house next to the airport and then complain about noise of the planes flying overhead.

[scotth]

I have no problem with people getting their ball out of the yard.  I DO HAVE a problem when they drive their cart into the yard, or any of the other antics I posted above.

I have helped more than a few golfers find their wayward shots in our yard when I am outside and they come up the fairway looking for them.

[Midpack]

On 10/10/2017 at 7:02 PM, Aaronrogers said:

We think alike....I have guys pokin' round my hedges 3' from the house with Private property signs at every other house. Walk by and pick it up fine, but no carts or exploring.

Just bought and pretty sure that's the deal here too. I guess maybe some of these guys can't afford a new set of balls.... Thanks 

That seems perfectly reasonable to me.