Golfer/course liability

[octaviouspoon]

Anyone had experience with this? I've been looking around the internet and obviously it's case by case, and varies by jurisdiction. Just curious if anyone had first hand experience and how it played out.

For the most part, it seems a golfer would have to be acting negligent when causing the injury/damage. The course could have liability if they built around existing houses, and the homeowner assumes the risk if they choose to live/build on a course.

 

[RyCy04]

A friend shattered a sliding glass window of an apartment when he slipped in wet conditions. The ball shot off the toe of his club and went through 2 layers of glass. The management was waiting for us when we got to the clubhouse. My friend gave his information as he was liable for the damage. The apartment complex never contacted him and took care of the damages on their own.

 

[Cyclonepride]

A friend shattered a sliding glass window of an apartment when he slipped in wet conditions. The ball shot off the toe of his club and went through 2 layers of glass. The management was waiting for us when we got to the clubhouse. My friend gave his information as he was liable for the damage. The apartment complex never contacted him and took care of the damages on their own.

Yeah, it's my impression that the golfer would be liable for damages (possibly under their own homeowner's policy). I could be wrong.

 

[somecyguy]

Similar situation. My son was playing in a junior tournament last summer and a kid in the group behind them busted a window. Course mgrs got the kids parents information as they were liable for damages.

 

[ClonesFTW]

Waveland in Des Moines has been in the paper a few times for people busting windshields on 235 or University, course was never held liable in any of the cases to my knowledge. It's always the golfer if they can prove who it was.

 

[3TrueFans]

Definitely don't see it being the golf course's liability. To me it'd be like if it were a park and you put a baseball through someone's window accidentally. It's why I'm nervous to play Coldwater because for once in my life I'd hook something on the first tee and put one into The Grove apartments.

 

[AgronAlum]

Definitely don't see it being the golf course's liability. To me it'd be like if it were a park and you put a baseball through someone's window accidentally. It's why I'm nervous to play Coldwater because for once in my life I'd hook something on the first tee and put one into The Grove apartments.

Briarwood in Ankeny was terrible with how close those houses are to the fairways.

 

[Tre4ISU]

The vast majority of the time it's the golfers.

 

[BillyClone]

Your personal liability coverage on your homeowners policy should take care of most instances of your golf ball causing damage to others' property. Negligence usually isn't required and in almost all cases the damage is covered. I'm sure somewhere, at sometime, there were circumstances that required legal proceedings or arbitration, but the precedent is basically that homeowners liability of the golfer covers the damage.

 

[somecyguy]

Briarwood in Ankeny was terrible with how close those houses are to the fairways.

Hunters Ridge in CR is like that too. Most of the holes are angled that it would take a pretty wicked curve to hit anything, but a few of the holes, a nice uncontrolled fade from your driver and you're smacking something.

 

[Clonefan32]

Boy sure seems like you could argue assumed risk with how close some of these people build houses to a golf course.

 

[ArgentCy]

I'd buy them a new window but make sure its plexiglass.

 

[octaviouspoon]

I just don't see it as black and white. I wouldn't be anxious to provide any of my info or my HO info.

I'd put the ball in their court if they want to take action. There has to be assumed risk for living on a golf course.

I wonder if some have HOAs that take care of damage caused by golf balls?

 

[Clonefan32]

The handful of articles I've read seem to indicate most states lean towards assumption of risk. I sure think you'd have a decent case.

 

[nwiafan]

I hit a car driving down the highway last summer when I hooked a drive. I was told I was liable by the golf course and the police so I paid to have the damage fixed. I got told later by a friend of mine in the insurance industry that I shouldn't have been liable. So I guess the morale of the story is I don't really know...

 

[LarryISU]

Building a home or other structure alongside a golf course does not mean you accept the risk of a ball hitting your property. The golf course is designed to contain all normal golf shots and even those that are somewhat offline. But if you hit outside the course, that is negligence and you are liable for any injury or damage.

Imagine if you hit some person in his backyard. Are you going to argue that he should have known there was a golf course and so it's his fault? Doesn't work that way.

 

[BoxsterCy]

I hit a car driving down the highway last summer when I hooked a drive. I was told I was liable by the golf course and the police so I paid to have the damage fixed. I got told later by a friend of mine in the insurance industry that I shouldn't have been liable. So I guess the morale of the story is I don't really know...

Your moral is assuming responsibility for actions isn't a totally lost concept as much as some in this thread would like to project. Good on you.

 

[ArgentCy]

Building a home or other structure alongside a golf course does not mean you accept the risk of a ball hitting your property. The golf course is designed to contain all normal golf shots and even those that are somewhat offline. But if you hit outside the course, that is negligence and you are liable for any injury or damage.

Imagine if you hit some person in his backyard. Are you going to argue that he should have known there was a golf course and so it's his fault? Doesn't work that way.

Just another reason golf sucks. I don't need that liability to play some crappy frustrating game. I'll take some frustrations out at the range and call it good.

 

[ClonesFTW]

Seems like a good excuse to ask if there will be a CF golf outing this year

 

[Cyclone.TV]

Just another reason golf sucks. I don't need that liability to play some crappy frustrating game. I'll take some frustrations out at the range and call it good.

If you were good you wouldn’t have to worry.