[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by Oneiric

Why can't common sense and the Golden Rule be applied? When people hit a ball in my back yard and they just walk in and quickly retrieve it and leave, I don't mind at all.

Or did they unknowingly kill with a step a prized young native butterfly plant they thought was a weed? Was A monarch worm crawling toward a new food source squashed? Back yards are soooo tiny. It is private proprty and unconscionable for golfers to claim it as theirs to own.

If the golden rule means to you that only your perspective about turf makes sense...please consider that some people love life above the grass.

[kcrazorbackfan]

Originally Posted by Oneiric

Why can't common sense and the Golden Rule be applied? When people hit a ball in my back yard and they just walk in and quickly retrieve it and leave, I don't mind at all.

Those with the "gold" (their property), make the rules. It's the homeowners property, not the golfers. Don't tread in people's yards. Most of the golfers are probably looking for a $.25 secondhand Top Flite anyway.

[john1953]

not going on someones property means just that,6 inches is on the property I don`t touch it ever.

[graciegirl]

We have lived in golf course communities for decades. The first one had a beautiful house with a myriad of windows built on a turn of the golf course.(NOT OURS)

EVERYONE in the community including all who liked the guy who built it there called him stupid.

How you look at it depends if you are a golfer, a beginner who doesn't play by the rules, a non golfer who plants things near the back edge of their property, hoping for humankind to be nice, or a realist.

I've searched for lost balls in places I shouldn't sometimes, in the water, in the heavy bullrushes where there are snakes, but not in people's yards. But only for a minute or two. I have been playing with the same pink ball now for almost a year.

Fortunatly/ unfortunately I don't hit them long enough anymore to lose track of them. When you hit a ball out of bounds you are supposed to....Well you know. Stroke and distance. The casual golf played on executive courses where most people don't even keep score is unlike the golf most of us grew up on.

NO ONE should come into your yard. It is not nice.

I am sorry about your butterfly plants Kitty. But even bad golfers who aren't nice are loved by the butterfly maker.

[OBXNana]

Before anyone steps foot on a golf course they should be required to attend Good Golf School offered by The Villages. It was clearly explained the policy for golfers that hit a ball into the yard of a property owner. No discussion, the rule says you can not go on to private property to fetch a ball. We decided to purchase a villa so that golfers couldn't get into our yard. It shouldn't be that way, but not everyone follows the rules.

[Mleeja]

Ya know no really answered my question for a few post back. This is not a black and white topic, there is a lot of gray.

If I can stand in the golf course and reach over and pickup my ball or use my five iron to knock it back to me, it this considered tresspassing in someones yard? My fingers or club will not even disburb a blade of grass and I have not entered into someone yard.

[TheVillageChicken]

Originally Posted by Mleeja

Ya know no really answered my question for a few post back. This is not a black and white topic, there is a lot of gray.

If I can stand in the golf course and reach over and pickup my ball or use my five iron to knock it back to me, it this considered tresspassing in someones yard? My fingers or club will not even disburb a blade of grass and I have not entered into someone yard.

I hate to brag, but I am not a lawyer.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by TheVillageChicken

I hate to brag, but I am not a lawyer.

OH PLEASE....let me steal that line!!!!!!

I love it!!!

[newguyintv]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

This will be the second year I grow butterfly plants next to the golf course.
Last year I raised over 6 dozen monarchs, whiose species is slated to be on the endangered list.
Yesterday, four golfers were in my garden after a ball. The ball was retrieved from where it nearly touched the lanai by a man who did not see my plants.

Dearhearts, please consider that you are on someones private space where they have an intention that you may violate by trampling.

If a ball was retrieved and the offending golfer didn't trample your rare butterfly plants which to the average Joe might look like weeds, what's the big deal? Grin and bear it.

[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by newguyintv

If a ball was retrieved and the offending golfer didn't trample your rare butterfly plants which to the average Joe might look like weeds, what's the big deal? Grin and bear it.

Making assumptions ,when I do it, often ends in humility and regret that I spoke without knowledge or understanding. Assuming that no harm was done is an error.

[Fraugoofy]

I am an avid golfer and I think it is just plain common courtesy to leave private property just that: private!

[Polar Bear]

I respect other people's property I believe as much as anyone. But if a ball is clearly visible, in open grass, just a matter of feet across the OB/property line, I think it is very reasonable for the golfer who hit that ball to retrieve it as quickly and innocuously as possible. I don't believe a golf-front property owner should be subject to unreasonable intrusion, but I believe that much is reasonable and to be expected.

[JRichm369]

We live on a golf course, it more so about courtesy, if the ball is in plain and accessible place and if you are not harming anything pick up your ball, get back in bounds and take the one stroke penalty like a good golfer. If you need to go and beat the bushes shame on you.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by JRichm369

We live on a golf course, it more so about courtesy, if the ball is in plain and accessible place and if you are not harming anything pick up your ball, get back in bounds and take the one stroke penalty like a good golfer. If you need to go and beat the bushes shame on you.

Now there is a reasonable golf-front homeowner.

[redwitch]

Kitty, I think the problem is that most golfers are going to pick up a ball they can easily see and reach. They don't mean to do harm, they probably think they're doing the owner a favor by not leaving the ball. You may have gotten the message out on TOTV but there are far more golfers here that have never even heard of this site.

I would say your best bet is to have some signs letting golfers know they are not welcome to retrieve balls or something to the effect you have fragile plants, do not disturb. It's a shame you have to do something like this, but if folks think they are doing you a kindness by retrieving their ball, you need to find a way to get the message across. Of course, the dolts who would search bushes are not going to stop regardless.