broken window from a golf ball
 

well I always wondered if the insurance would cover a golf ball through my window. I live on hacienda golf course and last week a guy hit a ball that went through my window and into another room breaking the window and destroyed the blind. my wife caught the guy as he was driving away and asked him if he was going to make it right. he said no but she could contact his insurance agent at state farm. she did and today they called and said absolutely no! I chose to live on a golf course so I assume the responsibility. so now I know!!!
im a golfer so I sorta agree with it but I still don't like it. :cus:

Whether you live on a golf course or not, it seems to me that breaking a window in a private residence is vandalism.

Sadly, barefoot, it is an assumed risk -- you choose to live where balls have a distinct possibility of hitting your window, you assume the risk of it happening. Now, if the golfer threw the golf ball or aimed at the house and window, that would be vandalism. To me, someone with ethics would not hesitate to at least offer to pay for half the cost of breaking the window, but even that seems to be getting rarer and rarer.

It does seem that the general viewpoint of a lot of golfers is that it is not their responsibility to pay for a broken window from their errant shot.

Legality vs ethics?

I have played with guys here in The Villages who have hit houses and they drive away as fast as possible. Definitely the wrong thing to do ethically.

I was playing one day and the guy in the cart with me hit a house with his ball. He told me to drive to the other side of the course quickly. Instead, I drove up to that house to see if a window had been hit. This guy was yelling and cursing at me the whole time. Luckily for him, no damage had been done. Naturally, we do not associate anymore.

How did we raise our kids? If they broke a window, they pay for it. Let's us show the same ethics we tried to teach our kids.

I was watching "Judge Judy" on TV a while ago and she heard a similar case where a property owner was suing a golfer for damage done to a window on his house. Judge Judy also concluded that a home owner on a golf course assumes the risk and liabilities of errant golf balls and the damage they do to their property. If the golfer intentionally teed up and shot directly at the house, then it is an act of vandalism.

What kind of golfer wouldn't want to do the right thing in that scenario? Under the rules of golf, Rule 27-1b, out of bounds incurs a stroke and distance penalty. What a bum.

as a past golf course resident, many times....there is no doubt about the assumption of responsibility.

Those who hit the house or break a window are in several categories. They don't know they hit the house/window. They know it hit the house and assume no windows broken no harm done. There are some who if they knew they broke a window they would stop. Then there are those who would play through/by no matter what. And so on.

Most for what ever the reason/excuse play therough/by/etc.

I suppose there are the real cowards who run?????

I always had tempered glass windows on the sun rooms and any other windows in the possible line of flight.

Have been eating breakfast many times on the porch when a ball makes a direct hit on the glass. Sounds like a gun shot. Fortunately with the tempered glass....never had a broken window.

btk

Not the Golfer's Responsibility
 

I live on a golf course and agree it is not the golfer's responsibility. If the golfer chooses to to compensate the home owner that is fine, but they are not obligated to do so. Even professionals hit errant shots at times, it is part of the game. People living on golf courses should expect their house may be hit at times and that is part of the price they pay for enjoying the benefits of living on a course.

Part of the problem here is how close the homes are built to the golf course. Play Ocala Country Club and notice how far back the golf course homes are from the fairways. Ocala National is the same, it is virtually impossible to hit a home on that course.

Charlie

Ditto.

Where is the high standard of Iowa ethics?

You live on or near a golf course with expectations of being hit by golf balls with no liability assignable to the golfer. It kind of sucks that you also paid a premium for this piece of property doesn't it?

And I thought Golf was played by 'Gentleman" and Ladies? I guess some of the same types that damage cars in parking lots and run off play golf too :undecided:

Actually not !!

I paid the premium so I didnt have to go out on my Lanai in the morning to have my coffee and see some other fat guy doing the same thing 10 feet AWAY ---LOL:boxing2:

What about the fat-guys on the golf carts seeing you drinking your coffee on your lanai? :a040:

Hi Red Tail :

Sorry for your dilemma.

The liability issue can be argued until the cows come home. However many Golf Clubs establish rules where homes are built to eliminate such arguments. Perhaps The Villages developed some applications?

You may also want to contact State Farm and ask if they have coverage for property damage irrespective of liability. Many homeowner policies have what is referred to as Property Damage To Others. Its designed to keep neighbors from disputing. suppose your neighbor is mowing his lawn and hits a rock and the rock breaks your window. Rather than dispute liability they apply a good will approach. The limits on this coverage are $500 per occurrence. I can't believe accompany as large as State Farm does not have this coverage.

And people wonder why some homeowners on a course refuse to let golfers retrieve their ball