confused about golf course rules..
 

Is it ok for golfers to go on residences to collect a ball?
Is it ok for homeowners to go on the course after hours for leisure?

Some people don't mind a golfer retrieving their ball if they don't step on the flowers. Some people practically have guard dogs guarding their yards to keep golfers away. I feel if you buy on a golf course, it is part of the territory to have a few golf balls land in your back yard once in a while. Get use to it! Just my opinion.

[QUOTE=kittygilchrist;693239]Is it ok for golfers to go on residences to collect a ball?
Is it ok for homeowners to go on the course after hours for leisure?[/QUOTE

The answer to your questions is no and no.

This is a good source for golf in TV.
http://www.golfthevillages.com/golf-...fGuide1.13.pdf

I'm getting the sense that golfers on residences is against the rules but many golfers ignore the rule and golfers in their party go along with it, and the course attendants and Ambassadors--how do they respond?
Anybody know the legality of liability issues if a golfer is injured on a residence fetching a ball?

Are you a golf course property owner? Or a golfer?

We live on a golf course, and we really don't mind golfers coming to retrieve their balls...Just no stomping on the flowers, etc! We've even helped some find their "Oops" shots!! Just our opinion....

The golf course rules clearly state that the golfers may not retrieve their balls from a homeowners property. Also to know that you've done damage and skulk away is not right.

Bogey, I'm new here, not golfing yet, own on a course and trying to understand the culture of the community. Seems as in all places, some folks keep the rules and some don't. Reading the rules doesn't help much without knowing what people actually do and what the consequences of our actions might be.
K.

You will enjoy life the most if you don't put a little sign in your yard to tell golfers to stay out or stand in the lanai and shout at the golfers.
BTW don't get upset when the golf balls hit your roof...............it comes with the beautiful view!

I live on a golf course too. If someone hits onto your property, the ball is out of bounds. Some people will retrieve the ball, some will leave it and take the appropriate penalty and start from where they shot the out of bounds shot and others will shoot from your property. It depends on whether or not they know the rules and whether or not they care about the rules.

If I happen to be outside and see that they are going to shoot from my property, I'll go outside my screen room so they can see me. My husband says I'm giving them something to shoot for.



"It is good sportsmanship not to pick up lost balls while they are still rolling." Mark Twain

Kitty:

Technically, golfers coming onto a homeowner's property or a homeowner going onto the golf course for leisure is trespassing.

That said, until last month, we owned a home adjacent to Hole 6 on the Yankee Clipper course.

I didn't mind when golfers came onto my yard to retrieve a clearly visible ball.

I did mind when golfers attempted to scour my yard and shrub beds in search of a ball.
(In those situations, me stepping out of the lanai with a silent, stern look usually ended the search. Usually. One time, however, a golfer became mouthy and accused me of stealing his ball. I replied, Yep. You're right. I swiped your used ball to sell it to help me pay for this house.)

I had an issue when a golfer (3 separate occasions) set up to hit a shot from my yard.

I had a serious issue when a golfer (2 separate occasions) attempted to u-turn a golf cart in my yard.

So, your assessment is accurate: when it comes to retrieving golf balls, not everyone chooses to obey the law or observe the rules of common courtesy and etiquette.

[quote=Ceafolks;693250]:thumbup: EXACTLY

Okay, now I'm curious -- do homeowners have any resourse when golfers trespess, stomp flowers, leave divots, etc.? Other than confronting the miscreants directly, should the property owner try to contact an ambassador? "Uh, it was an older gentleman in a white polo shirt. Driving a golf cart."

I would like to think that golfers would use some common sense but sadly that is not always the case. Common sense tells me that I have no right to enter private property. If my ball is reachable from the course I retrieve it. If it clearly is in someone's yard or flowers then I feel I have no right to go wandering around on their property and I work a little harder at hitting a straight ball. Just my opinion!

Well said. Golfers that I have known all my life who played on ONE golf course or another that we lived on would NEVER go into anyone's yard, but anonymity is sometimes the cause for bad behavior in this place with multiple golf courses where you are not known or recognized and on this forum too.

Golfers are usually gentlemen and gentlewomen. Those who would go into someone's yard or hit a ball back at someone even if they were hit into are people who do not know the rules or don't care about the rules and in golf that makes them crumb bums.

wow, gmcneill, those things haven't happened yet and I hope never do. My understanding of trespass in FL is that it requires signage or prior written notice.

I called the course clubhouse to inquire about the rules and was told that even tho there's a rule against it, most people don't mind golfers coming onto their property to retrieve a ball. Clearly the person who answered had no interest whether the rule was being followed.

A golf ball on a residences yard is Out of Bounds so therefore the ball is lost and unplayable. Since the ball is lost and not on your property, you should not go get the residences ball (it is now their ball not yours). The Country Clubs are Private Property and are supposed to be off limits unless you paid the Green Fees. Exec Courses, you need to have been checked in with the Starter first. Not sure how it really works

Kitty:

Trespassing on residential property occurs UNLESS the owner expressly invites the individual onto the property. Exceptions: an individual performing work in course and scope of job: meter reader, law enforcement officer, etc.

Depending on the type of non-residential property, there are issues of limited access and implied access to consider whether a trespass has occurred or not. And consequently, whether signage (warning) is required.

I hope that the worst situation you encounter is someone picking up a clearly visible ball.

Candidly, I would never have imagined the possibility that any of the other three scenarios would occur.

Apparently, except for making a u-turn, golfers searching yards/plant beds for a lost ball and/or hitting a shot from one's yard occurs more often than one would expect.

George

As you will find with this topic and every other topic of concern in TV, there are no consequences to anyone's actions and and that is generally the reason why people continue doing what they do. Mainly, because they can and no one will hold them accountable. Don't get me wrong because I am happy here in TV and have no plans on leaving but, as the population increases the instances of inconsiderate, ignorant and stupid actions will increase on a proportionate level. They don't teach common sense in any educational level and it shows. Either you have it or you don't!! OK, I'm done.

This common sense stuff cuts both ways.... I would think it common sense that someone living on a golf course would expect [and allow] folks to walk into their lawn to retrieve a golf ball. It does no damage to your lawn for someone to walk to a ball and carry it out.

It's not a big deal....

The golfers that are being talked about are
A. Ones that have had the nerve to even walk up to the house windows looking for their ball
B. Continue then to hit the ball out of the yard
C. And worse yet, do damage and know they do ( such as breaking a window or glass door) and then move quickly away without a second thought)

If you read the golf course rules ( and if you are a golfer then you should know these rules) it clearly states that a golfer may not retrieve his/her ball out of a homeowners yard.

Here's a thread on the subject that is very....revealing
https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...terally-62980/

I have the solution
 

Kitty, I have a great idea. Set up your irrigation system with a motion sensor! Turn the motion sensor on anytime you are not in your back yard. If someone comes into your yard with a cart or by foot, they get soaked! Problem solved.

:evil6:

KB, funny! I'd mostly soak myself!

Actually speaking, most people do let you retrieve ball from their property. Most golfers are considerate of peoples property, and most owners are golfers and understand. (As long as you don't ride cart on their grass) Courtesy can work both ways

Beware when you are asked a question that you may be flamed no matter how yo respond

Getting a sense of the community, the scorecard on this thread:
Yes, getting the ball is OK.........5 posts
No, getting the ball in not OK...10 posts
Info/links/questions.................7 posts

Buying a home on a golf course does not grant golfers permission to enter your yard to retrieve golf balls. It's nice that some homeowners don't mind people coming into their yard to retrieve a ball. The problems arise when people take advantage and traipse all over the yard searching for a ball.

Personally, I won't enter a yard to get my ball. If I can see it and reach it with a ball retriever, I will do that. But I am not comfortable walking into a yard and/or conducting a search. If I can't see it from the course and reach it with a retriever, it's gone.

And, as posted above, that's the rule here.

Flaming was not the intent....................................

Years ago one of my neighbors that never played on the championship courses asked me to take their son golfing when he visited. I said sure, it will be fun. He had clubs and described himself as a weekend golfer and off we went.

We went over to Tierra and he rode in my cart. Number 5 is a par 3 about 160-170 yards if I recall. Well he hozzles one towards the OB on the right about half way to green. He grabs a couple of clubs and putter and starts to walk from the tee box to find it. he did not hit a provisional, so I assumed he would just drop one if OB. We had no match, he can do whatever we wishes, although I could not have imagined what his wish would be!

I drive up to the green and as I get out of my cart and look back to see if he found it he had just hit from someone's yard :22yikes:

I was shocked and embarrassed and although I straightened him out it was too late. As a favor I take him every year, but he is now on a very short leash.

Noper, this has been a respectful and enlightening discussion, all the way.
Kitty

Usually a golf course stipulates to the issue of trespass. The Villages clearly establishes this practice as trespass. In most situations and on all golf courses here a homeowners back lot is too close to the course. Consequently it does not take much to hit into someone's yard. I have seen some golf course home owners responses from trespassers from yelling at them , posting notices, landscapping creating a barrier that prevents a golfer from entering, homeowners who have walked out in front of the golfer picked up his ball and walk away. One homeowner was reported to have called the sheriff everytime someone came on his property while another was said to have turned her hose on trespassers. One homeowner had a sign posted that said if you hit on his property you needed a golf lesson and don't trespass.

In that same vein I have seen and heard golfers who believe that people who buy a golf course lot deserve what they get, while others respect homeowners privacy. I have seen golfers search for a golf ball as if it was their most expensive possession and some who have driven on people's property and hit balls from their yard.

IMHO view if without real effort a golfer can reach over and scoop a ball up fine but come on its only a ball and there is an endless supply of them on the shelves of many many stores.

I have a funny story on this topic: Our new home is on the Bonifay/Pensacola course. We started to move in in early March (snowflakes for now) and brought our dog Barney to get him acclimated to the new home & environment. Being from NJ, a lanai was something new for him to explore. Very quickly he claimed the lanai as his turf and would often bark at the golfers and carts passing by. Every time I heard him making noises out there, I would issue one of his training commands - "leave it!" - so that he knew that his behavior was unacceptable and he needed to stop.
One afternoon I was taking a break from unpacking & chilling on the lanai with Barney when an errant golf ball landed on our property. I probably don't have to finish this story, but I will! The golfer approaches to look for his ball, Barney starts to growl, I issue Barney the "leave it" command, the golfer hears me, stops dead in his tracks and does an about face never retrieving his ball! Was my face red!! :oops:

DH told me that should teach me from talking too loud in the future! :shrug:

When we moved to a golf course lo, we were extremely nice to golfers even offering a beer from our lanai tapper. However, I am not as friendly now. On several occasions,I have found golfers in my FRONT yard searching for balls. I have had my garden decoration stolen-witnessed by a neighbor, people hitting a ball well within my property, and one man replied !" ....you", when I asked him to get out of my flowers. It is unnerving to get out of the shower and see strangers walking by the window or eating with someone two feet outside the window. Usually not only the golfer is searching in my bushes, but he has brought the rest of the foursome.

Some golfers are very polite but others , oh well. I guess they can't afford to buy a ball but they sure have nice carts. I do enjoy the increasing rare polite ones and have even offered shelter during storms or a ride back to the parking lot to those walking the course during inclement weather
I guess my advice is if in doubt stay out. A friendly hello would go a long way.

:agree:

I could not agree more! As other posters have indicated, should I hit an errant shot and it lands on someone's property and I can't retrieve it without stepping on the property or upsetting landscaping, I consider it a lost ball and move on even if the ball is lying in plain view. If the owner expressly invites me to grab my ball, ok, but only in that particular instance.

Loved your post - we use the "leave it" command as well and I can only imagine your tone when you said it - I MEAN BUSINESS!!!:a20:

Maybe the moral of the story is ... buy a water view!

Although maybe those homeowners have stories about wandering ducks and bird poo. :laugh:

Golfers are not allowed on private property.
 

Has anyone even botherd to read the Golfing Book of do's and don'ts and other things that you can get from the starter shack? It clearly states for golfers not to retrieve golf balls from private property. Assumeing if the property owner does not mind does not make it right and you are indeed tresspassing! Play on the golf course only and you will always be o.k. There should be a sign at the starter shack to remind golfers not to go on PRIVATE PROPERTY.

So, if a golf ball strays onto the property of a home that abuts a golf course, it becomes the property of the home owner.
What if a person's dog, on one of those 40' leashes, takes a poop on the same property. Does the poop become the property of the home owner too?
:sigh: