How close is too close?
 

Just wondering what are the rules for hitting balls from near the houses. We had someone this morning about 10 feet from the house. This is probably the 6th time we have had this and was wondering what exactly is the convention?

Golfers should not go onto private property to hit their golf ball.

The "Good Golf Guide" put out by The Villages has a section on Common Etiquette.

One of the points:

"Please NEVER play or retrieve a ball from the yard of a resident. Report any damage of private property to the homeowner."

most folks will not mind one retrieving an obvious find in their yard. Common sense would rule when it comes to hitting from some ones property....and we all know there are some out there that either don't have it or don't care....fortunately they are the isolated rare bird.

btk

The technical answer to the question asked is this: If it is on golf course property then by the rules of golf we have to play it where it lies. If it is on the home's property then it is an out of bounds ball and we re-hit from the tee or use a provisional if played.

SO I assume the easement is an ok place to hit from. It just seems mighty close.

Some parts of homes and lanais CAN be and often are right up to the set back which is ten feet. I don't know how one would determine what is an "easement". If it is not your property it may be golf course property. But it MAY be out of bounds and shouldn't be hit, but allowed to be retrieved. BUT I would never attempt to retrieve an errant shot from someones yard.

You should call your sales rep and ask.

Not only a lack of common sense and decency but cheating to Golf Gods to boot. If a ball goes out of bounds, it's a stroke and distance penalty (i.e., you have to hit again from the same spot you hit the errant shot).

Now personally, I have nothing against informal "friendly golf". However, there's nothing friendly about hitting a ball out of someone's yard.

The easement is your property. It just gives some others such as utility companies the right to come onto your property.

Oh good point. I didn't see your post before responding.

Shcisamax, it does depend on whether the ball that was hit was on your property (or otherwise out of bounds). There should be a white stakes to indicate where out of bounds begins. Was the ball in question hit on your side or the golf course side of the white stakes?

Maybe other than a tee a golf ball is the "cheapest" part of playing golf. However, some will go to any length to retrieve their golf ball. Hit a provisional ball if you think it is out of bounds (marked by white stakes) and do not retrieve a ball from someone's yard. It ain't nice!

Easement or property is not the question as Pturner, and others, state: If it is on this side of the white stakes then play it where it lies. If on the wrong side of the white stakes then leave it be unless the homeowner has a sign like "you may retrieve your ball". But never, never hit from the other side of the stakes.

The actual question, as posed, is very simple to answer as there is only one answer.

As you know by now, there's never "one answer" on TOTV!

Russ is right
 

Russ knows his golf.
We live on Palmer and are happy to say no one has ever played off our yard. Also, only had one group come into yard to find a ball.

So we can assume the white stakes are on the outside of the setback. So that last 10 feet is "out of bounds" so to speak. The player should not be playing the ball from the area of the setback.

Yes, the white stakes would not be placed in your yard. At least they shouldn't be:)