[pklein9747]

So DH and I are out on Truman tonight and DH hits a ball on hole 4 that sails left and we hear bong, bing and know he's hit something. As we come up the path, the homeowner of the CYV meets us and says, "Here's your ball...you put it through my screen" Sure enough there is a hole at the top of the birdcage. And another hole in the screen next to it. The ball he handed us was my husband's (at least it was the same make). The homeowner suggested we contact our insurance company. We exchanged name cards and I asked the homeowner to get 3 estimates to repair the one (1) screen panel. He balked at that and said T&D put the birdcage up and that was the only estimate he would get. I told him I was checking with our insurance but was sure 3 estimates would be required.

Since we've been lucky enough to never hit anything while on the course, can anyone give us some guidelines, assistance. And, any idea of what an upper screen on a midsize birdcage would cost?

Thanks.

[chuckster]

You have a moral NOT a legal obligation to pay for repairs. Home owners live on golf courses at their own risk with knowledge of stray shots. Had 3 screens damaged over the years. Not one golfer came forward, you are the exception. As far as cost, approximately 70.00 - 90.00/panel.

[deltaguy]

Originally Posted by pklein9747

So DH and I are out on Truman tonight and DH hits a ball on hole 4 that sails left and we hear bong, bing and know he's hit something. As we come up the path, the homeowner of the CYV meets us and says, "Here's your ball...you put it through my screen" Sure enough there is a hole at the top of the birdcage. And another hole in the screen next to it. The ball he handed us was my husband's (at least it was the same make). The homeowner suggested we contact our insurance company. We exchanged name cards and I asked the homeowner to get 3 estimates to repair the one (1) screen panel. He balked at that and said T&D put the birdcage up and that was the only estimate he would get. I told him I was checking with our insurance but was sure 3 estimates would be required.

Since we've been lucky enough to never hit anything while on the course, can anyone give us some guidelines, assistance. And, any idea of what an upper screen on a midsize birdcage would cost?

Thanks.

Give the guy $75 and don't involve your Insurance Co.

[getdul981]

What type of insurance do you have that would cover someone else's birdcage screen anyway?

[justjim]

Originally Posted by chuckster

You have a moral NOT a legal obligation to pay for repairs. Home owners live on golf courses at their own risk with knowledge of stray shots. Had 3 screens damaged over the years. Not one golfer came forward, you are the exception. As far as cost, approximately 70.00 - 90.00/panel.

Chuckster: Maybe you are liable and maybe not. Depends---I've read articles both ways. You are exactly correct about a moral obligation. Anyway, who is going to court for such a small amount---probably less than a $100.00? Maybe I have just been lucky but I have never damaged any property or nobody in my foursome has to my knowledge. But it does happen.

[skyguy79]

Originally Posted by deltaguy

Give the guy $75 and don't involve your Insurance Co.

I don't play golf, but I do agree with this statement. Contacting the insurance company could cause you grief down the road like it did us when we moved here.

We had Allstate for years and years, and when we tried to get coverage on our home down here we were denied because we had 3 incidents of filing a claim them back in NYS. One was legit but the other two were not. We got them to remove one false claim which the found was nothing more that an inquire to find out if we had flood insurance. No claim was ever filed.

The other bogus reason was when a Lowes truck backed into our house front tree that was there for decades. They tore off a large branch and was told by the tree service that the tree had to be replaced. So I got the estimate to file with Lowes Insurance Co.

When they gave a denial of claim, using every trick in the book to get out of their responsibility, I contacted Allstate to simply report it and inform them of what was going on. My ins. agent told me that she would file a claim with Allstate anyway so we would at least get something now and they would go after the other ins. company to try to get us the rest we deserved to be made whole.

Allstate then later used that claim against us for the denial, a claim that we never asked for but was processed simply based on our trying to provide them with info. If we realized that such a ridiculous thing like that would hurt us down the road, we would have never even bothered to inform them in the first place. I guess that trying to do the right thing can sometimes give you a good swift kick in your patootie!

[l2ridehd]

You are not legally liable to pay for their screen. However, personally I would. I would agree to a price up to about $100 and pay them. Morally it is the right thing to do.

[Birdie Dreamer]

I would agree that you need to what you think is right in this case.

There are a couple of things that don't make sense to me though. I having lived in South Florida for 17 years on a golf course, I have had my screen hit numerous times and have hit a few along with some of my playing partners.

It is extremely rare for it to make a hole ( unless the screen was very old ). They usually bounce off and leave a mark on the ball. To go through two screens seems unlikely to me. Second, I interpreted your post that you heard the ball hit. Normally you only hear it if it hits something solid. Hitting screens does not make enough noise to hear from the point of the shot.

No doubt the homeowner had your golf ball, but I question if it did the damage stated.

[rubicon]

The issue of liability usually is in flux depending on case law in each state. Often Championship golf Courses issue rules addressing responsibility for damages.

Clearly many golfers feel a right to enter onto private property to retrieve their errant balls and yet feel no moral obligation when we damage property.

It is unfair to use that straw man excuse that homeowners that choose to buy on a golf course get what they deserve.

Certainly golf course homeowners understand that an errant ball I a possibility but in that same vein expect golfers will own up to their responsibility. I mean if you hit someone's house its not like the house moved in front of the ball.

Homeowner policies ave a goodwill provision called "Property Damage To Others" which usually pays up to $500 irrespective of liability .

I believe the homeowner will find that the insurance company is well versed in what comany (s) are the most competitive and it is likely that T&D is one of those companies.

One poster complained about insurance problems stemming from reported claims. It is likely that given the soft Homeowner market in florida probably created some of that.

[asianthree]

I hit my ball and it landed right next to the out of bound stake..walked up to look at what my next shot might be and then walked back to where the rest of the group was hitting...when we drove back to my ball the homeowner was waiting telling me i hit his house and wanted money...he was holding a pink ball..i smiled said not mine and walked over to my white ball and hit...told him he might get more money if he stole the ball someone was playing with and not using his own

[charlie49]

Judge Judy had a case involving property damage on a golf course from an errant shot. She ruled the golfer was not responsible. The property owner cannot enjoy the good parts of living on a course and not accept the fact that the house can be hit by balls. She further explained that it is not necessarily a lack of skills or training that results in bad shots as even professionals hit bad shots at times. A recent New York Times article agreed with Judge Judy and went on further to say that even hitting other golfers with errant shots does not make the hitter liable for injuries. The exception would be if someone could prove the golfer intentionally tried to hit the person or properties on the course. I live on a course and knew when we bought that being on a course has good and bad points.

If the property owner is being nice, I would consider giving them some compensation, if they are being a jerk, I would tell them to take me to court.

[spk7951]

Check with Todd's Screen Repairs out of Leesburg. He replaced a screen on our birdcage last September for $50.

[murray607]

Originally Posted by pklein9747

So DH and I are out on Truman tonight and DH hits a ball on hole 4 that sails left and we hear bong, bing and know he's hit something. As we come up the path, the homeowner of the CYV meets us and says, "Here's your ball...you put it through my screen" Sure enough there is a hole at the top of the birdcage. And another hole in the screen next to it. The ball he handed us was my husband's (at least it was the same make). The homeowner suggested we contact our insurance company. We exchanged name cards and I asked the homeowner to get 3 estimates to repair the one (1) screen panel. He balked at that and said T&D put the birdcage up and that was the only estimate he would get. I told him I was checking with our insurance but was sure 3 estimates would be required.

Since we've been lucky enough to never hit anything while on the course, can anyone give us some guidelines, assistance. And, any idea of what an upper screen on a midsize birdcage would cost?

Thanks.

I was told of a course where a homeowner used to play a sound clip from the Queen Song "Another One Bites the Dust" each time she heard a ball land in her property.
Obviously she was amused by the amount of errant shots and was prepared to blast out her anthem each time one got within her confines.

".........and another one's gone, another one's gone, another one bites the dust..........."

[keithwand]

I wonder how many times/ people this homeowner has collected for these holes?
Sounds like a con.

[deltaguy]

Originally Posted by charlie49

Judge Judy had a case involving property damage on a golf course from an errant shot. She ruled the golfer was not responsible. The property owner cannot enjoy the good parts of living on a course and not accept the fact that the house can be hit by balls. She further explained that it is not necessarily a lack of skills or training that results in bad shots as even professionals hit bad shots at times. A recent New York Times article agreed with Judge Judy and went on further to say that even hitting other golfers with errant shots does not make the hitter liable for injuries. The exception would be if someone could prove the golfer intentionally tried to hit the person or properties on the course. I live on a course and knew when we bought that being on a course has good and bad points.

If the property owner is being nice, I would consider giving them some compensation, if they are being a jerk, I would tell them to take me to court.

Such a wonderful place we live in; TV. How can so many people not understand if they broke something they should pay for it. Who gives a damn about Judge Judy or the cheapskates who will fight an issue like this to save $100 bucks. If you did it, pay for it.