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Ugh....broke a window

MtlJeff breaks a window


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Talk to your insurance company.
 
The real bummer here is I doubled that hole, the next two and then a bogey before I got my head back on straight enough to stop thinking about it. Oh well, at least I scored par on the last two holes! Yep, took my medicine, took the penalty and salvaged a 92. Was sniffing getting into the 80's until that fiasco!
 
golfinnut said:
Not if there is a sign on the course that states something to the effect of "golfers are responsible for all damage to adjoining properties."
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If we start adding details you can make anything fit your narrative. I didn’t offer an opinion one way or another just what I remember from people having these conversations previously. What your would likely be legally obligated to do.

My opinion is to just offer to pay and move on. How rarely it happens I don’t think it’ll be that big of a drain.
 
I was very fortunate the only time that this happened to me. I hit someone's sliding glass door. Lucky for me, someone else hit it two days before and they already had someone scheduled to come out and replace it (the previous person hit one side and I hit the other). The wife came out and explained that it was my lucky day and the husband was close behind with two plastic cups of lemonade and an egg carton full of balls for me.

Again, I was lucky but, I was so humiliated. And, yes, I stopped with every intention of paying for my damage (my dumb ass back then didn't even consider whether home owners insurance would cover it). 🤷‍♂️
 
I think legally you probably are not liable. I would offer to pay but I would want to get an estimate for what it costs independently.
 
Having now read through this thread. Wow there are two schools of thought going on here.
 
The courses that have houses lined on fairways around here have signs stating golfers are responsible for any damages.. when I play those I tend to tee off with irons. I know where they go.
 
That sucks. I'm in the camp that I'd do what I think is right. Sans the owner being some sort of crazy a-hole, that's going to involve me spending some cash to make them whole.
 
I’d have to offer to pay for the window or the deductible, regardless of whether the law says I’m liable. I don’t want someone else having to shell out a bunch of money for a window or their deductible because I hit a crappy shot.
 
Fox Tv Popcorn GIF by The Four
 
My understanding in my state is the golfer is responsible.
 
MGoBlue said:
Talk to your insurance company.
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Your insurance company will likely follow the laws of the state and push it back on the homeowner if it is an assumed risk state.

Not sure how insurance companies deal with homeowners that live on golf course, but I do know that filing too many claims, even small ones, is a good way to have your insurance company drop you. If you are dropped, most of the big firms won’t touch you for 2-3 yrs and your premiums are going to skyrocket. It may be the homeowner doesn’t want to file the claim.

My recommendation would be to exchange information but don’t commit to anything. Once you have the facts, do what you think is the right course of action.
 
will said:
I’d have to offer to pay for the window or the deductible, regardless of whether the law says I’m liable. I don’t want someone else having to shell out a bunch of money for a window or their deductible because I hit a crappy shot.
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This happens every time we play blind draw two man at my club 😂
 
JB said:
Let me ask you this.
You go to a friends house and park in their driveway. When you are leaving you hit drive instead of reverse and drive right into their garage door.

Should you offer to pay for it or their deductible?
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Is that "assumed risk" though? The main argument I'm seeing is "assumed risk" and most of the examples you and Canadan have brought up just don't fit that? People who buy a house on a golf course especially houses that sit, oh I don't know 180 yards off of the right side of a fairway on a Par 5 know exactly what kind of risk they are assuming when they purchase the house or are completely naive. It's not random buy, they want to have the cool house next to the golf course, but that comes with risk, they buy to be a part of an HOA and have insurance to cover what they know is an ASSUMED RISK at time of purchase for that location.

A person hitting reverse instead of forward to hit your mailbox isn't assumed...that's not the same thing. I just don't get the analogy at all? It's also not assumed someone will violently sneeze and send a cart into car in a random parking lot, that's not assumed.

Errant shots on golf courses...man, I can't think of many other examples that are more assumed than that. And the assumed part of this entire conversation to me is where the responsibility shifts...that's the key part to me.

I just can't buy into the idea of endless liability on the golfer. I'm all for making a knock and offering to pay a reasonable amount for damages, but these people that buy houses 180 yards off the fairway and then just let their kids play in the backyard are WILD to me. It frustrates me when I see it honestly.
 
I doubt you are the first to hit his house. An offer to pay his deductible would be the start and end of my negotiations with the owner.
 
This is an interesting thread to me. I am not a good golfer; I know I have hit one window that I heard broke. When I tried to speak to the person, they were mad and threatened to kill me, and I left. I did leave my info at the pro shop after the round and never heard anything.

I have also heard a few “knocks” over the years and did my best to go to the house that I thought I hit and see if anyone was there. Not to the point that I would jump the fence and go to the front door to ask, but go to the back fence and even left a note a few times to call me.

Only one time have I heard back from a homeowner who demanded I pay $2000, to which I told them to contact an attorney.

For all of the people saying that you should pay for it, do you stop your round and try to drive to the homeowners house to see if anyone is there? It is always a freak thing. If I hit it over there, I listen to see if I hear anything and try to handle from there.
 
Typhoon said:
It’s your responsibility to keep your golf ball on the golf course. You should pay. Just like the example someone else said about kids playing sports and breaking your window.

You’ve damaged someone else’s property regardless of anything else.
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Hi new here, but do you still have the paderson d30+ shaft?
 
Interesting read.
 
If your house is right on the golf course i dont see how a golfer would be liable. Thats part of the risk of being right next to the course. Everyone likes to play the victim
 
Canadan said:
I'm going to start calling errant tee shots "natural disasters" based on your responses lmao
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Natural Disaster sounds like a great forum name.

I am with you. I would offer to pay for it. Depending on how the homeowner reacts to the situation, I reserve the right to change my answer :)
 
BigDill said:
I am with the general consensus that golfers should take responsibility for their golf balls as a matter of right and decency. I will say, however, that the way to do so is important. I would admit fault, but not responsibility. So I would phrase it as "I understand I hit your window, and I apologize. It was not intentional. I am happy to pay a reasonable cost to replace it so you are not inconvenienced anymore than necessary, and so that we can resolve this matter amicably."

That is closer to an inadmissible settlement offer than simply saying "I will pay for your damages" without qualification. that could lead to assumption of liability for things you would otherwise not be liable for.
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You should look into this lawyering thing as career.
 
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