Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Golf balls break all the rules and windows

The ruling bodies that look after the small region of Saskatchewan in America have decided to call it a day and rule against a dispute that has run for some time against wayward golf balls.

There are two families involved in the dispute that both live within firing range of the ninth hole at the local golf course. Both parties have been awarded a total of $24,000 in damages, after filing the law suit against the club in 2006.

The counties appeal court upheld the award and commented that the judge involved in the decision had ‘over-reached’ in his effectiveness by imposing a ‘zero-tolerance’ policy on all wayward golf balls.

Both parties excepted that it was entirely possible for the occasional golf ball to go wayward. On average both parties had found up to 1,000 golf balls since 1997 – reporting that occasional damage such as smashed windows on both car and house was intrusive – not to the mention the obvious risk of getting struck by a golf ball, with serious consequences.

Members of the local golf course had not taken kindly to both couples taking legal action, with one particular golfer deliberately hitting golf balls at one house in protest.

Two parties were held jointly responsible for the damage incurred to both properties, including the owner of the land that was developed for both homes, and the original owner of the golf course + the town – who later took direct ownership of the club. Both were held responsible for onslaught of golf balls.