Quaker Ridge Wins Errant Golf Ball Case

Thanks to Steven T. for Dan Reiner's story suggesting that the homeowners who have battled Quaker Ridge are running out of options and courts to hear their claims. They earned a measely $7,300 in damages from the court.

The six-year-old case (!?), while appearing to be yet another first-world situation, is important because a victory here could have led to more such cases against golf courses. Given the actions of the homeowners and attempts by the club to appease them, could have set an even more dreadful legal precedent than the many already on the books.

The club stationed an employee at the second hole for 118 days in 2015 to secure an accurate count of ball incursions on the Behar property; the count found 40 balls may have entered the yard, which equates to about one ball every three days.

"Quaker Ridge has always been good neighbors to the surrounding homes around our golf course," Friedman said. "The significant steps we took to reduce the number of golf balls entering this yard were successful."

“It should not be unexpected that any house abutting a golf course, including the Behar’s house, would from time to time, receive three, four, five, or more balls on a given particular day of poor swings, and that there could be no liability on the part of a golf course for trespass, nuisance or concomitant damages," Wood said.