So Sick of Rude Golfers--this time harrassing sand cranes :(

[froglady]

I agree that the golfer was rude, but it doesn't give anyone the right to shoot him. It is only considered self defense if you had no option of getting away.

Not in Florida.

 

[Southern4sure]

I agree that the golfer was rude, but it doesn't give anyone the right to shoot him. It is only considered self defense if you had no option of getting away.

Not in FL, you shoot first then ask questions. Woo Hoo!

 

[Tiffer]

There are signs posted that state very clearly that golfers are to not enter peoples yards or leave the course with the carts.



If I tell someone to get off my property, and they start cursing me with a gold club in thier hand, I would certainly feel threatened and be within my right to defend myself and my property.

776.013 Home protection; use of deadly force; presumption of fear of death or great bodily harm.--
(3) A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked in any other place where he or she has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.

http://www.flsenate.gov/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0776/SEC013.HTM&Title=->2006->Ch0776->Section%20013#0776.013

For the record, I don't own a gun, but you'd think that these idiots would have the common sense to stop and think that the next guy might.

Anne

Cursing with a golf club in hand, on a golf course or very near to it, would not cause a reasonable prudent person believing death or great bodily harm would ensue.

 

[Tiffer]

Not in FL, you shoot first then ask questions. Woo Hoo!

She said Florida, not Texas!

 

[froglady]

Cursing with a golf club in hand, on a golf course or very near to it, would not cause a reasonable prudent person believing death or great bodily harm would ensue.

If a MAN was waving a golf club and cursing at me, on MY property, I would DEFINITELY fear great bodily harm.

 

[Cass]

Anne, how about a pressure water hose? LOL you could blast him and his ball

 

[MushyMushy]

Is this a public course? I think that kind of behavior is absolutely ridiculous. I'm sure the men golfing there wouldn't appreciate it one little bit if some stranger was trespassing on HIS lawn, but they feel it's okay to intrude on yours.

 

[Southern4sure]

She said Florida, not Texas!

 

[ducklite]

Cursing with a golf club in hand, on a golf course or very near to it, would not cause a reasonable prudent person believing death or great bodily harm would ensue.

It's not just the cursing. It was cursing in a threatening manner at me because I told him to get off my property. I did feel threatened, which is why I called the course super to have him removed. (He was, the super called me back half an hour later to say he wouldn't be back on the course. he was rude to the super as well.)

Anne

 

[legalsea]

There are signs posted that state very clearly that golfers are to not enter peoples yards or leave the course with the carts.



If I tell someone to get off my property, and they start cursing me with a gold club in thier hand, I would certainly feel threatened and be within my right to defend myself and my property.

776.013 Home protection; use of deadly force; presumption of fear of death or great bodily harm.--
(3) A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked in any other place where he or she has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.

http://www.flsenate.gov/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0776/SEC013.HTM&Title=->2006->Ch0776->Section%20013#0776.013

For the record, I don't own a gun, but you'd think that these idiots would have the common sense to stop and think that the next guy might.

Anne

Remember this: should the district attorney bring an indictment against the homeowner for using unnecessary deadly force, then said homeowner would be brought to trial (unless there is a plea bargain), and then it would be up to the jury to decide of the deadly force were justified. Expensive, and jurors can be uncertain in their collective wisdom, at best.

I gave up golf 25 years ago when I got tired of being screamed at by golfers in their idiotic carts who couldn't believe I preferred to walk (the nice ones I would let play through; those who acted like idiots from the outset I would make wait as I strolled down the fairway).

Finally, the course I played on while growing up was surrounded by houses. It was common knowledge that if your ball landed in a yard you walked into the yard, picked up your ball, walked back to the edge of the course, turned your back to the course, drop the ball over your shoulder so it landed on the course, and added one to your score.

Unless, of course, it was Old Man Mastin's yard. But, that's a different story.

 

[ducklite]

Anne, how about a pressure water hose? LOL you could blast him and his ball

I've thought about turning on the irrigation system. That would be nice, getting hosed with stinky reclaimed water. YUCK!

Anne

 

[ducklite]

Is this a public course? I think that kind of behavior is absolutely ridiculous. I'm sure the men golfing there wouldn't appreciate it one little bit if some stranger was trespassing on HIS lawn, but they feel it's okay to intrude on yours.

It's a semi-public course. The people who live here are regulars, and are very nice and will come a few feet onto the lawn to grab a stray ball, but not more than that.

Anne

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

Remember this: should the district attorney bring an indictment against the homeowner for using unnecessary deadly force, then said homeowner would be brought to trial (unless there is a plea bargain), and then it would be up to the jury to decide of the deadly force were justified. Expensive, and jurors can be uncertain in their collective wisdom, at best.

Exactly. I doubt if I would agree that deadly force was appropriate in this case, since all the man did was yell.

I think that they way it was handled was correct.

 

[marlasmom]

Oh for heaven's sake people - Anne isn't going to shoot anybody (tempting as though it may be). My niece lives on a course (overlooks the fairway) and doesn't seem to have the problem, but it's a private course and the people are all friends. The club is a riot - you have to have a golf cart that matches all the other golf carts. I asked what would happen if they had a burst of creativity and painted their golf cart and they were shocked. Every garage in the development has a third stall with a little door for the cart. I guess nobody walks.

Turning on the sprinkler system is an inspired idea.

 

[Tiffer]

If a MAN was waving a golf club and cursing at me, on MY property, I would DEFINITELY fear great bodily harm.

The standard is a resonable prudent person. Not and individual. It is very likely that a a MAN would be holding a golf club on or very near a golf course, while driving a golf cart onto property, albeit private, that sits on or very near a golf course.

He is certainly trespassing, but I don't think a jury would believe that shooting him in response, with no threats of physical violence, is justifiable and would convict.

I wouldn't take the case.

 

[Planogirl]

Don't let it get to you. I know that sometimes we let these things get bigger in our minds that they should or at least I did so myself with something else recently. Remember that they're just being idiots and probably aren't dangerous. Or at least I hope not.

 

[ducklite]

Remember this: should the district attorney bring an indictment against the homeowner for using unnecessary deadly force, then said homeowner would be brought to trial (unless there is a plea bargain), and then it would be up to the jury to decide of the deadly force were justified. Expensive, and jurors can be uncertain in their collective wisdom, at best.

Here in the very armed Florida, I'd take my chances.

Finally, the course I played on while growing up was surrounded by houses. It was common knowledge that if your ball landed in a yard you walked into the yard, picked up your ball, walked back to the edge of the course, turned your back to the course, drop the ball over your shoulder so it landed on the course, and added one to your score.

Unless, of course, it was Old Man Mastin's yard. But, that's a different story.

The golfers sign a form that they understand the rules of this course--one of which is to not go on private lawns. Like I said, if they walk half a dozen feet onto my lawn to retrieve a ball, toss it back onto the course and take the penalty stroke, I could care less. But the ones driving the carts onto the lawn, walking around looking for not only their balls but others as well, and taking chunks out of my lawn are beyond rude. And to curse me out for "ruining their swing" when I was asking them to get thier cart off my lawn is inexcusable. It was all I could do to keep DH from going aftger the guy and beating the snot out of him.

Anne

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

We lived on a golf course for 5 1/2 years (had quite the collectioin of golf balls when we left). The first year we lived there we had 4 windows broken on the back of the house. In one case we were out of town (thankfully!!), and I found glass in the then 15-month old daughter's high chair which was 10 feet away from the window which had its blinds down too! Only once did the gofler actually own up to and offer to pay for the broken window.

After that, we got smart! We enclosed our patio which protected all but 2 windows. The remaining 2 windows (never broken) were well protected by trees such that someone would literally have to throw/hit a golf ball directly at our house for them to be broken. Even the worst slice (we were 2/3 the way down onthe slice side of a par 4) would hit the tree branches and expend all energy long before the ball would hit our windows. The remaining 4 1/2 years, we had no windows broken.

So my advice would be to "get smart" like we did. Put up some type of wrought iron fence or decorative border (whatever your HOA will approve) to prevent golfers from driving on your property. Neither one will detract from your view and definitely helps keep blood pressure at normal levels! Nothing like being woken from a dead sleep by a window in your kitchen shattering from a bad hit at 6am on a Sunday to get your heart pumping!

 

[TDC Nala]

Actually it would be a misdemeanor and not a felony for trespassing. Also, I believe you must have signs posted that state no trespassing. I also don't think that a golf club would be considered a deadly weapon.

Tell that to Martha Moxley.

Still I don't think the cops would be terribly inclined to haul the guy off to jail...probably get a ticket or a warning.

 

[kirbsam]

if you do shoot the dude, drag his carcas into your house, then you are justified in shooting him. otherwise, if he is just on your property, i think you would have a harder time. hope this helps.