Golf ball dispute results in 5M verdict (overturned) (Boston, Tewksbury: 2014, lease)

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by matrix5k

Swimming is a winter sport. It's expensive to access a pool in the winter in MA. How many poor kids in MA have that access? I'm referring to sports teams ie being on the swim team, not playing around in lakes and rivers. If it's so cheap to swim then why is the sport dominated by rich white countries at the Olympics? Black athletes would dominate just like in track and field if they all had access to pools.

Boston has a number of public indoor and outdoor pools in community center space, including free aquatic classes. YMCA is sliding scale. So yeah, there is pool access for low income kids. Not the case nationwide but not out-of-reach for many as programs are available in a lot of places. Do lots of poor kids become Mark Phelps, probably not. But that's due to a number of factors.

[matrix5k]

Originally Posted by hawk55732

How is swimming a winter sport? Swimming isnt a team sport by any means. It can be but it doesnt have to be.

In high schools it's a winter sport. How many high schools in MA have a pool, and which towns and cities have one?

[hawk55732]

Originally Posted by matrix5k

In high schools it's a winter sport. How many high schools in MA have a pool, and which towns and cities have one?

You tell me.

If your experience is only in MA you may see it that way. However, swimming over all is not a winter activity and is generally when it is warmer.

[matrix5k]

Originally Posted by hawk55732

You tell me.

If your experience is only in MA you may see it that way. However, swimming over all is not a winter activity and is generally when it is warmer.

This is a MA forum so...

I already told you. Only the affluent kids in MA have access to a pool to join the swim team.

[hawk55732]

Originally Posted by matrix5k

This is a MA forum so...

I already told you. Only the affluent kids in MA have access to a pool to join the swim team.

And yet you brought up how the majority of the world cannot swim and 3rd world countries. So are you talking about only MA or the whole world?

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by matrix5k

Swimming is a winter sport. It's expensive to access a pool in the winter in MA. How many poor kids in MA have that access? I'm referring to sports teams ie being on the swim team, not playing around in lakes and rivers. If it's so cheap to swim then why is the sport dominated by rich white countries at the Olympics? Black athletes would dominate just like in track and field if they all had access to pools.

Eh, yes and no. There's a big accessibility gap between the basics of learning and team swimming. The biggest limiting factor to the former is typically geography, not money. There are many free/affordable programs available in MA that will teach you how to float and move through water. But unless you can walk to a community pool, Boys & Girls Club, or YMCA, access becomes an issue. Swimming at moderate to high competitive levels is pretty expensive as it requires major time commitments (youth meets can easily run 8 hours on a Saturday), often at odd hours due to a limited number facilities (not dissimilar to hockey). Most really good swimmers compete for club teams year round that travel all over the Northeast (expensive) and have top of the line gear (tech suits can easily run over $300 each). Most poor/middle class families can't afford that.

[johngolf]

Enough about swimming. Let us get back to the golf ball story.

[hawk55732]

Originally Posted by johngolf

Enough about swimming. Let us get back to the golf ball story.

With your name I am not surprised to hear you say that.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by simplexsimon

I think its understandable that if your house is getting pelted with golf balls you'd live with some fear and mental anguish. Hard to say what the dollar value for compensation should be for that.

From doing some googling I see the 15th hole on this course is a dogleg left. Unfortunately the house is at the crook of the curve so anybody playing aggressive and trying to bomb the tee shot over the trees has a chance of hitting the house.

Yeah, and if you buy a house there then a reasonable person would expect to be in the errant shot area. The same way you don't buy a house 2 feet above mean high tide and complain when you flood.

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

I guess I am the odd man out here - I wouldn't automatically assume that a house near a course is going to get regularly struck. I would assume that planners of the course and the neighborhood wouldn't site a home or lay out the course so that nearby homes are under high risk of errant shots. Golf balls are extremely hard and someone can really get hurt if they are hit on a bone or in the head, besides the damage to property... apparently though, it's buyer beware and now I would think twice, no, 10x before considering such a home!

You're making a lot of assumptions.

If the housing and the golf course are developed at the same time then typically there's some thought put into where the homes are placed. If the developer is greedy and just wanting to squeeze in as many lots as possible or if the housing or golf course were developed at different times then certainly it's a lot less likely that homes were placed in order to avoid being struck.

Also, if you've ever played golf then you'll know that some people are just BAD at it and there's really no predicting where a ball they hit will go. Clearly though when you look at a golf hole, there are places around it where if you built a house you'd be more or less likely to be pelted by golf balls.

Originally Posted by msRB311

This case pissed me off. Just feels like a sign of the times. People suing for anything. I'm not even sure I can see getting awarded 100k for broken windows. Yes I can see where the golf club should pay but that's about it. 4 million for mental suffering and anguish over broken windows ? Omg. Cry me a River.

It does make me wonder about places like black rock where people pay 4 or 5 million for a house right on a golf course. I guess those homes never get hit ? They don't seem to be in direct line of shooting. At the end of the day this couple bought the home knowing where it was. They also bought it in 2017 and could have probably made a lot of money selling it around 2021 but they chose to sue rather than just sell. They sound very greedy. I'm guessing they'll be awarded something but what a scam.

I thought it was totally ridiculous. I could see if the town forced the course to put up a net to protect the house given the number of balls that strike it. I could even see if the courts awarded the homeowner some money to offset the damage done to the house and even some extra for punitive purposes. However, to give these people multiple millions of dollars is just nonsense.