Golf Ball Smashed Car Window - What to Do Now?

JokerCandy on 13/05/2018 - 12:26
Last edited 13/05/2018 - 22:56 by 1 other user

Hello!

One evening I came back to my car with one of the windows smashed, but nothing stolen, nothing even disturbed.

I had thought it might have been general vandalism but when I took it to be replaced, the mechanic noticed a dent in the frame of my car door with a distinct golf-ball-like pattern which may have been the culprit. I was parked relatively closely to a golf course which I hadn't thought about, but I've contacted the golf course who have asked me to fill in an incident report form. Although the glass window was easy enough to replace, glass shards did get into the winding motor mechanism so it may only be a matter of time before it all needs to be replaced (>$1000). I went back to the spot after this to look for a golf ball but couldn't find any.

I did cut myself on the glass (minor injury) but as a student in a hospital, I didn't lose any time from "work" per-say. The glass window replacement itself did not cost more than the excess on my car insurance hence they haven't been involved.

I'm wondering what you would do next in this situation. Is the golf course at fault or was I just unlucky to be parked in the wrong place at the wrong time?

If you'd like photos feel free to PM me.

EDIT: photo - https://imgur.com/a/ArDjhQf

Thanks for any help and advice OzB!

Automotive

Comments

  • chumlee on 13/05/2018 - 12:35

    Gonna be hard to prove as you may need to take action against the person who hit the golf ball not the golf course unless of course they agree to cover your damages

    • ThithLord on 14/05/2018 - 10:04

      I'd assume the Golf Course would take most of the liability and would be paying insurance for these sorts of things.

  • Downvoter on 13/05/2018 - 12:38

    How far is “relatively close”

    • JokerCandy on 13/05/2018 - 23:00
      -1

      Not the street adjacent but one more over :( - i.e. it went over 1 row of houses

    • John Kimble on 13/05/2018 - 13:13
      +7

      Did you, use some sort of web searching service to locate those news articles?! Amazing!

  • bongom on 13/05/2018 - 13:01
    +3

    Golf clubs should have insurance to cover this?

    • Donaldhump on 13/05/2018 - 15:34
      +14

      i didn't know golf clubs could organise their own insurance, my golf clubs are lazy and have been laying in the garden for twenty years

  • SuckleMyWorm69 on 13/05/2018 - 13:08
    +1

    Trying to take legal action is probably a waste of your time.

  • Cheapo Moose on 13/05/2018 - 13:09
    +3

    I'd love to see a picture of the "golf ball like pattern" within the dent.

    I've accidently hit my own car with a golf ball (don't ask) and while it did leave a dent, there certainly wasn't a dimple pattern within it.

    • whooah1979 on 13/05/2018 - 13:14
      +9

      Perhaps the mechanic is moonlighting as a csi.

      • [Deactivated] on 13/05/2018 - 16:56
        +1

        Keep zooming in. The golfer may have touched the golf ball with bare hands, left a fingerprint that transfered from the golf ball to the car. If not, zoom in further and get DNA strcuture.

        Case solved.

        • [Deactivated] on 13/05/2018 - 17:15
          +2

          You can't just keep zooming in like that. That's joy how photos work.

          You also need to ENHANCE

        • resubaehtgnolhcs on 13/05/2018 - 22:10
          +1

          @Drew22: Enhance, enhance, enhance, enhance….

        • kiitos on 14/05/2018 - 21:06
          +1

          "wait a minute…enhance right there…looks like letters…'regnezalS'…hmmmm…some kinda code…get Crypto on it right now!"

        • [Deactivated] on 14/05/2018 - 21:50
          +1

          @kiitos:
          As the polymer ages, the force needed for material deflection changes. Find out the manufacturer, correlate to age, get the batch number, find the distributor, locate the retailer and you have your customer.

          Case solved.

      • cansydint on 14/05/2018 - 13:46

        I've seen humans with golf ball bruises and baseball stitching in welts.

        Never in a dented car!

    • John Kimble on 13/05/2018 - 13:19

      the mechanic noticed a dent in the frame of my car door with a distinct golf-ball-like pattern which may have been the culprit.

      Plot twist, the car is made out of Play-Doh!

      The car got hit twice? Or by a giant golf ball that hit the frame and the window?

    • JokerCandy on 13/05/2018 - 22:56
      +1

      https://imgur.com/a/ArDjhQf

      Hope this helps!

    • retiredfeline on 13/05/2018 - 23:25
      +1

      OP should also get a forensic team to measure the depth and inclination of the indentation. From that it's trivial to work out the exact launch site and even the club used.

      😜

  • John Kimble on 13/05/2018 - 13:10
    +2

    If they yelled "Fore!" at the time, then they are no longer liable. :p

    Pics in the post please.

    Don't park near golf courses in the future.

    • [Deactivated] on 13/05/2018 - 16:56
      -1

      First world problems. Everywhere is golf course adjacent.

  • try2bhelpful on 13/05/2018 - 14:59

    Maybe the golf club needs to redesign the course to make the road at the back of the players. It is just ludicrous the golf course trying to deny responsibility. This should be approached as any other dangerous emissions from a factory. A ball hitting a moving car could result in a fatal accident. Council trying to duck shove responsibility is also typical. Apart from being a nuisance to the average householder, and taking off on paid study leave, not sure what the councillors do.

    • [Deactivated] on 14/05/2018 - 08:36

      They go to council meetings to decide how much to charge for water , how much to sell recycling to China and also give themselves payrises because of inflation ,like the increasing price of water.

      • try2bhelpful on 14/05/2018 - 08:40

        Thanks for the clarification :)

    • Euphemistic on 14/05/2018 - 08:39

      Are you sure the gold club is trying to deny responsibility? The asked to fill out an incident report, OP hasn't said anything about it being denied.

      • try2bhelpful on 14/05/2018 - 08:42

        Good point, I apologise to the golf club if they pay for the damage.

  • Donaldhump on 13/05/2018 - 15:36
    +3

    man sh*t happens, i once came back to my car and some one obviously was going hammer and tong on it through the night, with a rather large female on my car bonnet. They left a very distinct g string / butt mark on it, and then flung the used rubber on the rough.

    advice, don't park next to golf clubs or back alleys near night clubs on valentines day

    • fantombloo on 13/05/2018 - 16:06

      Great story! The things people do. I immediately thought of this song

    • Donaldhump on 13/05/2018 - 16:17

      rough=roof

    • try2bhelpful on 14/05/2018 - 08:46

      I would’ve taken pictures. It certainly would’ve made the cops more interested in your vandalism claim. Nowadays I would also ask the woman if she is OK. There was an awful case where a student was raped and murdered and someone going past thought the sex was consensual.

  • altomic on 13/05/2018 - 16:19

    bad luck

  • Godric on 13/05/2018 - 16:41
    +1

    Get it back on the green and take a swing

  • Euphemistic on 13/05/2018 - 16:44

    Submit your report to the golf club. Then see what happens. I’d be surprised if they deny, assuming they think your story is plausible. I drove past a golf course regularly and once saw a wayward ball bounce onto the road a few car lengths in front of me. Hate to think what would have happened if it hit, but imagine I’d be onto the golf club for compensation.

    My grandmother lived behind a golf course and afaik they paid for repairs if caused by golf balls. She had a decent collection of balls for the grandkids to play with and even had a club over the fence once until the course put up a massive fence.

  • JimmyF on 13/05/2018 - 17:19

    or was I just unlucky to be parked in the wrong place at the wrong time?

    This… fix it and move on

    glass shards did get into the winding motor mechanism so it may only be a matter of time before it all needs to be replaced

    Or maybe they didn't and you'll never replace it.

    • JokerCandy on 13/05/2018 - 22:59

      Just going off the advice of the mechanic. Stayed with him during the replacement testing the winnding mechanism. Definite scratching sounds heard and some inability for the power windows to slide all the way up at times. No problems since most of the glass was blown out and sucked up but hopefully it stays that way!

  • altomic on 13/05/2018 - 17:24
    +12

    please tell me that your car is a VW golf……

    • inherentchoice on 14/05/2018 - 06:54
      +1

      No it's the VW caddy caddie.

  • [Deactivated] on 13/05/2018 - 18:26

    Probably Robert Allenby missing the cut.

  • ShannonN on 13/05/2018 - 20:17

    Fill in form sent to you from golf course , get old golf ball that is well worn and damaged keep as evidence car was hit, golf courses carry insurance for this type of event just make sure where you say you parked doesn't have specially high wire fences up to prevent balls going over.

    Stop stressing and move on, can't you can re claim for glass in the lift mechanism as
    you can get to it and vacumn the shards

  • Neenie Beamer on 13/05/2018 - 22:09

    This sounds like you parked near Victoria Park golf range near the RBH, yeah??

    • JokerCandy on 13/05/2018 - 22:59

      Sorry this is NSW!

  • inherentchoice on 14/05/2018 - 07:00
    +1

    per-say

    https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/per_se

    • Speckled Jim on 14/05/2018 - 07:43

      Phonetic match: 100%

      • inherentchoice on 16/05/2018 - 11:17

        So is "apart" vs "a part".

        • Speckled Jim on 16/05/2018 - 12:56

          If it sounds right it is right. Or have you learned nothing from the last two decades?!
          Sounds right=feels right. Feelings=emotions.
          Emotions destroyed logic years ago.

          Welcome to the new normal.

  • singlemalt72 on 14/05/2018 - 07:37

    You are not able to prove the golf ball (or golf-ball sized object) came from the golf club, so you are stuck. Even when you can prove it, the liability lies with the golfer, not with he club.

    It's a bitch, but that's how it works.

    You can always try calling the club, but they will deny responsibility.

    • vk2xxy on 14/05/2018 - 16:03

      My drivers weathershield got struck and broken by a golf ball on Qantas Drive at Sydney airport.

      Just drove into the golf course, told reception. They said get it fixed and bring the receipt in and they will reimburse the cost.

      Few days later did just that and no issues at all. Less than $100 though.

    • Dr Prepper on 16/05/2018 - 15:28

      I wrote a letter for client against Strathfield golf club and they paid. They have insurance for this.

  • magic8ballgag on 14/05/2018 - 08:11

    glass shards did get into the winding motor mechanism so it may only be a matter of time before it all needs to be replaced (>$1000)

    Unless you own a ~$100,000 car, that's exaggerating just a touch.

  • Allan Thomas on 14/05/2018 - 12:54

    Golf clubs have liability insurance to cover property damage from golf balls. Lodge a claim with the club.

  • HeWhoKnows on 14/05/2018 - 13:39

    Is the golf course at fault?
    Id say blame the 18th hole and take it to court.

    • Euphemistic on 14/05/2018 - 14:01

      There will probably be no need to go to court if the OP carries out the process outlined by the golf club in the OP. Fill in the form, submit, wait for resolution. It is quite likely the resolution will be compensation for damages. Golf Clubs have had plenty of practice with this stuff, if the resolution turns out to be no compensation, then you're out of luck.

  • Ken1977 on 22/05/2018 - 15:33

    If it was me in this situation and the golf course denied my claim I would turn up in the middle of the night with a bucket of golf balls and hit them through every window in the place.

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