Family Sues Indian Pond Country Club, Wins $4.9 Million After Golf Balls Damaged Their House

After golf balls "terrorized" a family living near a country club in Massachusetts, the residents won nearly $5 million in damages.

The golf balls shattered almost all of their windows, and forced neighborhood children to wear helmets while playing outside, reported Daily Mail.

The house at Indian Pond Estates in Kingston, Massachusetts was bought in 2017 for $750,000 by Erik and Athina Tenczar, who have three young daughters. When the Tenczars, who are not golfers, purchased the house, they figured there would be some issues as they were close to the golf course. But they had no idea the extent of what they would go through once the golf season started. Since they moved in, the couple have collected nearly 700 balls on their property.

Athina told The Boston Globe that when the ball hits the house, "it sounds like a gunshot," and that it's "very scary." The couple were worried about their family's safety. Their attorney Bob Galvin said that later they decided to pursue legal action against Indian Pond Country Club for trespass over the continual bombardment of golf balls.

Erik said that they were "always on edge," and that "it's been emotionally taxing on us." Sharing one of the experiences, Erik said that he was unbuckling their newborn daughter from her car seat in the driveway when a golf ball came flying in. It just missed them and landed at his feet.

Galvin said that the Tenczars repeatedly asked for help from the golf course owner. Before filing the lawsuit, they even obtained a proposal to install a net on their property. But the family got little to no response from the golf course owner regarding the proposed solutions, said the lawyer.

The club consulted with the golf course's architect and tried a number of suggestions, said John Flemming, the country club's lawyer. Flemming added that it's "not true that the golf course didn't do anything." The tee box for the 15th hole has been reconfigured by the country club. The Tenczars' attorney said that it's been months since they've seen a golf ball on their property.

Following a six-day jury trial last December, the Tenczars were awarded $3.5 million for damages, and mental and emotional suffering. The money totaled $4.9 million with interest.

Attorneys for the country club filed a notice in March saying that it would seek to appeal the case. Flemming said that "he is extremely confident that the injunction will be struck down." According to him, the "verdict of $3.5 million for alleged emotional distress is against the weight of the evidence."