For more than half his life, Forrest Hatcher has dealt with near-daily damage from errant golf balls flying from Jefferson Park Golf Course. The balls have shattered his windshield, dented his van, and damaged his home’s siding, trim and windows.
“It would kill somebody if it hit ‘em in the head,” Hatcher said. Thankfully, the balls have mostly hit his vehicles and property. However, he said his son was once hit by a golf ball while riding his bike, and Hatcher himself has had several close calls.
His repair bills have amounted to nearly $100,000 over the years.
Pointing to his car, Hatcher told us: “This whole complete side of the windshield was shattered to pieces. It just missed busting out the sunroof by what? Two inches?”
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Hatcher’s garage door displays numerous dings and dents.
“This dent was done probably at least five years ago,” Hatcher said, pointing to a hole in the aluminum door.
“So, if it ripped an aluminum door, what’s it gonna do to somebody’s head?” he asked.
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The damage extends beyond his garage. He's replaced at least 40 windows over the years.
When Hatcher was growing up, there was no golf course nearby. A private company built one, and in 1979, Fairfax County took it over, making it a public course. Hatcher said the redesign of the holes then set up a problem on the second fairway, leading to the current situation.
Netting was put up to stop the golf balls, but Hatcher said it's not high enough.
“Never has been since 1983,” he said.
The proof lies in his yard, about 100 yards from the second fairway, where golf balls are frequently found.
Over the years, Hatcher has amassed enough errant golf balls to start a driving range, filling several buckets. Fairfax County used to cover the cost of the damage when it had third party insurance coverage, but after switching to self-insurance, Hatcher was told he’s on his own.
The Fairfax County Park Authority sent News4 a statement, which said in part: “Legally, the Fairfax County Park Authority is not responsible or liable for property damage or personal injuries arising from involuntary errant golf balls ... Errant golf shots are the responsibility of the golfer.”
Hatcher said he’s tried holding golfers accountable, but they often deny responsibility, claiming there’s no proof.
Hatcher has repeatedly asked the county to improve the barriers, but he said his requests have been denied for nearly half a century.
Instead of enjoying his retirement, Hatcher spends his days dealing with the mess from the golf course, hoping that he or his wife doesn’t get hit by the next stray ball.
