My co-host and I were talking about how she was driving by Ridgeview Country Club in Duluth when she saw a golf ball come flying in her direction. Howard Gnesen Road runs parallel to the golf course for a stretch. Golf balls occasionally will find their way to the road.

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It happens all the time, but what happens if you do hit a car? There will likely be damage considering a golf ball travels at a high velocity. For sure you could get a dent, chipped paint, a broken window, etc.

Smashed windscreen of a car, damaged glass
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So who is responsible if a car is hit? If you're lucky and it hits the windshield and the driver has free window coverage, you may get off the hook without paying anything.

Scenario #1 Car is hit on a public road.

If it happens on a public road, the driver of the vehicle would have to find the golfer responsible, and hopefully, they would take responsibility and pay for damages. There are several ways this could happen.

If the driver of the vehicle has comprehensive coverage, they could ask the golfer to pay the deductible. If the golfer refuses, they could try to take them to small claims court.

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Also, the golfer could file a claim on their homeowner's policy to cover the damages, if their policy covers it. I actually had a homeowners claim when my son ran into a parked car while camping. It saved me a few thousand dollars. The same could be applied if I were to hit a car while golfing.

Scenario #2 Car is hit while parked at the golf course.

If your car is hit at a parking lot on the golf course, it's going to be harder to claim any damages. That's because when you go to a golf course, it's considered an inherent risk of flying goofballs. Think of it like going to a hockey game. You can't sue the arena if you are hit by a puck, because you accept the risk by attending the event.

If you're going golfing and you're hit by a ball and it's not negligent, the same applies. You can't sue someone that hit you with a ball unless you can provide evidence that they intentionally did it, or were negligent.

You could ask the golfer to be kind and help out, or check with their course if there is a damage policy. You'll likely end up paying for it with your insurance or out of your pocket. You can learn more about the details of insurance claims from a helpful article from insurance broker Jerry.

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