A city in Michigan is considering a new rule that could hold golf facilities accountable for stray golf balls that damage nearby homes, cars, and other private property.
Pontiac City Council has taken the first step toward declaring golf balls that leave a golf course a legal nuisance after residents reported years of damage and safety concerns.
The proposed ordinance targets golf balls escaping from The Links at Crystal Lake, a golf course in Pontiac. Residents living near the facility say the balls regularly land in their yards, hit their homes, break windows and damage vehicles.
During a Tuesday meeting, the City Council held the first reading of the proposed ordinance. If approved, the measure would change the city’s municipal code and require golf facilities to create a containment plan to prevent golf balls from leaving their property, according to 7 News Detroit.
A stray golf ball is seen in a cobble stonePhoto by Carl Recine/Getty Images
The issue has led to growing frustration among homeowners who say they have dealt with the problem for more than a decade.
Pontiac City Councilman Chris Jackson said the city had received nearly a dozen formal complaints recorded through the sheriff’s department. Officials also received roughly two dozen additional complaints from residents who did not know how to file reports through the proper process.
“It was time that we got something done for the folks that have been dealing with this for well over a decade,” Jackson said.
The proposal comes after residents repeatedly asked city officials to address the problem and protect their homes and families from flying golf balls.
One of the residents speaking out is Delores Stephens, who has lived near The Links at Crystal Lake for more than 40 years.
Stephens showed reporters golf balls she had collected from her yard over the past two years. She also pointed to cracks and holes in her home’s siding and damage to her car.
“These are golf balls that I have picked up throughout my yard over the last two years,” Stephens said.
Her property sits close to the golf course, where a short fence separates the playing area from nearby homes. Along the stretch closest to her property, there is no protective netting to stop golf balls from flying into the neighborhood.
According to Stephens, some golf balls hit with so much force that they break apart when they land.
“Some of them come so hard, they actually burst,” Stephens said while showing a golf ball that had split in half.
The problem has also created fears for people spending time outside. Stephens said she had personally been struck by a golf ball, while her family became so concerned about the danger that they gave the area a nickname.
“helmet territory.”
“We were afraid to have our children outside,” she said.
Stephens estimated that the damage to her property has cost her thousands of dollars in repairs over the years. She also said her insurance company has informed her that it will no longer cover the damage.
Another resident, De’Aundra Garvin, said the situation became much worse after he moved into the neighborhood in 2006.
“When I moved here in 2006, I didn’t have these types of problems,” Garvin said. “It’s been maybe within the 6-7 years, it’s just gotten extensively worse.”
Jackson explained that the golf course would have some freedom to suggest how it plans to address the problem.
“They get to decide what containment plan they want to present to Pontiac, and that’s when the negotiations start to happen,” Jackson said.
The proposal does not yet identify specific safety structures that the golf course must install. Instead, it would allow the facility to submit its own plan for review and discussion with the city.
Stephens welcomed the proposed ordinance and said it could bring much-needed attention to the concerns raised by homeowners.
“Thank you to the city for this initiative,” she said. “That’s the beginning of some help for us.”
Despite the disagreement, Jackson said Pontiac hopes to work with the golf course rather than create a conflict between the business and the surrounding neighborhood.
“The goal is for us to be partners, and I think in order to be a good community partner, you have to consider the community in your operations,” he said.
The City Council is expected to hold the second reading of the proposed ordinance on Nov. 24, 2026. The measure must move through the council’s approval process before it can become city policy.
For now, residents are waiting to see whether the proposal will move forward and what kind of protection the golf course may offer.
Related: Several New York Restaurants Had Their Used Cooking Oil Stolen Overnight
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