July 17, 2002      Sunnyvale, California  Since 1994



News


Sunnyvale complex is a big target for lost golf balls

City is 'aware' of concern but it has yet to take decisive action


By Jana Seshadri


Eric Lowy has had some close encounters with some flying objects while living in the Ponderosa Gardens apartments.

"I was cleaning my apartment. Suddenly, as I was closing my window, this ball came from nowhere and hit the window pane about two inches away from my face. It scared the heebie-jeebies out of me and my dog."

This is an eyewitness report from Lowy about the consequences of living in his complex, located at 966 Ponderosa AvenueÑright behind the Sunken Gardens Golf Course in Sunnyvale.

"I've only been here for two months," Lowy said. "But I've already seen golf balls shooting into our complex at least once every day. ... It's extremely unsafe."

An exploration of the surrounding area revealed that the driving range at the golf course, which has almost a dozen lanes for woods and eight lanes for irons, is situated right next to the Ponderosa Gardens apartments. The angle at which it is situated makes it easy for the balls to fly over the nets and into the apartment complex. The building that houses Lowy's apartment sits directly opposite the carports lining the road that separates the two, making it an easy target.

Lowy said the balls are driven in at such a high speed that they bounce off the carport, the walls and even the parked cars. While touring the apartment grounds, several golf balls were discovered lying about on the ground or on the carport roof. Lowy said the apartment residents gather all the balls and place them in a basket outside the manager's apartment. Someone from the golf course usually stops by every Saturday morning, picks them up and takes them back.

"They've known that this has been going on for a long time," Lowy said. "I don't know what they are waiting forÑare they going to count and see how many balls a week we get?"

According to apartment manager Claudia Holt, Ponderosa Associates, the general partnership that owns the apartment complex, has dealt with the golf course's management through correspondence in the past. However, nothing was done to alleviate the problem. Their response seemed to be exactly what Lowy speculated. "They said they were going to figure out how many balls were coming over and then decide what they were going to do," Holt said.

According to Lowy, he's not the only one affected by errant golf balls.

"We have so many children in the area," he said. "Yesterday afternoon one golf ball landed in the apartment swimming pool right next to a child who was playing in the water."

"This has been a reoccurring problem there," said Cathy Merrill, assistant to Robert Walker, director of Sunnyvale's parks and recreation department. "I am aware that that's been a concern."

According to Lowy, complaints have been made to the golf course several times in the past but nothing has been done about the problem.

"This is a case of gross negligence," he said.

When the issue was taken up with city officials in the past, they responded by replacing all the broken windows, Holt said.

It's up to the golf course to address their issues with their neighbors, Merrill responded.

According to Mark Peterson, golf supervisor at the golf course, several measures have been taken to reduce the number of balls flying over to the neighboring complex.

"We have nets in between the individual lanes that catch the flying balls," Peterson said. "Also, the only irons allowed in the driving lanes closer to the apartment complex are #2 irons, which do not allow the balls to go too far."

However, these measures have clearly not stopped the balls from flying over the property and into the neighboring apartment complex.

"What I would like to do is call a meeting and have all the parties involved talk about this," Lowy said. "The problem should be addressed and resolved. Even one ball can cause major damage to someone."


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