Golf Course Will Be Redesigned After Stray Balls Hit Cars

Stray golf balls have smashed car windows and narrowly missed passersby at Thorney Park Golf Club, which has led to the South Buckinghamshire venue to submit plans to redesign the course in order to address health and safety concerns.

Bucks Free Press reported that affected vehicles were parked at the offices of sustainable energy firm Gridserve, which is located just outside the boundary of the course at the 16th hole.

The club has been granted planning permission to make changes by Buckinghamshire Council, with the club saying: "The health and safety issue has come to a head with the property owner lodging complaints to the club following damage to cars and potential risk of ball strikes on staff and visitors to their Gridserve headquarters.

"Golf balls are hard objects travelling at high speeds. They cause damage to both property and cause injury to people which can be serious injuries."

Addressing the problem, Thorney Park, which is Highly Recommended on Golfshake, will build a new 10th hole (taking a different position on the course) and realign the 16th hole to ensure that wayward golf balls won't strike parked cars or threaten pedestrians.

Golf courses have been redesigned for a variety of reasons, often to fit with modern technology or due to environmental concerns, but this is one of the more unique stories that we've seen.

Can you think of other courses that are perilously close to parked cars? Instantly, the 18th hole at The Old Course, St Andrews, comes to mind!