‘I hate injustice’: Residents tee off with golf club again claiming safety fears ‘ignored’ amid damage

Clear Island Waters residents are taking another swing at Surfers Paradise Golf Course – demanding answers as they continue to dodge rogue golf balls and deal with damage.

Rhonda Schou at home with golf balls and the damage that it has caused. Property damage from errant Golf Balls with complaints made to the Surfers Paradise Golf Club. Picture, John Gass

The feud between Surfers Paradise Golf Club and neighbouring residents has reignited as they demand action over property damage and safety concerns from rogue shots.

Clear Island Waters resident Rhonda Schou claims her repeated pleas for assistance from the club have once again largely been ignored, despite ongoing damage to her property, including shattered solar panels, broken tiles, and “terrifying” near-misses.

After the Bulletin questioned the golf club in December, Ms Schou said she received a brief response from the club with an insurance claim number for her broken window, but her requests for her damaged solar panels have since been ignored.

“They’re my neighbours from hell,” Ms. Schou said. “I just need the insurance number so I can get the quotes for the solar,” she said.

“It’s so frustrating – please don’t ignore me. I’ve never not answered an email or a question in my life – I can’t believe that they do this.”

Ms. Schou, vocal about the dangers posed by stray balls late last year, said this week the problem is escalating.

Rhonda Schou has collected the errant golf balls that end up peppering her home and nearly hitting her from wayward Surfers Paradise Golf Club players. Picture: John Gass

“Since December, I’ve had three more near-misses,” she said, date-marking them to December 22 as well as on January 6 and one while on the phone with her solicitor.

“A ball just went past me. I started to stutter and carry on, so I ran inside, noted the date and time, took a photo, and sent it to them (Surfers Paradise Golf Club) asking, ‘What can you do about this?’

“It’s just not safe at my house.”

Ms. Schou fears it’s only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt.

“Mark my words – I’ll end up in hospital. I can’t keep going, just getting missed,” she said.

Despite considering legal action, she said she feels it shouldn’t come to that.

“Why should I go to that expense? They can’t deny the damage is done by the golf balls.

“They’re just being mean to me, to be honest,” she said.

In the Surfers Paradise Golf Club’s Christmas newsletter, president David Johnston assured members they were covered by insurance for damage during competition rounds.

“I want to remind all members during competition play, you are covered by insurance while playing competition rounds,” the newsletter read.

“All you need to do is let the office or pro shop know what time and which hole the errant shot occurred and the club will cover the rest of it for you.

“There is no out-of-pocket expense to you. This includes balls ending up on Nerang-Broadbeach Rd or Fairway Drive.”

However, Ms. Schou has questioned why casual and social players aren’t included in this policy.

“The bad players are the casuals – how could you not insure them? Everyone should be covered,” she said.

Rhonda Schou: “The bad players are the casuals – how could you not insure them? Everyone should be covered.” Picture: John Gass

Neighbour Stuart Slater, a resident of 20 years, echoed Ms. Schou’s frustrations, saying compensation requests have also been ignored.

“They’ve completely absolved themselves of any responsibility,” he said. “It’s so unprofessional and distressing.

Mr Slater said the club’s “dismissive” behaviour began 18 months ago.

After finding six broken roof tiles, he sent letters of demand but his concerns went unanswered.

He said in interactions with the previous committee, his requests were always resolved in timely fashion.

“99 per cent of the time they resolved it. I’ve had golf balls go through my living room window – and they always paid for it,” he said.

Rhonda Schou: “Mark my words – I’ll end up in hospital. I can’t keep going, just getting missed.” Picture: John Gass

Within two hours of The Bulletin approaching the Surfers Paradise Golf Club for this latest story, general manager Liam Sweeney responded to Ms. Schou for the first time in nearly four weeks, inviting her to tour the course to see “significant adjustments” made for safety.

These included but weren’t limited to safety fencing, reshaping the fairway, and repositioning tee markers.

Mr Sweeney did not address insurance coverage or Ms. Schou’s solar panels in his response.

The Bulletin has reached out to Mr Sweeney but did not receive a response by deadline.

To critics who argue Ms. Schou and her neighbours should have expected such issues when buying their property, she countered: “The golf course means nothing to me – I bought the house because I liked it. I certainly didn’t think I’d be smashed by golf balls constantly.”

“I hate injustice,” she said. “I want accountability. They know I’m not going to go away.”