Douglaston golf ball barrage lessens

One of the operators of the Douglaston Golf Course has agreed to look what local residents call a barrage of balls blasted into homes, cars and yards from the 18th hole.
“I am looking into solutions to the problem,” said Michael Tafet on Wednesday, May 24. Tafet runs the Douglaston Course - as well as the Forest Park golf course and Flushing Meadows Pitch and Putt - with his father, Norman.
Local residents, including John Hristopoulos who live along Commonwealth Boulevard - on the eastern side of the course - have asked that the fence bordering their property be raised and that the last hole, which is situated at the top of a hill, be redesigned.
A spokesperson from the city’s Parks Department said that course operators have already directed golfers at the 18th tee to not drive towards the eastern fence.
“We’ve been in constant communication with the concessioner either about extending the fence or about possibly installing extra netting to prevent any stray golf balls, and we will continue to have discussions with them,” said Phil Abramson from the Parks Department.
Over the Memorial Day weekend, Hristopoulos said that there were noticeably fewer balls dropping into his yard, which neighbors say receives the most incoming balls because a section of the fence directly in front of Hristopoulos’ property is only about eight feet high.
The rest of the fence bordering Commonwealth Boulevard is about 50 feet. Instead of golf balls falling every 15 to 30 minutes as usual on weekends, Hristopoulos said that about 10 balls dropped in throughout the three-day stretch.
“It was definitely better,” Hristopoulos said. “But it’s difficult for me to say what’s going to happen in the future.”
Hristopoulos said that he is worried once media attention dies down the number of balls blasted into his yard, home, and cars will return to their previous level.