Aloha, Waikele homeowners!
We’ve put together this informational guide for our homeowners who live adjacent to the Waikele Country Club. Living next to our beautiful golf course is truly a privilege, but it comes with certain realities that every homeowner should understand. This guide will help answer the most common questions we receive.
Question: “How early are the maintenance workers allowed to start?”
On average, the first tee times begin at 6:16am during the summer months and 7:12am during winter.
Grounds maintenance workers generally start at 5:00am. However, on weekends and during tournaments, the maintenance crews start their work as early as 4:00am.
Question: “What’s the procedure if a golf ball damages my home?”
The Waikele Country Club (WCC) is not responsible for damages or injuries from errant golf balls. The rules clearly state that all damages must be settled directly with the golfer who caused the damage.
However, if you’re at home when the damage occurs, here’s the procedure to follow:
- Stay calm, be courteous, and go out to meet the golfers who just hit their ball from the tee box.
- It will take the golfers about 3 minutes to walk down the fairway to where you are.
- First, note the time of the damage and obtain the cart number of the golfers. This information will help the course marshals identify them.
- Politely ask which golfer hit the errant ball and show them the ball if you found it.
- It’s the homeowner’s responsibility to settle any damages or payments with the golfer. If the golfer denies hitting the ball, you may call the Waikele Country Club starter desk at 1-808-676-9000 for assistance.
Their staff will make every attempt to address the matter with the golfers, but it’s not the responsibility of WCC staff to detain golfers, make police reports, or collect payment for damages.
Question: “What if I followed the procedures, identified the golfer, but they gave me a fake phone number or refuse to pay for damages?”
As stated above, it’s the sole responsibility of the homeowner to settle payment with the golfer who hit the errant ball.
The Waikele Country Club can assist, but they are not responsible to pay for damages or collect payment from the player who caused the damage.
You may call the police and file a “Miscellaneous Public” report. It would not be considered criminal property damage because the damage wasn’t caused by malicious intent, but was purely accidental.
Question: “Trees are blocking my view of the course. What can I do?”
The Waikele Country Club is a private entity and not a member of the Waikele Community Association (WCA). Therefore, they can plant trees and landscape their property however they choose.
Most of their trees and vegetation are planted strategically to protect adjacent homes from errant golf balls.
In Waikele, no homeowner is granted a view corridor. Your realtor may have used this as a selling point when you first purchased your home, but unfortunately, homeowners don’t have any legal rights to an unobstructed view.
In addition, small trees planted on the golf course today could very well double in size within 5 years, causing your beautiful view of the golf course to become obstructed.
Question: “What is the Golf Course Caveat?”
When someone purchases a home, they receive a large amount of forms and documents about the property sale and community association rules. Homeowners who purchase homes along the golf course have additional documentation in their packet informing them that their new home is adjacent to a golf course and what types of activities and nuisances to expect.
Many homeowners may not have been aware of this golf course caveat; however, the rules still apply to all homeowners and tenants who live adjacent to the Waikele Country Club.
To make it easier to understand, we’ve taken some sections from the golf course caveat and summarized them below.
Golf Course Caveat States:
Activities & Risks
“Subdivision may be adjacent to the Golf Course, and related activities including without limitation golf tournaments and other events may be held on and in the vicinity of the golf course; the golf course or related facilities may result in nuisances, disturbances or hazards to persons (including tenants and guests) and the property on or within the Property as a result of such golf course and related operations and activities, including without limitation errant golf balls, clubhouse activities, golf driving ranges and/or relocation and reconfiguration of the golf course design; Grantee and Grantee’s heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns will assume all risks associated with the location of the subdivision and the property adjacent to or in the proximity of the golf course”
Explanation:
Homeowners who choose to purchase a home along the golf course understand that there will be risks, nuisances, and disturbances associated with living in that location.
Noise
“Grantee (homeowner) acknowledges that the property may be in an area in which state noise level standards are being exceeded and that there are some individuals for whom these levels are not acceptable.”
Explanation:
Homeowners understand that because they live adjacent to a golf course, noise from golf course operations may exceed state standards. Generally, the City and County of Honolulu has guidelines stating that reasonable noise between 7:00am and 10:00pm is acceptable. This is a C&C guideline, not a law.
Therefore, noise from maintenance crews doesn’t violate City and County noise ordinances because it’s considered “reasonable noise” and part of golf course operations.
The Waikele Country Club was in existence prior to the homes being built. So in reality, the homeowners made the choice to live next to the golf course—not the other way around.
Responsibility of Homeowner
“Grantee represents and warrants to Grantor, in Grantee’s sole discretion, have determined that the benefits of owning and enjoying the property outweigh such risks. Grantee hereby covenants and agrees to assume all risks of impairment of the use and enjoyment of the subdivision and the property, loss of market value of the property, and property damage or personal injury arising from excessive noise or related vibrations.”
Explanation:
By purchasing a home along the golf course, homeowners assume all risk. Therefore, it’s not the responsibility of the Waikele Country Club or the Waikele Community Association to eliminate such nuisances or ensure the enjoyment of one’s property.
Mahalo for taking the time to read this guide. Living next to our world-class golf course is a wonderful privilege that comes with certain responsibilities and realities. We hope this information helps you better understand what to expect as a golf course neighbor.
For additional questions or concerns, please contact the Waikele Community Association.