Norman Chad brings us:

Incredible-Yet-True Fact No. 1: A New York man who owns a house along famed Winged Foot Golf Club is suing the club because too many golf balls are being hit onto his property.

(This reminds me of the time my Uncle Silvio rented an apartment above a Greek restaurant and complained about the smell of garlic.)

Incredible-Yet-True Fact No. 2: A state Supreme Court judge in Westchester, N.Y., issued a temporary restraining order earlier this month against the club, banning play on the sixth hole of the East Course until further notice.

(Wow. You can actually close a hole on a golf course? If Jean Van de Velde ever gets wind of this, the 18th at Carnoustie is in danger.)
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Mamaroneck, N.Y., resident Anthony Pecora, a restaurant owner who bought a house adjacent to Winged Foot in 2003, contends that the barrage of errant golf shots to the par-3 sixth hole has caused a "life-threatening condition" for him, his two children and his dog.
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According to the New York Times, Pecora's home just off the sixth-hole green has had five broken windows this year from wayward golf balls...Pecora's Labrador retriever, Frankie, swallowed a golf ball last year that required emergency surgery costing $3,444.40.
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In stepped state Supreme Court justice Gerald Loehr, who weighed the neighbor's complaint and closed the sixth hole of one of the world's most renowned championship courses.

Though Chad is a humorist, this is just sad:

"I think the reality of the situation is you're enjoying real-estate values because you're enjoying Winged Foot Golf Club. You have views and an open setting in your backyard," Winged Foot president Bill O'Keefe said. "But the other reality is you're going to get some golf balls in your backyard."

While the club hasn't disputed that an increased number of balls have flown into Pecora's yard since the white pine trees by the sixth tee were removed, it says it has made concessions to Pecora as an act of good faith. Along with the planting of three spruce trees next to the sixth tee that the club says cost more than $70,000, the club also limited play on the hole to the front tee, which they say has reduced the numbers of errant shots into Pecora's yard.
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Although the suit is of greatest interest to Pecora and Winged Foot's membership, which has been instructed to leave public comments to O'Keefe, it is also being watched closely by outsiders given the potential precedent. According to Jay Mottola, the executive director of the Metropolitan Golf Association, the vast majority of Westchester County's golf courses are bordered by private homes. Naturally, some of those homes have been struck by balls as well, but Mottola says most residents know that comes with the territory.

Closely watched I'm sure. Get up to date on the fight against frivolous lawsuits this Wednesday at the Institute for Legal Reform's 9th Annual Legal Reform Summit, and sorry, no golf outing.