Teed Off: Resident, Golf Course to Ask Village Permission for Protective Net

When Leon Behar bought his home next to the Quaker Ridge Golf Club in 2007 a stand of big, stately trees shielded his property from an onslaught of little white orbs raining down from the course's second hole.

Today many of those trees are gone due to both acts of nature and, some say, Behar's own hand.

Now both Behar and Quaker Ridge want to build a 60-foot-tall mesh net to catch the balls, but they must first go before the village's planning board which, unlike many residents in the tony neighborhood around the 125-acre course, stands a chance of approving of the net.

"I'm in full support of this fence, because the only alternative is to redesign the second hold at Quarter Ridge," said Behar, 40, a CEO of a medical communications company.

The two parties will meet before the planning board on August 4 to hear the village's verdict on the proposed net, which would require special clearance because it is not permitted under zoning laws.

Robert Musich, general manager of Quaker Ridge, said that redesigning the second hole is "simply not an option."

He said he supports the net.

"Along with our neighbors and the Behars we want a solution to this problem," he said.

Under an agreement with the Behars, Quaker Ridge does not allow golfers to play the second hole on two or three afternoons per week. When asked if it affects the golfing experience for the club's members, Musich said, "what do you think?"

Several neighbors who asked that their names not be used said they objected to the aesthetics of the net, having been attracted to the neighborhood for its unobstructed, scenic views.

Julius Cohn, an attorney for the Behars, balked at those objections.

"Surely they would not put aesthetics before the welfare of children," Cohen said. "They are intelligent people, I'm sure they just don't know all the facts."

Behar moved into the home in November 2007 along with his wife and three children, now ages 8, 11 and 12.

In 2008 he hired workers to build a swimming pool in his backyard. He noted that his home's developer, who bought the land from the village, showed pictures of the home with a pool illustrated in the backyard.

"That's how it was advertised," he said. "One makes assumptions that people wouldn't do things that literally put people in harm's way."

Prior to construction, Behar said he consulted with an arborist for the village of Scarsdale who gave permission to remove trees. Some were on the side of his house and at least one was dead, offering little protection from golf balls and itself posing a risk.  Behar takes issue with those who claim he brought the situation on himself.

"That type of deliberate misinformation is being used to obfuscate the situation," he said.

A call to the village's public works department, which oversees the arborist, was not returned.

A windstorm in June 2008 knocked down around a half-dozen large trees that did protect his home.  Suddenly, Behar said his backyard was under fire. Golf balls hit two of his construction workers and shattered one of his outdoor light fixtures. In one week he said he counted 69 golf balls in his yard.

In July 2009, Behar built a 25-foot tall net in his backyard, but found that it wasn't sufficient.n Because his net was adjustable, he asked the village for permission to stretch it to 40 feet.

The village ordered Behar to remove his net, but agreed to defer penalty until after the situation is resolved in front of the planning board.

Behar and Quaker Ridge are asking for a non-adjustable 60-foot net, which would be large enough to ensure that no golf balls get through.

"At the end of the day golf is just a game and while I appreciate how heavily vested the Westchester community is with the game, no one should risk the lives of others," he said. "That should take precedence."