City of Houston approves $400k purchase of protective nets for Gus Wortham golf course

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Residents and business owners near the Gus Wortham Golf Course in southeast Houston say stray golf balls have become a major problem, hitting both cars and people.

The course was recently renovated, and officials say that means more people are golfing and more stray balls are causing issues.

"This course was built in 1908, way before there was even cars. But the city grew up around it," Claire Bey, the Houston Golf Association President and CEO, explained.

The Houston Golf Association operates the course, but the City of Houston owns it.

City officials just approved $400,000, and the HGA has put in $250,000 to put up new nets along Wayside Drive, hoping they will protect drivers.

City officials say no lawsuits have been filed yet, but several threats of lawsuits have been made.

The nets cost a lot of money, and Bey said the steel poles were necessary to meet hurricane regulations.

"We've just put over $2 million back into the course in the last year and a half, so we would have to really budget and save up for more nets and projects," she explained, "but if anyone wants to donate nets and steel poles, we'd be open to that as well."

"Nobody is going to claim that they hit a car. I mean, I wouldn't do it! That's just the way it is, but the net is going to help a lot," laughed golfer Bubba Wilcox.