A family has been left “very shaken” after a stray golf ball smashed the windscreen of their car as they drove passed a South Oxhey golf centre.

Denise Stone was driving her daughter, Katie Wilkinson, and her granddaughter, Ellie Richardson, back from Watford General Hospital and said the ball struck as they passed Oxhey Park Golf Club, in Prestwick road, at around 12.30pm on Monday.

Following the incident Mrs Stone’s husband, Mark, said he did not feel the club’s safety netting was high enough.

He said: "My wife, daughter and granddaughter were in the car coming back from picking my granddaughter up from hospital and a golf ball came through the windscreen. They were all very shaken up, especially Ellie.

"My wife went to see the manager. One of them could have been seriously injured."

James Wright, manager of Oxhey Park Golf Club, said that at the time of the incident there was only an "an elderly beginner lady" on the course who "isn’t capable of hitting a golf ball high and far enough to clear my safety netting and carry 80 meters into the road".

Mr Wright said: "A lady came into the shop claiming her car had been hit by a golf ball coming from the golf course. I walked straight onto the range and confirmed that I had no customers there.

"Then I went outside to look at her car. “There was a crack in the top left hand corner. I explained to the lady that it wasn’t my obligation to repair the damage as the ball came from the golf course and I told the lady that I only had one paying player over there.

"At 2.25pm I received an abusive phone call from a gentleman who threatened me by saying if I don’t give him £250 he will contact the mayor and close my business down.

"I asked his name and he wouldn’t tell me. I told the man that I don’t appreciate being threatened especially as I didn’t even know who he was."

Responding for Mr Stone’s comments about the safety net, Mr Wright said the golf club had been inspected by the council, which had deemed the measures acceptable.

He added: "I am not responsible if a member of the public is hitting golf balls at passing cars without my knowledge, especially if they haven’t even paid me to be on the golf course.

"I am a small business trying to provide a service to the local community in a very trying economic time. Everyone who knows me will confirm I am a decent and responsible individual."