Teenager hit by golf ball on first green to receive £125,000

Wombatman

A teenage golfer hit on the head by a stray ball is to receive Stg £125,000 in damages.

He sustained a severe injury in the accident shortly into his round at Portstewart Golf Club’s Riverside Course on the north coast ten years ago.

His action was settled at the High Court in Belfast on the basis that the club’s insurers will make the pay-out.

The resolution involves no admission of liability.

He was on the first green when a ball played from another part of the course struck him on the head, according to lawyers in the case.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/teenager-hit-by-golf-ball-on-first-green-to-receive-125-000-1.3237175

Tom.D.BJJ

Jaysus, golf ball to the head. Hope he doesnt have any lasting damage.

Glebee

I did not hit the ball, I swear....

Russman

You'd have to wonder will the floodgates open now......

Or will courses simply put up signs in any conceivable spot where a stray ball could land. I can think of several holes on my own course that run parallel to each other where it wouldn't be unusual to be on the wrong fairway.

blue note

The whole course is a conceivable spot to be hit. If it can happen it will and hopefully you won't be standing where it's landing.

Mantis Toboggan

We'll all be wearing helmets soon enough!

Russman

blue note wrote: »

The whole course is a conceivable spot to be hit. If it can happen it will and hopefully you won't be standing where it's landing.

Totally agree, but the story mentions that one of the arguments was that there wasn't adequate signage apparently.

blue note

It's a very slippery slope if you're attributing liability by not having signs up. There are places where it's appropriate to have warning signs. But I'd worry that clubs will think if they put them up there, then they should put them up everywhere. So instead just have a warning on the first tee that you're on a golf course and balls can go anywhere so be careful.

mags1962

He was on the 1st green? How could you expect to be hit by a ball and by default be "more careful"?

worded

Hopefully no rugby players get hit by a ball or Hurley players etc

All ball sports should be banned, even if it saves one life ....

Think of he childeren

This ruling will have an impact on golf clubs getting insurance and will increase fees and possibly close down some clubs that are struggling

Bizarre and unfortunate ruling that may affect lots of sports when you think about it

blue note

mags1962 wrote:

He was on the 1st green? How could you expect to be hit by a ball and by default be "more careful"?

Well if they're saying that a sign would have helped presumably the first green is someplace where stray balls are likely to land?

I'm not sure what you'd be expected to do differently though. It's not like a walkway that passes by a drive. You cab wait for people to hit off then. I don't know what they're suggesting the signs are for really.

mighty magpie

Has the course been changed since the incident? I've played there 3 times and cannot figure out how this has happened. 1st green is behind 2nd tee box and has no other greens/fairways close to it as far as i can remember.

martinkop

Think he was on 1st hole of the river course, and the ball came from the strand course.

Benildus

How is the course fully liable? surely the player who hit the ball is partially liable.

We're all told to have adequate insurance for circumstances like this wither through home insurance or the specific golf insurance.

Guy:Incognito

The only way a sign would have helped is if it was between the ball and his head.

Realistically, what is any player going to do differently if there's a sign saying that a stray ball could appear at some stage? That's if they even read it in the first place.

blue note

Guy:Incognito wrote:

Realistically, what is any player going to do differently if there's a sign saying that a stray ball could appear at some stage? That's if they even read it in the first place.

It reminds me of a sign in the Midlands somewhere near a little airfield. It says "Caution: Low Flying Aircraft".

Like, how exactly am I meant to drive differently?

mighty magpie

martinkop wrote: »

Think he was on 1st hole of the river course, and the ball came from the strand course.

Actually I think a big pull from the tee box on 16 riverside could land on riverside 1st green.

BigChap1759

blue note wrote: »

It reminds me of a sign in the Midlands somewhere near a little airfield. It says "Caution: Low Flying Aircraft".

Like, how exactly am I meant to drive differently?

I think that's so you don't ****e yourself when a plane flies just over your head unexpectedly!