Spectator hit by ball loses sight in one eye

GreeBo

I'd say most likely change, if any, would be to start adding covered areas along side holes, the most risk is getting hit from above so this would negate a lot of it.

More fun would be to have OOB lining every hole outside the rough line, that would certainly cut down on the wild lashes off the tee!

uncommon_name

As much as it is a terrible thing she has lost her sight. She went to spectate a game of golf with the risk of being hit by a ball. She obviously wasn't doing a great deal of spectating if she didn't see the ball fading right and also if she didn't notice people on the tee box shouting fore.
If they were to add in insurance for these tournaments I can guarantee the prices of tickets will go up a lot and then people will be complaining because of one bad incident and one persons injury they now have to pay more. Or stop letting as many people in which will have people complaining over the same thing.
I am sure the tournament itself generates enough money to cover the costs, but if they do pay out once they have to do it all the time.
Koepka shouldn't have to pay out to her either, he is there to play the game which usually happens on empty or near empty courses, it is not his fault that the event organizers are letting people in to spectate them playing. Yes it does contribute to how much he gets paid, but then he has to pay it all back to someone because of an accident. They are humans after all, they cant hit be ball straight where they want it every single time.

Joe_ Public

I sincerely hope this woman gets whatever compensation she deserves and it’s always distressing to see somebody laid out injured after being struck by an errant gold shot.

At the same time there is potentially a legal situation here and I don’t see there is much wrong with deliberating how it might play out. I’m no legal mind so have no clue. But as regards baseball that was mentioned, I do believe there is no recourse for spectators who suffer injuries. Open to correction on that, though. Golf may be different of course. They could just settle it quietly I suppose, pay her medical bills and maybe more. Think most would be happy with that.

loyatemu

it's a pretty rare occurrence for something this serious to happen, the event really should have insurance to cover it.

listermint

uncommon_name wrote: »

As much as it is a terrible thing she has lost her sight. She went to spectate a game of golf with the risk of being hit by a ball. She obviously wasn't doing a great deal of spectating if she didn't see the ball fading right and also if she didn't notice people on the tee box shouting fore.
If they were to add in insurance for these tournaments I can guarantee the prices of tickets will go up a lot and then people will be complaining because of one bad incident and one persons injury they now have to pay more. Or stop letting as many people in which will have people complaining over the same thing.
I am sure the tournament itself generates enough money to cover the costs, but if they do pay out once they have to do it all the time.
Koepka shouldn't have to pay out to her either, he is there to play the game which usually happens on empty or near empty courses, it is not his fault that the event organizers are letting people in to spectate them playing. Yes it does contribute to how much he gets paid, but then he has to pay it all back to someone because of an accident. They are humans after all, they cant hit be ball straight where they want it every single time.

Yep shame on the spectator for not moving out of the way of that 340Kmph almost invisible white ball.
...

Kevin Finnerty

GreeBo wrote: »

Whats wrong with a precedence exactly?

Spurious claims would obviously be ignored.

Someone gets injured and has lifechanging injuries...whats wrong with using some of the tens of millions of prize money from each event to support them?

Yunno, spectators...the people who watch golf, the only reason there is so much money in golf?

Your attitude to spectators is frankly ghastly.

Ghastly? It's their decision to stand in front of a small ball travelling at over 100mph. Total control would be a robot standing on every tee, if thats what you want to watch have at it. The future of golf is to go the way of compo culture?
"Tens of millions" available for everyone to have a snip at on a whim and youre ok with that?

Where exactly is the line between spurious and life changing?

uncommon_name

listermint wrote: »

Yep shame on the spectator for not moving out of the way of that 340Kmph almost invisible white ball.
...

Well anyone that plays golf or is in to golf knows, if someone shouts FORE, you duct and cover your head. You don't need to see the ball before you move out of the way, you just protect yourself just in case.

prawnsambo

listermint wrote: »

Yep shame on the spectator for not moving out of the way of that 340Kmph almost invisible white ball.
...

340Kph? Average launch speed for a driven ball by a PGA tour player is around 165Mph. By the time it's on its downward trajectory, that's substantially reduced.

kiers47

listermint wrote: »

Yep shame on the spectator for not moving out of the way of that 340Kmph almost invisible white ball.
...

Just out of curiosity where in the name of god did you pull that figure from?

If the ball was travelling at that speed it probably would have went 400 yards carry so she would have been safe enough at 300.

GreeBo

Kevin Finnerty wrote: »

"Tens of millions" available for everyone to have a snip at on a whim and youre ok with that?

Where exactly is the line between spurious and life changing?

"Have a snip at on a whim?"
No, people who get injured should be able to use this insurance fund for treatment. There is no "on a whim" other than in your head.

I clearly said "life-changing" injuries, I think losing an eye qualifies as life changing. Any personal insurance policy will give a breakdown of payouts based on injury, why should this be any different?

uncommon_name wrote: »

If they were to add in insurance for these tournaments I can guarantee the prices of tickets will go up a lot and then people will be complaining because of one bad incident and one persons injury they now have to pay more. Or stop letting as many people in which will have people complaining over the same thing.

Just use some of the existing ridiculous profits, no need to increase ticket prices.
There is more than enough money in the pot, just look at next years FedEx Cup prize fund.

uncommon_name wrote: »

I am sure the tournament itself generates enough money to cover the costs, but if they do pay out once they have to do it all the time.

How about just "all the time" someone has serious injuries?

uncommon_name wrote: »

They are humans after all, they cant hit be ball straight where they want it every single time.

Indeed they cant...hence Insurance.

listermint

kiers47 wrote: »

Just out of curiosity where in the name of god did you pull that figure from?

If the ball was travelling at that speed it probably would have went 400 yards carry so she would have been safe enough at 300.

https://www.google.ie/search?q=golf+ball+speed&rlz=1C1GCEA_enIE804IE804&oq=golf+bal&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j0l4.3320j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8


Max Velocity


Point still stands its very fast and she was close.

uncommon_name

GreeBo wrote: »

"Have a snip at on a whim?"
No, people who get injured should be able to use this insurance fund for treatment. There is no "on a whim" other than in your head.

I clearly said "life-changing" injuries, I think losing an eye qualifies as life changing. Any personal insurance policy will give a breakdown of payouts based on injury, why should this be any different?


Just use some of the existing ridiculous profits, no need to increase ticket prices.
There is more than enough money in the pot, just look at next years FedEx Cup prize fund.

How about just "all the time" someone has serious injuries?



Indeed they cant...hence Insurance.

We all know they wont use money from the current profits. Tickets will go up to pay for it.
Yes, I agree only when someone has a serious injury they should pay out, but what counts as a serious injury. What about someone that gets hit in the leg say and cant walk for a week or so without being in pain. They will say they are out of work and therefore its a serious injury and they should be compensated for missing out on work. What if someone say gets a broken foot or something and if affected every time they go out in the cold by pain etc.. (I can confirm that that does happen). Certain people would count that as a life changing injury. I don't but you know what people are like, especially Americans, they milk everything as much as they can when it comes to this kind of thing.
Spectators should take more care and wear some sort of protective gear if they have to and a T&C should be added that states once you purchase a ticket to the event you agree to the condition that nobody can be held liable for you being hit and injured by a stray ball.

GreeBo

uncommon_name wrote: »

We all know they wont use money from the current profits. Tickets will go up to pay for it.
Yes, I agree only when someone has a serious injury they should pay out, but what counts as a serious injury. What about someone that gets hit in the leg say and cant walk for a week or so without being in pain. They will say they are out of work and therefore its a serious injury and they should be compensated for missing out on work. What if someone say gets a broken foot or something and if affected every time they go out in the cold by pain etc.. (I can confirm that that does happen). Certain people would count that as a life changing injury. I don't but you know what people are like, especially Americans, they milk everything as much as they can when it comes to this kind of thing.
Spectators should take more care and wear some sort of protective gear if they have to and a T&C should be added that states once you purchase a ticket to the event you agree to the condition that nobody can be held liable for you being hit and injured by a stray ball.

None of this is a new problem to the insurance industry...why are we trying to make this harder than it has to be?

Get event insurance, insurance assessor determines when/what to payout, job done.

I dont think people are suggesting that some random bloke on the tour would have a bag of money he would give to people who are sore...

GreeBo

listermint wrote: »

Max Velocity

What tour does he play on?

lawred2

hesker wrote: »

Sounds like he didn’t shout.

Is it not up to the marshalls to shout?

lawred2

Trampas wrote: »

I’d be surprised if she wins a case. There’ll be a disclaimer I’d imagine otherwise there’ll be a case ever week as how many people get hit every week by a golf ball while watching.

No insurance company would cover it and if they did the premium be huge.

Only hope she has is if brook pays the bills

?

How many serious injuries have you heard of at professional golf events?

Insurers will measure risk and the risk of this happening is low - not high

lawred2

loyatemu wrote: »

it's a pretty rare occurrence for something this serious to happen, the event really should have insurance to cover it.

of course there will be insurance

any such event will need public liability insurance

slave1

Look, an injury like this is extremely rare, given the amount of folk attending these events I for one cannot remember one like this.

Yes, as a spectator you take the risk, that's a given, but it's up to the organisers to plot out where spectators can stand/view so they are in there somewhere.

She went to see the RC, given she was buried in a crowd well away from the tee I highly doubt she could hear a clear shout of fore as she has already stated.
None of the officials near her shouted fore either according to her.

I was not there so that's all to go on for the moment.

Keepka himself is bound to have some form of insurance if not the US RC team or the RC event itself, not to mention the venue.

I also think it's very bad form for the RC not to have kept in contact with her in the days after the incident.

I hope the doctors got it wrong and she gets her sight back, but for a life changing event like this she is well entitled to monetary compensation so she can be afforded the best possible medical care.

slave1

prawnsambo

listermint wrote: »

https://www.google.ie/search?q=golf+ball+speed&rlz=1C1GCEA_enIE804IE804&oq=golf+bal&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j0l4.3320j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8


Max Velocity


Point still stands its very fast and she was close.

Yeah, that's about the fastest a golf ball has ever travelled. And I would assume that's initial velocity, which is the highest measurable. She was actually far away. The ball hit her from a drive, which would have been at the end of its travel and at its slowest. But that's no comfort to someone who's eyeball exploded from the impact.

martinkop

This is the future!!!!

GreeBo

prawnsambo wrote: »

Yeah, that's about the fastest a golf ball has ever travelled. And I would assume that's initial velocity, which is the highest measurable. She was actually far away. The ball hit her from a drive, which would have been at the end of its travel and at its slowest. But that's no comfort to someone who's eyeball exploded from the impact.

It would be at its slowest at its peak height, regaining speed as it falls via gravity.

It would certainly be slower at the end than at the start, so if you are going to get hit, be far down range.

Pelvis

"explosion of the eyeball"

*shudder*

tayto lover

Every golfer in our club has to pay 20 euro for insurance to cover events like this. I'm sure the professionals pay insurance too as do clubs.
This lady couldn't possibly have heard a shout of "fore" either due to the crowd noise. I'm sure she'll be covered for everything.

prawnsambo

GreeBo wrote: »

It would be at its slowest at its peak height, regaining speed as it falls via gravity.

It would certainly be slower at the end than at the start, so if you are going to get hit, be far down range.

Yeah. Apparently the speed of a golf ball that has an initial velocity of 150mph drops to just under 50mph at the end. That's still a hefty wallop.

slave1

tayto lover wrote: »

Every golfer in our club has to pay 20 euro for insurance to cover events like this. I'm sure the professionals pay insurance too as do clubs.
This lady couldn't possibly have heard a shout of "fore" either due to the crowd noise. I'm sure she'll be covered for everything.

That does not mean you're 100% covered though, e.g. I was standing with a playing partner watching another partner take a shot in the centre of my fairway when the group behind inexplicably hit off last week, first thing I knew was a shout of fore and a ball went flying about 2 feet above my head.
We played out the hole and when teeing off the next hole the same lad then took his next shot straight at us shouting fore again.
He was approached and asked to take it easy and his response was "it's okay, I didn't think I could reach you (ball went over my head and a good 40yards+ past me) and anyhow I shouted fore".
I worked in the insurance industry for years and I would highly doubt if I was struck that his insurance would give him 100% (if any) coverage.
When the group ahead are standing in the middle of the fairway and within reach then there is absolutely no need or right to tee off, it's plain dangerous play, the worst piece was he said he was within his rights to shoot once he shouts fore...

prawnsambo

slave1 wrote: »

That does not mean you're 100% covered though, e.g. I was standing with a playing partner watching another partner take a shot in the centre of my fairway when the group behind inexplicably hit off last week, first thing I knew was a shout of fore and a ball went flying about 2 feet above my head.
We played out the hole and when teeing off the next hole the same lad then took his next shot straight at us shouting fore again.
He was approached and asked to take it easy and his response was "it's okay, I didn't think I could reach you (ball went over my head and a good 40yards+ past me) and anyhow I shouted fore".
I worked in the insurance industry for years and I would highly doubt if I was struck that his insurance would give him 100% (if any) coverage.
When the group ahead are standing in the middle of the fairway and within reach then there is absolutely no need or right to tee off, it's plain dangerous play, the worst piece was he said he was within his rights to shoot once he shouts fore...

Holy fvck! You're absolutely right btw, no insurance company would cover that sort of wilful negligence. Complete gobsh1te, should be put off the course.

Cork Boy 53

martinkop wrote: »

This is the future!!!!

No not enough protection there. It may come to something like this.:rolleyes:

slave1

A Ryder Cup spokesperson told the BBC: "It is distressing to hear that someone might suffer long-term consequences from a ball strike.

"We have been in communication with the family involved, starting with the immediate on-course treatment and thereafter to provide support, helping with the logistics of repatriation, including providing a transfer for the family from Paris to Lyon. We will continue to offer support for as long as necessary.

"Ball strikes are an occasional hazard for spectators but this kind of incident is extremely rare.

"We can confirm that 'fore' was shouted several times but also appreciate how hard it can be to know when and where every ball is struck if you are in the crowd.

"We are hugely sympathetic and will do everything we can to support the spectator, insofar as that is possible under very difficult circumstances."

uncommon_name

slave1 wrote: »

That does not mean you're 100% covered though, e.g. I was standing with a playing partner watching another partner take a shot in the centre of my fairway when the group behind inexplicably hit off last week, first thing I knew was a shout of fore and a ball went flying about 2 feet above my head.
We played out the hole and when teeing off the next hole the same lad then took his next shot straight at us shouting fore again.
He was approached and asked to take it easy and his response was "it's okay, I didn't think I could reach you (ball went over my head and a good 40yards+ past me) and anyhow I shouted fore".
I worked in the insurance industry for years and I would highly doubt if I was struck that his insurance would give him 100% (if any) coverage.
When the group ahead are standing in the middle of the fairway and within reach then there is absolutely no need or right to tee off, it's plain dangerous play, the worst piece was he said he was within his rights to shoot once he shouts fore...

That's crazy, so he doesn't care if he injures you because the insurance company will pay out anyway. They will give you enough money to fix possible brain damage you could get by being struck in the head. What an idiot.
I was walking up a fairway one day when a ball flew past my face and actually brushed my ear. It was a young lad about 16 and he didn't shout fore. Few people in the clubhouse saw him and he got in serious trouble for it.