Golfer killed by ball

[Fat Slice]

A guy in our golf club was nailed in the head (in his OWN tournament, no less) about 8 years ago. He was in a coma for weeks and came out of it...but was not the same. He got all touchy-feely, has memory issues, and generally turned into a little bit of a weirdo. Brain damage is no joke.

[Topper]

Im willing to bet that most of the time when someone gets hit, its someone playing another hole that hits a shot so bad that it lands in the wrong fairway or hits them when they're on the next teebox, etc..

That's a fact. I've only been golfing one summer and have been involved in two near misses. I was on the tee when someone sliced a drive from the adjacent fairway that landed on my tee box less than 10' from where I was standing. I didn't hear anyone yell "fore."

Then I was unfortunately on the "giving" end of a near miss. I signed in to our local par 3 and noticed that no-one had signed in during the previous 3 hours and the parking lot was empty except for my car. I thought that I had the course to myself. I made clean contact on the first tee and drove it well past the green but unfortunately pushed it slightly into the second tee area. I never yelled fore since I was the only person on the course....or so I thought. Apparently, someone had parked in the street and walked directly to the second tee skipping the first tee. He yelled that my ball landed next to him in the tee box. Lesson learned....always yell fore!

[BonoVox]

I was hit earlier this year while sitting in a cart 100 yards out in the middle of my fairway from a golfer hitting on a par 3 about 60 yards away that faced 90 degrees from me. Luckily the ball hit a part of the cart before ricocheting into me. Still hurt like a biatch. Not sure if he yelled fore because it was a screamer that probably out paced his fore yell. (though I think he might not have)

Then this weekend I watched a ball go over a person in our foursomes head that just missed him. (few inches) It was hit from an elevated tee box on a par three (195 yards) that has a green right next to the next tee box. Any decent hook heads for the tee box. There is a fence (10 feet high maybe) that is supposed to protect you, but I was with someone that was hit there 5 years ago in the same circumstances. That ball went over my head as I faced away from the tee box and hit the person I was face to face with in the shoulder. Scary stuff!

The one on Saturday the guys yelled fore from above but there was an airplane on approach to a near by airport that drowned out the warning.

[daly_vision]

While this may very well have been a total accident, I'm sometimes amazed at how inconsiderate some people can be. I was playing at a local course about a month ago in a foursome and we had two younger kids behind us (I'd say maybe 16) playing behind us. They were good golfers.... but about three times while we were on the green putting they'd be hitting their approach shots about 100 yards out and even hitting over our heads.

We kept our pace, weren't playing slowly and keeping up with the group ahead of us. Eventually one of the guys lost it and gave them a piece of his mind. Needless to say, it stopped after that.

[Fatphil]

Two comments. One, did the golfer who it the errant shot yell fore? I hope so. Second, since when is 69 years of age elderly?

eh Farmington...my first job out of school was in southfield I lived in the early 80's at Independance Green. Then bought a historic home on Grand River accross from the Warner Mansion. Sold it in '92 and moved south. Is Independance Green still there? Lot of good memories! Don't mean to hijack the tread..but seriously I lived in Memphis on a course for 8 years...incredibly stupid purchase...but in all the 8 years and broken windows (man you don't want to be in the kitchen when one of the suckers comes blasting in) the only one in the family to ever get hit was the freakin' dog!

[BostonSully]

This summer I heard a lady get hit playing in a 4some with 2 men 2 women. It was at a small Par3 and I guess the guys were hitting drivers on the 205 yd hole for some reason. One lady must've walked out onto the womens tee as one of the guys hit and taken a linedrive to the back of the head. We heard a scream and came running back (we were one hole ahead). The lady was sitting up but bleeding a good bit, the guy who hit the drive was despondent.

I think they were all too much in shock mode so me and my friend jogged back to the clubhouse. Told the pro who Called 911 then drove out to see what was going on. Gave us a key to a cart and had us lead the ambulance as close to the lady as we could. They took her away Im sure to check that there was nothing wrong with her noggin like an Aneuryism. I'm pretty sure she just got stitches and was on her way. But that was a very interesting round of golf. Oh, and we never finished playing haha had a beer and left after that.

[MSchott]

eh Farmington...my first job out of school was in southfield I lived in the early 80's at Independance Green. Then bought a historic home on Grand River accross from the Warner Mansion. Sold it in '92 and moved south. Is Independance Green still there? Lot of good memories! Don't mean to hijack the tread..but seriously I lived in Memphis on a course for 8 years...incredibly stupid purchase...but in all the 8 years and broken windows (man you don't want to be in the kitchen when one of the suckers comes blasting in) the only one in the family to ever get hit was the freakin' dog!

Independence Green is still there and is still the popular complex for inexpensive apartments. Downtown Farmington is very nice and they've done a lot of work int he area recently to make it more shopper friendly. There's a relatively new Farmington Hills muni down the street from Independence Green on Halstead that is my home course.

[Fatphil]

Independence Green is still there and is still the popular complex for inexpensive apartments. Downtown Farmington is very nice and they've done a lot of work int he area recently to make it more shopper friendly. There's a relatively new Farmington Hills muni down the street from Independence Green on Halstead that is my home course.

Great! thanks for the update...you brought back some awesome memories. Thanks.

[Stretch]

Sad story. I wonder what the odds are of being killed by a golf ball during any given round? Sure some actuary has figured it out before.

What worries me rather more on the course is lightning. Had two friends killed by a strike years ago at high school. Very, very nasty. I hear thunder, I'm off to the clubhouse. You want to call me a wuss and shelter under a tree, be my guest and can I please have your Scotty when you're gone?

[alf174]

eh Farmington...my first job out of school was in southfield I lived in the early 80's at Independance Green. Then bought a historic home on Grand River accross from the Warner Mansion. Sold it in '92 and moved south. Is Independance Green still there? Lot of good memories! Don't mean to hijack the tread..but seriously I lived in Memphis on a course for 8 years...incredibly stupid purchase...but in all the 8 years and broken windows (man you don't want to be in the kitchen when one of the suckers comes blasting in) the only one in the family to ever get hit was the freakin' dog!

We were neighbors in the early 80s - I lived in Muirwood next door. That Farmington Hills GC Mschott was telling you about is pretty nice, busy though.

[ghalfaire]

I was on the receiving end of an errant drive once a few years back, way before I was elderly. Hit me on the fly in the lower left leg, right on the shin. I went down like being hit with a 30-30 and it did hurt. Ended up in the hospital with blood clots in the leg. The guy yelled fore but I sure didn't hear it. But the point is you don't have to get hit in the head or be elderly for it to be serious. A little patience and situational awareness on the course can go a long way in not doing serious damage to a fellow golfer. I certainly learned my lesson and do pay much more attention to what is going on around me as I don't want a repeat performance nor do I want to hurt anyone else. 8)

[Joeyvee]

[QUOTE=jamo;542046]On the ninth (last) hole of a golf match once a friend and teammate of mine hit his girlfriend (who was sitting at the clubhouse behind the ninth green) in the head. QUOTE]

Think if I got my old lady to sit still and I paid for your friends ticket he could come out to hawaii and bounce a drive or two off of her head? PLEASE?

[BonoVox]

This summer I heard a lady get hit playing in a 4some with 2 men 2 women. It was at a small Par3 and I guess the guys were hitting drivers on the 205 yd hole for some reason. One lady must've walked out onto the womens tee as one of the guys hit and taken a linedrive to the back of the head. We heard a scream and came running back (we were one hole ahead). The lady was sitting up but bleeding a good bit, the guy who hit the drive was despondent.

My grandpa pulled one of these years ago. He was in his late 70s and eye sight was not the best. He is also the type to get very focused. Well it was customary for the ladies (his wife) to sometimes hit before the men. Long par 4s when the group ahead was not reachable for the ladies but was for the men.

Well he teed one up. Looked down the fairway, looked down concentrating on his ball. At the same time she walked onto the women's tee about 25 yards ahead. She bent down to tee up and when she raised up he let one rip and nailed her right in the middle of the back. (lucky for her he was not a huge hitter maybe good driver out to 175) Either way she somehow stayed up and yes was in a lot of pain. She actually played on of course a bit pissed at him. Lucky for everybody she did not get hit in the head!

[JerseyThursday]

My grandpa pulled one of these years ago. He was in his late 70s and eye sight was not the best. He is also the type to get very focused. Well it was customary for the ladies (his wife) to sometimes hit before the men. Long par 4s when the group ahead was not reachable for the ladies but was for the men.

He’s the one that should have been pissed. She probably took 25 yards off that drive.

[Nate L.]

One thing people need to learn is when you hear FORE either run for cover or cover your head and face with your arms. Don't turn to look where the sound is coming from like I see a lot of people do.

[Stretch]

Saw this today, with some more details. The unfortunate victim had walked about 20 yards ahead of his group down the left side of the fairway. One of his playing partners then pull-hooked a fairway wood shot that hit him right in the back of the head.

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/video?id=7731945

Imagine how **** you'd feel after managing to kill your own golf buddy?

[BonoVox]

Saw this today, with some more details. The unfortunate victim had walked about 20 yards ahead of his group down the left side of the fairway. One of his playing partners then pull-hooked a fairway wood shot that hit him right in the back of the head.

Thanks for your video. That sheds some light on it. Looks like he was 20 yards ahead and at about a 45 degree angle. With a fairway wood being hit that is almost the kill zone if a duck hook is produced. I hope they don't try to make a case against the person hitting. It is likely he was addressing his ball and during those seconds the now deceased gentleman walked forward while he was in the players blind side.

One of these days this is going to happen on the PGA Tour to a spectator. After watching events unfold on 18 on Sunday at the PGA Championship this year (and a few other close calls at other events) it is just a matter of time IMHO. Not only Dustin Johnson but the shot Tiger hit earlier in the day on that hole. (ironic it was Tiger who tagged a photog at the Ryder Cup with a short pitch) Guess what? These guys are not perfect 1,000% of the time.

[Danattherock]

I don't know how old you are but 69 is not "elderly" to this 53 year old.

Unless you live to be 107, you are elderly.

Definition of ELDERLY 1. rather old; being past middle age