£10,000 Compensation paid at Bellshill GC

I was about a foot away from getting absolutely clobbered last night, drive from the next tee whipped by me so close I heard it buzzing. First my playing partners knew was when I yelled my disapproval in the direction the shot had come from. When we passed them I enquired gently(ahem;)) as to why they hadn't shouted, which two of the group claimed they had and one ignored me and carried on walking.

One said the wind had taken the shout away from me. Three grown men shouted and it couldn't be heard 180yds away in a 10mph breeze? Would hate to be the person tasked with sorting that out. 10k wouldn't have calmed me down that's for sure.
 
Dando said:
This country is fast turning into the USA in that we'll sue for anything
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Since moving here I have learn't why people sue for just about anything. If I got hit by a golf I could end up with a huge hospital bill. Also the fact that there is no statutory sick pay and a lot of jobs do not offer it, I could seriously end up out of pocket. Insurance deductible,medication, loss of wages, next thing I know I've los $10,000.
 
If you were out in the car, and accidently pulled out in front of another vehicle should you have to pay out to the other road user? The other road user knows that there is a risk when using the road.

Why is it so easy to accept the need for insurance for driving the car but not for out on the golf course?

If someone has suffered permanent damage or loss due to a wayward shot, why can't they sue?
 
Hobbit said:
If you were out in the car, and accidently pulled out in front of another vehicle should you have to pay out to the other road user? The other road user knows that there is a risk when using the road.

Why is it so easy to accept the need for insurance for driving the car but not for out on the golf course?

If someone has suffered permanent damage or loss due to a wayward shot, why can't they sue?
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Agreed
But I would expect them to take as much avoiding action as possible
 
Imurg said:
Agreed
But I would expect them to take as much avoiding action as possible
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Agree with your agreed, but then we get into hair splitting and semantics. Did the victim make enough of an effort? Could the driver have done more? A pedestrian hit whilst on the pavement gets a far bigger payment than the one hit crossing the road - not quite knock for knock but...
 
In the report of this incident, which is all we have to go on, it states that the guys playing partners took cover and he didn't...that seems to indicate that there was a shout and the 2 others heard it.
Why didn't he.?
We don't know all the facts, you never get them all from reports like this, but I'd have hoped he would at least tried to take avoiding action in an attempt to minimise any damage.
In a situation like that, where I know someone is teeing off and there's a possibility that I'm in the line, I would accept my part of the responsibility to take notice of their shots before playing or whilst walking up.
In this case, as there had already been a shout, they must have been aware of the possibility of another one coming their way and should have been more a are.
Not absolving the player of fault at all but, as seems to be the case these days, responsibility isn't the 2-way street it maybe should be.
 
KenL said:
Does anyone know if your household insurance with the optional public liability insurance cover you in a golf situation?
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Like all insurance policies, it depends what you've paid for. I had a policy that covered me for any items normally stored in my house against damage or theft if taken elsewhere, up to the value of £1000 per single item. It also covered me for 3rd party liability when away from the house, so I was covered for golf on it too. I think it cost me about £7 a month on top of my house insurance policy.
 
its a worry for me that walkers just wonder all over our course and many could not care less where they walk despite signs everywhere.

Scotland has right of access, so many feel they should exercise that right.

we have one actual footpath that runs from the town down to some steps on the beach across the 18th and 1st fairways, signs both ends warning that golf is played there and to beware of golf ball.
many just walk straight across without looking.

we get people wondering along the shore between the 1st tee and 7th green, though there is no footpath as such and the land belongs to the club.

this route goes past and in front of the tee 's on 2nd, 3rd,5th, 6th and blue 7th tee. yesterday playing the club champs we had to stop 3 groups of ramblers walk in front us on the 2nd 3rd and 5th.
one lot even told my PP to F off he could go where he liked its a public footpath... he was told . it is not.

i don't know what the answer is we even had a barrier put up a few years ago, people kept breaking it down.
 
Our captain posted a newspaper clipping of this story in the bar today. Cue much muttering about not having golf insurance "waste of money" or "won't happen to me and even the "I was hit and never sued". Think it might have got a few thinking about it though
 
A shout is never going to cover all situations anyway. What about someone hard of hearing? Should they be banned from playing because they are at risk of not hearing a shout? I'm also sure we've all played in conditions were a shout would never be heard anyway due to weather.

Hate to see things like this happen but the more people it gets insured the better. You just never know when you might hit that one bad shot that you have never expected and cause someone or something damage.
 
HomerJSimpson said:
Our captain posted a newspaper clipping of this story in the bar today. Cue much muttering about not having golf insurance "waste of money" or "won't happen to me and even the "I was hit and never sued". Think it might have got a few thinking about it though
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OMG you can get basic golf insurance that we will cover you hitting someone for less than the price of a dozen ProV1s. I can't understand anyone that does not have insurance.

What if you hit a wayward ball and it hits a car putting a huge dent in an expensive car. That could find you being done for several thousands of pounds. What if you hit someone on the head putting them in a wheelchair for life. Not only is that going to haunt you for the rest of your life, but you could loose everyting you have in a lawsuit. All for the price of a dozen golf balls................
 
So mr Ure does not take cover and poor Mr muir gets clobbered for 10k.

Sorry but I reckon Mr Muir is the victim !!!

We can all hit a bad one, take Rory at the masters as few years back, in relation golf is a pretty safe sport but from this there seems only one logical outcome which could play havoc on the game.

Ensure you have a 180* clear zone in line of the planned shot relevant to the club your hitting, with this most courses would see 6hr rounds!
 
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I was hit once on the side of my chest when turning away after a shout of fore. The shout made my playing partner duck, which was his saving grace. His head was the height of my chest. The shot was hit from the fairway to a green that was near to the 18th tee we were standing on.

Consequently, I always have insurance and react to a shout.
 
I think these cases will be the start of a lot of spurious claims, then the premiums will increase.

I would prefer some kind of claim waver signed by all members and visitors, for minor incidents
Exceptions , serious injuries or verified loss of work.
 
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Must admit, I don't have golf insurance and never have done. I'm pretty sure the club has a policy that covers all members, but I don't know the details and think it probably only covers us at the club.

I always act responsibly in terms of not playing when there is a possibility of hitting someone, shout "fore" when I do hit a wayward one. I don't think, if hit, that I'd sue anyone who was acting in that manner so wouldn't expect to be sued either. Naive?
 
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