Injury on an icy course

[jammag]

I am a big fan of winter sports, but what I am trying to say is the club knew it was icy and took money from him one way or another. Now all it may of taken is a sign at the start of the round or the person who signed them in says look we dont recommend you go out as it is quite slippery in places. Thats them covered.

I know at my club if its frozen or dangerous they shut the course. I also know during winter months that the people that tee off at 7am every week had to be told they could not because it was too dark during some winter days and it was stupid to be out so stopped them going out and said if you want to play you are going to have to tee off a little later when it is lighter.

The swimming pool I think is a good scenario to use, you know full well there is chemicals in the pool and you would hope if someone has checked the pool in the morning and tested how strong the chlorine is that they would then proceed to close it not just say well its ok as long as people hopefully dont swim through this bit of the pool.

I think its very easy to look at this situation and say we all love golf (most of the time) I cant believe you would risk doing this to your club. I realistically feel this is more than genuine case for the insurance to pay out in the world we live in at the minute, whether your agree with it or not but that is the case.

 

[Colin2324]

What steps did you take to minimise the risk?

How far did you hobble back in the dangerous conditions?

1. I wore the correct properly maintained footwear. I considered that the course was effected by frost but did not represent a risk I was uncomfortable with. The part where frost turned to sheet ice wasnt apparent until it was too late and given the state of all the holes up to that point wasn't something I considered.

2. I think I walked across two fairways, about 150 yards at most. I didn't break my ankle on that walk. It takes one hell of a force to break an ankle. You can't do it walking or hobbling.

 

[jpenno]

Yes those are good points. After they had finished laughing and telling me to 'walk it off' I managed to twist my foot back to a forward facing direction and hobbled to the nearest point a vehicle could get into and was driven to the hospital from there. By that time the only 'official' at the club was the girl behind the bar so it wasnt reported until the next day .

As there was nobody in the club other than a bar maid I will assume it was late when you got there. Had the Pro left for the day?

What time did you arrive at the Club, when did you tee off and what time did you reach the 10th Tee?

During December it is conceivable that the temperature dropped below freezing whilst you were on the course, something the club could not anticipate and they would therefore have complied with any risk assessments

 

[stevie_r]

Ill be playing football on Sunday on the local council pitches, I'll also be paying for the privilege. Do I need to make sure that the muddy parts of the pitch are cordoned off? Otherwise some of us could slip or fall.

watch the ball doesn't hit your head, they can kill you - ask Sir Awex

 

[jpenno]

1. I wore the correct properly maintained footwear. I considered that the course was effected by frost but did not represent a risk I was uncomfortable with. The part where frost turned to sheet ice wasnt apparent until it was too late and given the state of all the holes up to that point wasn't something I considered.

2. I think I walked across two fairways, about 150 yards at most. I didn't break my ankle on that walk. It takes one hell of a force to break an ankle. You can't do it walking or hobbling.

Your first point addresses my previous comment

I suggest you discuss how easily an ankle can break when you have a follow up with your treating Consultant

 

[Naybrains]

watch the ball doesn't hit your head, they can kill you - ask Sir Awex

Very good

 

[jammag]

Ill be playing football on Sunday on the local council pitches, I'll also be paying for the privilege. Do I need to make sure that the muddy parts of the pitch are cordoned off? Otherwise some of us could slip or fall.

Well to start off with I mentioned if you are making money from this then its your responsibility it is safe, hence why usually you pay your local council to use them facilities and they usually call it off with the slightest bit of frost or if it is in anyway harmful to safety, this would be the point the council are getting the money so take the action.

So yeah I like your reply if you feel that way but responding to my quote in a way which I didnt mean so I apologise if I confused you or misled you into thinking this is the way I thought, but it really wasnt. As you are the one paying to use the facility not the one making money. Unless you are in some dodgy Italian betting scandal.

 

[Colin2324]

Ill be playing football on Sunday on the local council pitches, I'll also be paying for the privilege. Do I need to make sure that the muddy parts of the pitch are cordoned off? Otherwise some of us could slip or fall.

They allow you to play on icebound pitches in Lancashire ?

 

[Blue in Munich]

1. I wore the correct properly maintained footwear.

With which sort of spikes in?

 

[TheClaw]

Surely contending with the weather and environment is an obvious part of golf? Tripping over roots and branches, falling into water hazards, standing on rakes....why is ice different?

 

[sajkox]

So much on this thread that sums up what is wrong with people these days.

If the opening poster was related to me or a pal of mine I really would despair.

Pish,utter pish.

So you find it immoral to use your rights ?

I am with Craw on this,your choice to play,
If more people start claiming, clubs will close the course with the slightest hint of frost,

I wanted to make a sarcasm but language limitations make it sound wrong. Will try other way:
No. People don't slip every time there is frost. No ppl don't break ankle every time they slip. No there is no reason to close in case of something unlikely to happen especially that you are insured. Yes. Club should be aware of course conditions.

 

[Blue in Munich]

They allow you to play on icebound pitches in Lancashire ?

They did in Kent. We'd go out with the referee and look at it, if we were happy to play & he was happy to referee we got on with it, if we weren't we didn't. I believe it used to be called personal responsibility, seems to have fallen out of fashion recently.

 

[Colin2324]

I suggest you discuss how easily an ankle can break when you have a follow up with your treating Consultant

I have a traumatic and heavy fall with my full body weight on my left ankle, the foot turns to a jaunty angle momentarily and the pain is so fierce I feel sick and can barely put weight on it, yet your suggesting the ankle was broken on the 150 yard hobble where little or no weight was put on the said ankle ? Christ I hope they try and make that stick in my case. Laughable.

 

[Big_Rick78]

Club should be aware of course conditions.

So the club should know the condition of every square inch of every hole at any given point of the day?

If you had ice overnight and the postman slipped on your path before you got out of bed, would you expect to be sued??

 

[jpenno]

I have a traumatic and heavy fall with my full body weight on my left ankle, the foot turns to a jaunty angle momentarily and the pain is so fierce I feel sick and can barely put weight on it, yet your suggesting the ankle was broken on the 150 yard hobble where little or no weight was put on the said ankle ? Christ I hope they try and make that stick in my case. Laughable.

It wont get as far as medical evidence and causation you will lose on liability

 

[Birchy]

This could rival the Celtic vs Rangers thread the way its going :rofl:

 

[scratch]

I've only read the OP, none of the comments.

My gut reaction is that we live in a compensation culture, people always seem to be on the lookout these days for someone else to blame. My view is that as a responsible person, we should be able to make up our own minds about the risks and take the necessary precautions. You knew what the conditions were like and made your decision to play accordingly.

ps....hope you are on the mend :thup:

 

[Colin2324]

It wont get as far as medical evidence and causation you will lose on liability

And will graciously accept that verdict if I do. Except I don't lose anything and claims agents on no win no fee rarely lose a case they have accepted. Time will tell.

 

[Blue in Munich]

If you are taking money from someone paying then that facility should be 100% safe if not certain areas should be cordoned off accordingly or appropriate signs in place so you avoid it, if this is not done then the club is 100% responsible in my eyes.

At my home course you have to cross a private road twice and a public road in 2 separate places. At my previous club you had to cross a 60mph limit dual carriageway twice, four times if you were starting from the 10th. On that basis are you suggesting that my current club needs a couple of zebra crossings and my previous one a couple of light controlled crossings before they take a green fee or membership fees off of anybody? Of course not, we know the risks when we sign up and we know the risks when we choose to go out in icy conditions to play golf.

 

[sajkox]

I've only read the OP, none of the comments.

My gut reaction is that we live in a compensation culture, people always seem to be on the lookout these days for someone else to blame. My view is that as a responsible person, we should be able to make up our own minds about the risks and take the necessary precautions. You knew what the conditions were like and made your decision to play accordingly.

ps....hope you are on the mend :thup:

I do understand your view.
Till date I wouldn't even considered sue if it as me. But this thread made me thinking and I just don't see anything wrong with it.
If I was to sue someone that has no insurance and that would ruin them I would not proceed. This is different though.

The case I mentioned before: $2M for burn from spoiled coffee as there was no mark 'hot contents' on the cup - yes it sounds silly to even consider claiming it. Its insane claim was found legit. Its crazy how much was claimed. And in the end : It was smart to sue