Thunder and Lightning

[Tashyboy]

Played today and on one of our holes you can see for miles, some of the lightning bolts looked stunning. To say it was " black over Bills Mothers" is an understatement. Someone was getting a large dose of it. Eventually the weather caught up with us whilst we were coming down the 18th. We got in the clubhouse at the right time. The thunder and lightning was matched by the hail and rain. But we never heard a klaxon once to call us in. There certainly wasn't one sounded whilst out on the course, and we never heard one whilst in the clubhouse.
Now I don't know what the procedure is to sound said klaxon, don't know if it's on a club to club basis or what. So what is the procedure, look out of the window or what.

 

[Imurg]

Some clubs will have a klaxon or someother method of getting you off the course but that means there has to be someone watching the weather and the forecast.
You'll get that at Pro events but not at many clubs.
Thunder can be heard, generally, a maximum of about 10 to 15 miles away.
I think if you can hear Thunder you should be making for the clubhouse unless you're absolutely sure it's going away from you.

 

[Old Skier]

Self preservation, use your own common sense, first one back sounds the warning.

 

[Hobbit]

May 1989; 8 of us were caught out well out on the course. After 20 minutes of it horsing it down blue skies returned with big fluffy white clouds. The course was flooded out, so we decided to walk in. Halfway down the fairway there was a brief sensation of the hairs on the back of my neck standing up, yes I had hair back then, then BANG!!!

All 8 of us were on our backs like dead flies. A group on an adjacent fairway said the strike was about 10yds away from us and they could see the lightning dancing around us. Since that day, at the slightest little rumble I'm off. You won't see me for dust.

 

[patricks148]

very very Frightening... i'll get my coat

 

[Robin Hood]

We were out playing today.
Teed off at 8am, had 2 minutes of light rain, then clear skies.
However back in the clubhouse at 12:15 all hell let loose
Really lucky 👍

 

[Imurg]

I got caught out once. Playing solo I'd got to the 13th, highest part of the course surrounded by trees.
Heavens opened as I walked to the tee and I sheltered for a minute. Then all hell broke loose and for about 10 minutes I was as scared as I've ever been.
Heard a couple of very near strikes and it passed by.
Legged it back to the car, got home and had a very large drink.

 

[jim8flog]

Part of our rules

If there is a risk of lightning play must be discontinued and players must proceed in accordance with R&A Rule of Golf 5.7 (2019) whether or not a klaxon is sounded. Play is automatically discontinued on the sound of one prolonged or three short blasts of the klaxon and a player may not override the Club, Captains Committee’s or its authorised representative’s decision in this respect.

 

[inc0gnito]

May 1989; 8 of us were caught out well out on the course. After 20 minutes of it horsing it down blue skies returned with big fluffy white clouds. The course was flooded out, so we decided to walk in. Halfway down the fairway there was a brief sensation of the hairs on the back of my neck standing up, yes I had hair back then, then BANG!!!

All 8 of us were on our backs like dead flies. A group on an adjacent fairway said the strike was about 10yds away from us and they could see the lightning dancing around us. Since that day, at the slightest little rumble I'm off. You won't see me for dust.

Surprised no one commented on that yet. Frightening but pretty damn awesome. Also a nice story to tell down the pub. Did you get any lightning scars from it?

 

[Hobbit]

Surprised no one commented on that yet. Frightening but pretty damn awesome. Also a nice story to tell down the pub. Did you get any lightning scars from it?

The only 'scar' was I landed on my golf bag, I was a carrier back then, and seriously bent the brolly. One of the guys got a nasty strawberry mark on his neck that was still there years later.

 

[Slab]

All the courses send messages to the buggy screens to suspend play when its imminent with any other instructions i.e where to shelter/return to clubhouse etc. I don't recall if there was also a klaxon
I do remember I'd just it a glorious tee shot down the 16th and had to mark it but we never got back out to finish (I miss that tee-peg to this day)

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We have a klaxon in both the pro shop and the bar and so at the first sign of lightening or thunder they are supposed to go out and sound it. Doesn't always happen in practice but I'm not taking any chances and will usually quickly leave the clubs under some bushes to give them a modicum of protection from rain and then find a low spot or crouch down in the open. Having been close to a fatal lightening strike at a cricket match in Isleworth many years ago I don't take anything for granted

 

[Fabia999]

I've never been out in thunder and lightning but I did not realise how much precaution people took to this. Makes me think twice about it, if it ever happens.

 

[r0wly86]

I've never been out in thunder and lightning but I did not realise how much precaution people took to this. Makes me think twice about it, if it ever happens.

not a good idea to be waving metal sticks in the air when there's a lightning storm.

Lightning is so infrequent where I grew up I'm not even sure if my club had a klaxon

 

[Deleted member 18645]

I've been struck by lightning - May 2002. Wasn't even raining at the time. I'd just taken the bag off my shoulder to check I had an umbrella in there. Bolt hit the bag, arced across me and blew me 20 feet across the fairway with clothes shredded and serious burns. You won't see me for dust if there's any kind of rumble (and not the one in the jungle).

 

[clubchamp98]

In the USA at the moment and there is a massive storm over the east coast so I am staying in my condo until it’s safe .
It’s done some real damage through the state so far.