Thunder and lightning.

[Tashyboy]

I started a blog a few weeks ago about players coming into the game that have no basic knowledge of the game and kinda learn as they go along.
Friday whilst playing Wollaton the Thunder and Lightning was of biblical proportions. The rain was just lashing it down, this was for about two hours on and off. We were at the furthest flippin point away from the club house, but there was no klaxons or anything. Stood on the 13th for about 25 mins and it was just epic. I was proper bogged off coz for the first time ever I had parred three on the spin on a foreign course.
But what is the does and donts when out on the course when the good Lord God starts up his orchestra.

PS, we played the 13th and 14 th, missed 15 an 16 and played 17 an 18. Walking down the 18th the course was packed as there was a company society day.

 

[williamalex1]

I started a blog a few weeks ago about players coming into the game that have no basic knowledge of the game and kinda learn as they go along.
Friday whilst playing Wollaton the Thunder and Lightning was of biblical proportions. The rain was just lashing it down, this was for about two hours on and off. We were at the furthest flippin point away from the club house, but there was no klaxons or anything. Stood on the 13th for about 25 mins and it was just epic. I was proper bogged off coz for the first time ever I had parred three on the spin on a foreign course.
But what is the does and donts when out on the course when the good Lord God starts up his orchestra.

PS, we played the 13th and 14 th, missed 15 an 16 and played 17 an 18. Walking down the 18th the course was packed as there was a company society day.

You sound like the old preacher guy in the film Caddy Shack wanting to play on during the rain, thunder and lightening :lol:.
I think we only use a klaxon when its a club comp and there's officials on duty.

 

[fundy]

Seems far too few courses use a klaxon these days, need to use common sense and get to safety as soon as any signs of thunder and lightening

 

[full_throttle]

played through the thunder today at the Worcestershire, and i can assure anyone if the lightening had started i wouldn't have waited for the klaxon before retreating to safety

 

[Region3]

played through the thunder today at the Worcestershire, and i can assure anyone if the lightening had started i wouldn't have waited for the klaxon before retreating to safety

You do know you can't have one without the other don't you?

 

[Hobbit]

Was fried in May 1989. The storm had appeared to pass over, the sun was out but the course was flooded. 8 of us decided to walk in.

BANG! All 8 on the ground with our legs in the air.

since then first rumble and I'm off.

 

[williamalex1]

Was fried in May 1989. The storm had appeared to pass over, the sun was out but the course was flooded. 8 of us decided to walk in.

BANG! All 8 on the ground with our legs in the air.

since then first rumble and I'm off.

8 pair of legs in the air sounds like a gang bang .

 

[Tashyboy]

8 pair of legs in the air sounds like a gang bang .

Well you got the Bang bit right.😁

 

[Junior]

8 pair of legs in the air sounds like a gang bang .

Or s dead spider?

 

[full_throttle]

You do know you can't have one without the other don't you?

we could hear the thunder, possibly the other side of the Malvern Hills, but no lightening could be seen, although the rain came down in biblical proportions

 

[Oddsocks]

Anyone who waits for the klaxons when they see lightening deserves to be fried. Why do you need klaxons to know your at risk?

It's like a " may contain nuts " warning on the back of a bag of peanuts!

 

[Capella]

On a course in our area a woman was killed by lightning a couple of years ago. She had taken shelter when the thunderstorm started and when she stepped out of the hut after she thought the storm had passed, she was hit. And on another German course four women were killed that had taken shelter in a hut that was not lightning protected.

Our club added lightning protection to all huts and shelters on the course (including the toilets) afterwards. They also recommend you stay in the protected area for 30 minutes after the last lightning strike.

 

[JohnnyDee]

I'm firmly of the opinion that a golf course is the last place you should be during a thunderstorm. A bag full of metal implements and often trees all around you...I mean what could possibly go wrong?

I was known as a wimp in our group until one day 20 of us got caught out in a storm when playing Puttenham. It was pretty damn scary as we were far away from the sanctuary of the clubhouse and it was a violent storm. Even the most gung-ho in our group were bricking it.

Just can't understand those prepared to soldier on in such circumstances.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

if you want to be out in the open with a set of lightning conductors, fill your boots. You'll find me in the clubhouse.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

we could hear the thunder, possibly the other side of the Malvern Hills, but no lightening could be seen, although the rain came down in biblical proportions

Thunder is always accompanied by lightning. Most of it stays in the clouds but it is there and it is dangerous.

 

[QuadBogey]

I was out playing 9 with my brother in law the other day, there is a course not far from the bnb we run there. We had reached 5 when the skies just fell down right on our heads. Lightning struck down right in front of us. Luckily we were cowering in our trusty old golf cart. It was still a very shocking experience

 

[Hosel Fade]

First sign of lightning ditch the bag and seek shelter. Anything else is for the crazies.

Mind I have seen shelter huts with metal roofing and no lightning rod (not sure if that is the proper English term, I mean something that attracts the lightning and routes it down into the ground) which isn't too clever

 

[Foxholer]

I'm firmly of the opinion that a golf course is the last place you should be during a thunderstorm. A bag full of metal implements and often trees all around you...I mean what could possibly go wrong?

I was known as a wimp in our group until one day 20 of us got caught out in a storm when playing Puttenham. It was pretty damn scary as we were far away from the sanctuary of the clubhouse and it was a violent storm. Even the most gung-ho in our group were bricking it.

Just can't understand those prepared to soldier on in such circumstances.

Certainly agree with clubs being lightning rods (metal spikes are prone to be good conductors too!), but while a single or lone trees re 'targets', groups of trees are relatively 'safe'! If you can't get to a place of safety, lying down in a bunker is one of the places least prone to get hit - but be prepared to get very wet!

 

[Capella]

Certainly agree with clubs being lightning rods (metal spikes are prone to be good conductors too!), but while a single or lone trees re 'targets', groups of trees are relatively 'safe'! If you can't get to a place of safety, lying down in a bunker is one of the places least prone to get hit - but be prepared to get very wet!

Lying down is actually not the best idea in a thunderstorm, especially not in a water puddle. While you want to keep a low profile, it is equally important to keep in contact with at little of the ground as possible. Yes, lightning does tend to hit the highest point, but a lot of lightning strikes still just hit the ground and spread out from there. If you lie on the ground and lightning hits somewhere close by, there will be a massive difference in voltage between one part of your body and the other. Electricity is smart, it always looks for the path of least resistance. Your body normally conducts electricity better than the ground would, so it will go through you instead. There are examples of herds of cows where the cows standing with their heads or rear towards the spot where lightning struck close to them, died, while those standing sideways survived. So be a smart cow ... don't lie on the ground, but instead cower down with your feet closed. The bunker might still be a better place than most, because it is lying lower than the surrounding, but avoid water puddles if you can.

 

[Rooter]

Just to show you the risks are very real, this was at my home course in 2005.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/4638949.stm