Who do I contact for health and safety?

[JustOne]

These are the shots from the 240yrd 9th tee that could potentially hurt someone....

People actually stand ON the 9th green to avoid being hit!!!

 

[macca64]

Here you go.... we are playing the 9th hole, a 240yrd practically blind tee shot down a hill (you can see the green just about from the tee).

you have to hit from A to B

After hitting from A to B you have to stand at B and call the next group down so they can hit their ball at you, often with driver for the shorter hitters.

You can't see the ball as they are hitting from just over the rise, and they are above you... you look into the sky when they hit but you don't really see the ball unless they thin one. you can take cover behind some trees (behind the green) if you want.

When hitting from A you bring C into the equation with a faded tee shot (that is the practice putting green), you also bring in D which is the water fountain where people refill after playing the 9th and E which is where people stand to play from F (the 10th tee) where someone was recently floored whilst about to tee off!!


Then...... when you DO actually tee off the 10th (F to G) you are trying to land your drive past G approx 240-250yds off the tee..... bringing all the people standing at A (teeing off the 9th) into danger if you slightly leak one to the right....

It's like Afghanistan there.... things flying at you from all directions. Just crazy, someone could literally get VERY hurt.

I'm sure I played a hole like this once and they had a smart looking shed thing and a bell to call them thru, or then again !!, i'm 49 you know!!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

If you are serious about getting HSE involved my advice would be to put it in writing to your club first, outlining the concerns, your intentions and your solutions to the problem and give them a definitive time frame to conduct their own review. My fear is that once HSE are involved, there is real potential for them to make big changes or close some holes or the place down if it is dangerous

 

[JustOne]

Here are the shots (a slightly leaked fade or blocked shot) that when hit from the 10th tee (towards 'G') definitely put the people standing on the 9th tee (A) at risk...

 

[CMAC]

If you are serious about getting HSE involved my advice would be to put it in writing to your club first, outlining the concerns, your intentions and your solutions to the problem and give them a definitive time frame to conduct their own review. My fear is that once HSE are involved, there is real potential for them to make big changes or close some holes or the place down if it is dangerous

He has already if you re-read the Op, HSE most certainly won't get involved at this level.

@dodger aren't you involved with golf club management? Surprised at your cavalier attitude to something potentially with serious consequences for members.

 

[Dodger]

He has already if you re-read the Op, HSE most certainly won't get involved at this level.

@dodger aren't you involved with golf club management? Surprised at your cavalier attitude to something potentially with serious consequences for members.

Yes and I look after my own members and not others thanks.

As per my previous more serious post it may be that they are fully covered....

 

[JustOne]

This is a (my) approximate proposed solution.....

Move the 9th tee so the 9th hole no longer plays as a 'call down hole'. Taking the people at E, F and C out of danger

It also takes the people on the 9th tee (A) out of range from people hitting up the 10th hole (from F to G).....

The 9th would now play approx 175yds downhill instead of a blind 240yrd shot.... much better when you can watch your ball land on a par 3 too!!!!

 

[My_HarrisTweed_Cap]

If your that worried then don't wave the group behind on. Just finish out the hole and wait on the next tee until its safe to proceed???

Seems logical enough!

 

[JustOne]

If your that worried then don't wave the group behind on. Just finish out the hole and wait on the next tee until its safe to proceed???

Seems logical enough!

That still doesn't cover the people at C, D, E and F. Someone got floored at 'F' recently and we had to get the paramedics out to him.

It also doesn't stop the people at 'A' getting hit at by the people teeing off from 'F'.

When I'm playing in a group and one of my PLAYING PARTNERS calls down the people on the tee (which I cannot stop) I go behind some trees that are behind the 9th green...... but that just so happens to put me right in the line of fire from someone hitting a snap hook off the 1st tee

 

[My_HarrisTweed_Cap]

That still doesn't cover the people at C, D, E and F. Someone got floored at 'F' recently and we had to get the paramedics out to him.

It also doesn't stop the people at 'A' getting hit at by the people teeing off from 'F'.

When I'm playing in a group and one of my PLAYING PARTNERS calls down the people on the tee (which I cannot stop) I go behind some trees that are behind the 9th green...... but that just so happens to put me right in the line of fire from someone hitting a snap hook off the 1st tee

I guess you should look for a new golf course from next year as your clearly unhappy.

 

[palindromicbob]

I suppose the only other options would be to move the green up to maintain the water of the tee and a fence up to protect those at A from of line drives from F.

 

[JustOne]

I guess you should look for a new golf course from next year as your clearly unhappy.

You should be a club chairman!!

 

[sev112]

For what it's worth
List what you physically could do - ie build some fences at tee to catch the straight right tee shot, fence around puttinggreen, put in place management controls such as not calling up, etc.
Then you inform your members and visitors of hotspots on the course to be aware of, and the importance of shouting fore.
I would also make an assessment of how much an issue it is - if there are numerous incidents occurring then that prompts more action than just the theoretical possibility of someone getting hit.
Just because you can get hit doesn't necessarily mean there is an issue.
I was watching some golf this weekend at a little old course in a place called Scotland - it was so old and twee that they even had joint greens and adjacent fairways hitting towards each other . Didn't seem to be a problem, but then it was only ladies playing on the course.

At the end of the day, you may have to put some control in the hands of the players not to play shots that could go so way off line that it would cause injury. we talk often on here about not hitting balls into groups in front, why not the same consideration for others off at 30 degrees either way ? If there is an old people's home next to a golf course or a kiddies nursery and you are standing there with your maga driver that you occasionally slice 45 degrees right, which you know, and you hit one in there over the 30 foot high fence ? Is that your fault, the golf course, the nursery for moving there after the course was already there? There is no standard guidance - you have to demonstrate that you have done what would be considered reasonable to the bloke on the No 33 bus

I think James has a reasonable point, and I think he should write to his committee /owners to make them aware of his valid concerns.
At the end of the day, liability is not clear beforehand in law. One has to consider whether one's course is the place to play or whether one has sufficient insurance to cover any incident.

Tricky - as I said before, HSE will have no interest in this, and the LA will not have anyone who is able to advise.

 

[Deleted member 1418]

The pro shop could make a fortune out of tin hats instead of caps and visors!!

 

[pokerjoke]

You definitely have a situation there James.
Probably the best course of action would be to go to the committee with your idea
of how the hole could be.
At my club they changed the 18th to a par 3 from a par 4 because of the dangers.
Some people cant see the wood from the trees,however showing someone how to get over
a potential problem suddenly switches the light on.

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

I'll just get my coat then shall I?

 

[Foxholer]

JO,

I'm with Sev on much of this.

Get it in writing, listing recent incidents and the inadequacies of the current procedures. Point out the recent Scottish case where the club was found significantly liable where a golfer was hit. http://www.postonline.co.uk/post/news/2276922/golf-injury-liability-settlement-reached

If you are going to propose solutions, make them possibilities or 'such as' type ones. Unless you are qualified and/or have insurance yourself and the club makes a change based on your proposal, you could become liable should some subsequently get hit!

Somehow you have to get the message across to the club that they would be negligent not to carry out a proper risk assessment of the hole. Relying on the personal liability of golfers does not seem sufficient to me. And they need to acknowledge receipt, and consideration, of your letter.

Seems to me there does need to be some changes!

 

[CMAC]

JO,

I'm with Sev on much of this.

Get it in writing, listing recent incidents and the inadequacies of the current procedures. Point out the recent Scottish case where the club was found significantly liable where a golfer was hit. http://www.postonline.co.uk/post/news/2276922/golf-injury-liability-settlement-reached

If you are going to propose solutions, make them possibilities or 'such as' type ones. Unless you are qualified and/or have insurance yourself and the club makes a change based on your proposal, you could become liable should some subsequently get hit!

Somehow you have to get the message across to the club that they would be negligent not to carry out a proper risk assessment of the hole. Relying on the personal liability of golfers does not seem sufficient to me. And they need to acknowledge receipt, and consideration, of your letter.

Seems to me there does need to be some changes!

I agree with some points but the part in bold is nonsense, sorry.

 

[Foxholer]

I agree with some points but the part in bold is nonsense, sorry.

Why?

Actually, I'd like to think (maybe even hope!) you are correct! Club Management have to be responsible for their decisions! Though they don't seem to want to be in this case.

 

[JustOne]

I might email the club with the images I have created (and a written proposal of my thoughts)... if they reply then I have 'evidence' should they just happen to shun responsibility. If they don't reply then I can tell everyone at the club that I didn't receive a reply when querying the dangers of the 9th. I might then forward the whole lot to every member of the club as well as contact the HSE if necessary.