[geofitz13]

Originally Posted by NotGolfer

I've always been amazed at the people still on the golf courses when the sky is black and it's thundering (here...you can bet there's also lightening). As someone said---you can't "fix stupid". Years ago, but up north, there was a couple who sought cover under a kiosk on a golf course AND they both got struck and killed, leaving behind a young family. Guess we'd need a fatality or two before "some" might wise up.

Where up north? I used to be a member of Wycoff CC in Holyoke MA. The same thing happened there. Two guys sought "shelter" under a kiosk at the highest point of the course. Of course, lightning struck and both were killed. Not sure how long ago, but seems to me it was about 20 years or so...

[Chatbrat]

a couple of years ago my wife was swimming @ Sea Breeze sports pool-lightning storm sprung up, drove to the pool, threw her bike in the back of my vehicle and got her out of the pool--there were about a dozen people standing in the parking lot around their golf carts- I recommended its not safe to be outdoors when lighting is nearby-one Darwin candidate wrapped his arms around a metal light pole and stated," he's not worried about lightning"

[NotGolfer]

Originally Posted by geofitz13

Where up north? I used to be a member of Wycoff CC in Holyoke MA. The same thing happened there. Two guys sought "shelter" under a kiosk at the highest point of the course. Of course, lightning struck and both were killed. Not sure how long ago, but seems to me it was about 20 years or so...

I'm not sure where...they were relatives of friends of ours and we all were living in Central Wisconsin at the time. It would have been the mid-to-late-70's I'd heard this story. SOOO much longer ago than 20 yrs.

[Barefoot]

I know a young man that was struck by lightening on a golf course.
He wasn't killed, but is permanently disabled and unable to work.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by geofitz13

Where up north? I used to be a member of Wycoff CC in Holyoke MA. The same thing happened there. Two guys sought "shelter" under a kiosk at the highest point of the course. Of course, lightning struck and both were killed. Not sure how long ago, but seems to me it was about 20 years or so...

Played Wycoff CC a couple of weeks ago and I saw the lightning shelter (if you can call it that) you referenced in the above post. I wonder who was the rocket scientist who decided to put it at the highest point of the course? Wycoff is one tough course. Hilly, narrow, many blind shots, very deep rough, postage stamp greens, and just about every lie is uneven. I like to cross over Rt. 91 to the other side of the Connecticut River and play the Ledges in South Hadley, much friendlier track.

[npwalters]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

I was swimming laps in one of the sports pools when I saw a too close for comfort lightning strike and immediately got out of the pool. There were only two of us in the pool, so I went over and told the other gentleman in the pool that it would be a good idea to get out because it wasn't safe. He told me that he was 92 years old and if that is how God wanted to take him then so be it, and he stayed in the pool. I guess that if I am lucky enough to reach the age of 92 I might think the same way? Time will tell.

I want to meet that guy. He is my new role model.

[geofitz13]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

Played Wycoff CC a couple of weeks ago and I saw the lightning shelter (if you can call it that) you referenced in the above post. I wonder who was the rocket scientist who decided to put it at the highest point of the course? Wycoff is one tough course. Hilly, narrow, many blind shots, very deep rough, postage stamp greens, and just about every lie is uneven. I like to cross over Rt. 91 to the other side of the Connecticut River and play the Ledges in South Hadley, much friendlier track.

Yeah, that is Wycoff. Short course, tough greens, narrow fairways and not a level lie to be found. I was a member there in the late 80's and early 90's, and then again in 2016. Also a member at Cold Spring Country Club in Belchertown for five years. Now that was a quirky course!
BTW, I remember seeing that gazebo at the top of the course the first time I played there when I was 14. It was an original Donald Ross course.

[Velvet]

My neighbor up north is a successful musician with lots of tattoos and many piercings. (He is actually very conservative but it’s an image thing.) He was hit by lightning lightly, walking down the street, just a little burn on the side of his head - has a scar there now and he wears much less metal.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by geofitz13

Yeah, that is Wycoff. Short course, tough greens, narrow fairways and not a level lie to be found. I was a member there in the late 80's and early 90's, and then again in 2016. Also a member at Cold Spring Country Club in Belchertown for five years. Now that was a quirky course!
BTW, I remember seeing that gazebo at the top of the course the first time I played there when I was 14. It was an original Donald Ross course.

Cold Springs is a nice but quirky course. Kind of off the beating path for me. I hear it is not doing well financially and it's future is in trouble. Also like Chicopee, Westover, Oak Ridge, Southampton, and Tekoya. And if I want to spend the $$, The Ranch or Crumpin Fox. Lots of good options in the area.

[Chi-Town]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

My understanding is that is why the Villages does not blow a horn, their policy is personal responsibility and play at your own risk. Once the course management takes on the responsibility of determining when it is safe or not to play, they also expose themselves to liability if someone gets struck by lightning and they did not blow the horn.

Or vice versa. If someone is struck by lightning the question could be why there was not a policy in place. Especially when it is the norm in so many places. BTW, the horn just blew at Medinah, and all the golfers walked off the course.

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[russtcc]

I remember making a list with friends of stupid ways to die. Playing golf in a lightning storm was in the top ten. This was after a round of golf and a close hit! I'm one of those that leaves at the first sign.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town

Or vice versa. If someone is struck by lightning the question could be why there was not a policy in place. Especially when it is the norm in so many places. BTW, the horn just blew at Medinah, and all the golfers walked off the course.

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I am going to go out on a limb and guess that the powers that be in the Villages, who are smart people with lots of money and access to high powered attorneys, have sought out competent legal advise on how to minimize their liability exposure. Especially given that they have built more holes of golf than any other retirement community in the world, all in the lightning capital of the United States. Seems like a reasonable assumption?

[NotGolfer]

Hi-jacking this a bit...thought of another scenario of possible "death wishes". Those who ride the low recombant bikes. They generally have a flag BUT I've observed that those flags don't show up well neither. IF one wants to ride such a bike, they do make ones that are higher!!

BUT I still agree with the original OP re: being out on the courses with lightening going on.

[Jess1980]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town

Or vice versa. If someone is struck by lightning the question could be why there was not a policy in place. Especially when it is the norm in so many places. BTW, the horn just blew at Medinah, and all the golfers walked off the course.

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There is no statutory duty to have a warning system in place so why would The Villages create a duty and expose themselves to litigation.

Can't imagine the lawsuit, I'm 70 years old and was injured by lightning while playing golf . I heard thunder and kept playing because nobody told me to stop and therefore it's their fault. Good luck with that.

[Chi-Town]

Wow, you survived a lightning strike. Good for you! Too bad there wasn't a horn to get you off the course. Do you have any residual effects from the strike?

From the Diaabled World website:

People who have experienced a lightning strike may also experience longer term issues. The majority of those who have survived a lightning strike experience only some of the symptoms below:

Headaches

Distractibility

Ringing in the ears

Slower reaction time

Issues with multitasking

Difficulties with sleeping

Dizziness or balance issues

Chronic pain from nerve injury

Inattentiveness or forgetfulness

Irritability and personality change

Issues with coding new information/accessing old information


Hopefully, you don't have many, if any, of the after effects. But it's a good reminder to get off a course during lightning for everybody. Thanks for sharing.




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