Because they are generally open areas with scattered individual trees, golf courses are dangerous places during a thunderstorm. A lightning bolt will take the shortest route between the cloud and the ground, which means that a golfer standing in the middle of a fairway or huddled under a tree is a prime target for a strike.
Is it safe to play golf in Lightning?
Golf and lightning don’t mix. Be careful when you are on the course & do not try to beat the lightning! When the horn sounds, come in immediately ! A man got hit by lightning Monday morning on a golf course in Madison , WI .
How far away should a golf course be from a lightning strike?
Ten miles is ideal just to be safe. Check the courses policy on lightning and if they have a lightning detection/prediction system. Many golf courses are now equipped with a lightning detection system that sets off a horn when lightning gets within a certain set distance from the course.
How do lightning and thunderstorms affect golfers?
Over half of all golf course-related lightning deaths happen after a thunderstorm has passed over. Because lightning is attracted to standing objects, a golfer is usually the tallest object on the grass. It’s obvious that most lightning comes from a cloud by an electrical build-up and discharges to the ground.
How do commercial golf courses protect from lightning strikes?
Smaller commercial golf courses are using a golf course lightning protection system. It sounds a lot more spectacular but in reality, is a little custom-built shack. It’s outfitted with a roof that collects any lightning and safely grounds the strike.
Is it safe to play golf in lightning?
Golf and Frisbee Golf are the only sports with regulations relating to lightning. A good rule for everyone is: "If you can see it (lightning), flee it; if you can hear it (thunder), clear it."
Why is it a bad idea to play golf in a storm?
What Is the Likelihood of Being Struck by Lightning? The odds of being struck by lightning on a golf course is 1:3,000. The odds of becoming a lightning victim in the US is 1:700,000. Lightning can kill people or cause cardiac arrest, severe burns, permanent brain damage, memory loss, and personality changes.
Why is it not wise to play golf during a thunderstorm?
At least 10% of lightning occurs without visible clouds in the sky. 8. Because they are generally open areas with scattered individual trees, golf courses are dangerous places during a thunderstorm.
What to do if there is lightning on a golf course?
If you are caught on the course and there is no shelter near, consider the following tips:Do not stand under tall trees or sit in a golf cart. ... You must get away from your cart and away from your golf clubs quickly.Stay away from water.If you are old-school and have metal spikes on, take them off.More items...•
Should you play golf in thunder?
Do not continue to play golf and do not seek shelter under trees. Trees do not protect you from lightning. During competitions, if there is a lightning risk, play will be suspended and players must leave the course.
How often do golfers get hit by lightning?
The odds of being struck by lightning on a golf course is 1:3,000. The odds of becoming a lightning victim in the US is 1:700,000. Lightning can kill people or cause cardiac arrest, severe burns, permanent brain damage, memory loss, and personality changes.
How many golfers have died from lightning?
He died at the golf course. John Jensenius, a lightning safety specialist at the National Lightning Safety Council, said there have been 12 golf-related lightning fatalities in the U.S. since 2006.
Can you golf in light rain?
Golf can be played in almost all weather conditions, including rain.
Is it worth playing golf in the rain?
Yes. You can play golf in the rain provided it poses no threat to player safety, and if the course remains playable and not waterlogged. If water begins pooling on the fairways and greens, or if lightning is present, it is recommended to halt play until conditions improve.
Are golf clubs lightning rods?
You can get struck by lightning while holding up a golf club on the fairway because it acts like a lightning rod, making you a tall object on the course.
How do you prevent lightning in an open field?
If caught in an open field, seek a low spot and crouch with your feet together and head low. Stay away from objects that conduct electricity, such as barbed wire fences, power lines, windmills, and other tall objects. Drop metal objects like golf clubs, fishing poles, umbrellas, and backpacks with metal frames.
Can you play golf in bad weather?
Playing golf in bad weather doesn't have to hinder your performance out on the course! To avoid a lot of the frustrations of playing bad weather, try to plan and look at the weather forecasts before your round. This way you will know which type of equipment you may need and what to expect out on the course.
Are you safe in a golf cart during a lightning storm?
Stay away from objects that conduct electricity, such as golf clubs, metal fences, golf carts. Contrary to what some people believe a golf cart does not offer protection.
How do you prevent lightning in an open field?
If caught in an open field, seek a low spot and crouch with your feet together and head low. Stay away from objects that conduct electricity, such as barbed wire fences, power lines, windmills, and other tall objects. Drop metal objects like golf clubs, fishing poles, umbrellas, and backpacks with metal frames.
How to stay safe from lightning on golf course?
The first step in staying safe from lightning on the golf course is awareness of weather conditions and expected weather conditions during your round. If you know that thunderstorms are possible, then you know to watch out (and listen out) for trouble.
How to avoid lightning strikes?
Go to large permanent buildings or get into a fully enclosed metal vehicle (car, van or pickup truck). Avoid trees since they attract lightning. Avoid small, on-course shelters: They are intended only for sun and rain safety. Don’t wait around for the next strike, please.".
What is the scariest thing to see on a golf course?
Lightning strike near a golf course - what every golfer fears. Richard Heathcote/Getty Images. Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. Lightning is one of the scariest and most dangerous things golfers will ever encounter on the golf course.
What does it mean when you hear thunder on a golf course?
If you hear thunder, it means that lightning is within striking distance.
What to do if you are caught on the golf course?
If caught on the course and unable to get off, do not stand under tall trees or sit in a golf cart. Do not stand under a lone tree, even a small one. Do get away from the cart and away from your golf clubs. Stay away from water. If you have metal spikes, take them off.
Does lightning kill golfers?
Lightning can be a killer. And, yes, lightning does kill golfers. The number of lightning deaths per year on the golf course is small, but the United States' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association says that five-percent of all lightning deaths and injuries in the United States happen on golf courses .
Is it safe to stay outside when there is lightning?
No place outside is safe if lightning is in the vicinity. Partially enclosed shelters are not safe. If no safe shelter is available ... stay away from the tallest objects (trees, light poles, flag poles), metal objects (fences or golf clubs), standing pools of water, and fields.". And the National Lightning Safety Institute says:
Rules of Golf explained: Golf and lightning
Rule 5.7a says you must not stop play unless it’s suspended by the committee, you’ve agreed in match play, or… because of lightning.
Have a question for our Rules of Golf expert?
Despite the simplification of the Rules of Golf at the beginning of 2019, there are still some that leave us scratching our heads. And as I’ve passed the R&A’s level 2 rules exam with distinction, I am more than happy to help.
How hot can a golfer get in a lightning strike?
Some facts you might not know about lightning: Air in a lightning strike can be heated up to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
What is the lightning detection system on golf courses?
Many golf courses are now equipped with a lightning detection system that sets off a horn when lightning gets within a certain set distance from the course. Others have both a detection and prediction system.
How many volts does a lightning strike produce?
A ground strike can produce somewhere between 100 million to one billion volts of electricity. The length of a cloud-to-ground lightning strike can range from two miles to 10.
How to get away from a golf cart?
You must get away from your cart and away from your golf clubs quickly. Stay away from water. If you are old-school and have metal spikes on, take them off. If stranded in the open, go to a low place such as a ravine or valley, or the lowest spot you can find.
When does lightning strike?
Most lightning incidents occur when people are caught outdoors in the summer months during the afternoon and evening (between 2:00-6:00 p.m.).
Can lightning and golf mix?
Lightning and golf do not mix. Taking a chance and hitting a few more shots or going one more hole could prove deadly. As a golf coach and instructor, some may say that I am, on occasion, over cautious.
Is it safe to stay outside during lightning?
No place outside is safe if lightning is in the vicinity. Partially enclosed shelters are not safe. If no safe shelter is available ... stay away from the tallest objects (trees, light poles, flag poles), metal objects (fences or golf clubs), standing pools of water, and fields.". Stay safe this summer, and remember, golf, ...
When a golf course takes steps to protect players from lightning strikes, it must implement safety precautions properly.?
When a golf course takes steps to protect players from lightning strikes, it must implement safety precautions properly. It added that a jury should decide whether the club did so in the way it posted evacuation notices and monitored dangerous conditions, and if it should have built shelters and provided an audible signal.
What happened to Costanzo's legs?
Seconds later, lightning ran up Costanzo’s legs, blowing keys and change out of his pockets and into the air, where a glowing halo of electricity circled them. McHugh ran first to Costanzo, who had also been knocked to the ground. “It’s my legs, it’s my legs,” Costanzo moaned, but otherwise he seemed stable.
Why did Maussner walk across an open field?
The judge noted that Maussner chose to walk across an open field when he could have sought shelter or lain down. Maussner appealed to a higher court. The Superior Court of New Jersey said injuries through acts of God don’t exempt courses from liability.
Did the Atlantic City Country Club pay Maussner?
Facing liability for Maussner’s injuries, the Atlantic City Country Club decided to pay him a financial settlement rather than go to trial. Eventually Maussner made it back to the links with protective footwear—and an extra dose of caution.
What to do if you have a lightning problem?
Do NOT seek shelter under a tree. Lightning strikes the tallest objects. If you can, move to the clubhouse or another building near your location to find shelter indoors. Avoid contact with electrical devices and metal.
How hot is lightning?
The temperature of lightning reaches 30,000 °C. To put this into context, that’s five times hotter than the surface of the sun. Approximately 5 per cent of annual lightning deaths and injuries in the US happen on the golf course, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. Even golf pros have been struck by lightning.
How long after a lightning flash can you play?
Avoid water and find a low-lying open place which is far from trees and metal objects. Don’t rush back out onto the course straight away. Wait 30 minutes after the last lightning flash before resuming play, as over half of lightning deaths occur after the storm has passed.
How many spectators were injured in the Tour Championship?
Six spectators were injured following two lightning strikes at the Tour Championship in Atlanta, USA. Sadly, this is far from an isolated incident. In 2017, one of our policyholders, 60-year-old Philip Shard, lost his life after being struck by lightning while on the course. Philip was the fifth golfer since 1999 to die on a UK golf course ...