Ryder Cup Golf Ball Strike

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A woman was struck in the head by a Koepka hit golf ball and according to reports has lost vision in her eye. The ball fractured areas there along with "exploding" her eye ball. Golf.com is reporting that she is planning to meet with lawyers and sue the organizers of the event.

She has said nobody yelled a warning that the ball was incoming, while others say that "Fore!" was yelled.

What do you make of this? Could it lead to changes in the way fans view golf and how close they are?
 
Sad story but I think the game of golf is fortunate stuff like this doesnt happen more often. Hopefully she gets better soon and she finds a way to enjoy life despite her injury.
I've always assumed there is some sort of course liability waived when you walk onto a golf course, but I guess not.
 
While this is incredibly unfortunate for this lady and I wish her a speedy recovery, I'm surprised something of this severity hasn't happened sooner. Fans are too close to danger they don't really realize, hopefully this terrible injury causes sweeping changes for fan safety.

Also, regarding the lawsuit, isn't there an implied or expressed assumption of risk when walking on the course? There has to be signs at every entrance.
 
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Also, regarding the lawsuit, isn't there an implied or expressed assumption of risk when walking on the course? There has to be signs at every entrance.

I honestly don't know over there. Here there are signs and on the back of some tickets it says similar.
 
Prayers for her despite already suing.
 
While this is incredibly unfortunate for this lady and I wish her a speedy recovery, I'm surprised something of this severity hasn't happened sooner. Fans are too close to danger they don't really realize, hopefully this terrible injury causes sweeping changes for fan safety.

Also, regarding the lawsuit, isn't there an implied or expressed assumption of risk when walking on the course? There has to be signs at every entrance.

If she wasn’t paying attention, or didn’t listen to people yelling fore, how much of that falls on her for negligence in paying attention?
 
i’m surprised this is the first time something like this has happened. i can see a settlement happening, but i wouldn’t think she would win in trial.

i think you can rope off areas down fairways up to maybe 325, but i can’t think of a way to protect people from errant approach shots.


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Terrible situation for sure. Most of the tickets / badges say on the back of them that the tour, player, etc., are not responsible for injury and that the spectator assumes all liability upon entering the grounds. Now who knows if that will actually hold up in court, but with the number of lawyers they have on the staff I gotta think that it is pretty tight. Similar to getting hit at a baseball game. Lots of lawsuits from that, but not many successful ones.
 
I honestly don't know over there. Here there are signs and on the back of some tickets it says similar.
I guess that's for the lawyers to figure out.
If she wasn’t paying attention, or didn’t listen to people yelling fore, how much of that falls on her for negligence in paying attention?
It's like people at the baseball game on their phone or whatever with foul balls coming in. We've seen it so many times, but a golf ball is so much more dangerous.
 
I knew that was coming. If I remember correctly.....fore was yelled but there isn't any way of hearing it with the distance and all the fans. Im like others im surprised it hasn't happened like this more often.

Im sure Brooks feels terrible. Just a bad deal all around.

Does anyone know if she was American Or Euro? Like it matters but j/w..
 
A lawyer is going to pick apart the "implied consent" aspect. Then again it's in Europe so laws are different there. I think there will probably be a settlement out of court just to keep the peace, and then attendees will have to sign a waiver at events to acknowledge they are taking the risk of being out there and the course, organizers, and players are not responsible.

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I understand, but this is the new American way. You take chances when you attend a golf event. I am sure the RNA and PGA will pay her. I hope the lawyers do not take the majority. This is a freak accident and I personnaly do not think she should profit from the accident.
 
Man that is really unfortunate. Golf is its own animal, you can't have nets lining spectator areas like other sports, its a risk you take when your on the course. I do wish they would move spectators back when these guys are hitting recovery shots from the rough or under trees sometimes. All it takes is one poor swing for someone to eat a golf ball as close as they are in some cases.
 
I posted about this in the Ryder Cup thread as I briefly heard something earlier, and have since seen a news article about it

In some ways I guess she is lucky to have only lost her sight having been struck full in the face by a golf ball, but a horrible outcome for what should have been a great experience watching an event like this

i’m surprised this is the first time something like this has happened. i can see a settlement happening, but i wouldn’t think she would win in trial.

i think you can rope off areas down fairways up to maybe 325, but i can’t think of a way to protect people from errant approach shots.


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The question there though is how wide from the edge of the fairway/rough do you make it? 10yds? 20yds? 30yds? Regardless of how far back from the edges of the fairway the crowds are kept, nobody can predict where an errant shot is going to go

The only way I could think of ensuring nobody gets hit by a ball is to have everyone behind the player, but that then means you can't pick a spot and watch as every group passes by

It isn't an easy situation to find a solution for, and I guess it is fortunate that we don't see stories like this more often
 
I do wish they would move spectators back when these guys are hitting recovery shots from the rough or under trees sometimes. All it takes is one poor swing for someone to eat a golf ball as close as they are in some cases.

So this.......

I mean yes these guys are good...but damn it only takes one as we are seeing now
 
Man that is really unfortunate. Golf is its own animal, you can't have nets lining spectator areas like other sports, its a risk you take when your on the course. I do wish they would move spectators back when these guys are hitting recovery shots from the rough or under trees sometimes. All it takes is one poor swing for someone to eat a golf ball as close as they are in some cases.

Kinda reminds me of the old rallying days when you would watch footage of the spectators being in the middle of the road and parting as the cars come hurtling towards them
 
Unfortunate she lost an eye but she should have been paying attention as she should know there is a chance of an errant shot.
 
Really unfortunate. I’ve been a spectator at PGA events and was super paranoid while standing near fairway landing areas. I was uncomfortable enough to not stay in those spots too long. I hope the lady is able to recover.

I did notice that for the reminder of the weekend, Koepka was being heckled by the Euro crowd with yells of “FORE!” on every swing. Brutal.
 
It better not. Read the back of your ticket or the small print on your ticket online. Pretty sure that buy purchasing the ticket and using it to gain access into the event, she agrees to be vigilant to her surroundings. Pay attention. It’s why you’re there. I feel bad for her but only to the point of her then going to authorities to sue for something she was totally aware of could happen. It’s golf.


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The question there though is how wide from the edge of the fairway/rough do you make it? 10yds? 20yds? 30yds? Regardless of how far back from the edges of the fairway the crowds are kept, nobody can predict where an errant shot is going to go

if you only let spectators line fairways at 325 yards out from the tee, the chances of someone getting hit hard enough that it would do this kind of damage would be significantly limited. i'm not saying my idea is practical, though.

It better not. Read the back of your ticket or the small print on your ticket online. Pretty sure that buy purchasing the ticket and using it to gain access into the event, she agrees to be vigilant to her surroundings. Pay attention. It’s why you’re there. I feel bad for her but only to the point of her then going to authorities to sue for something she was totally aware of could happen. It’s golf.

if i'm not mistaken, the waivers are there as a deterrent try to convince someone that they wouldn't be successful in a suit, but ultimately hold no legal weight. i think the case would hinge on whether a person could reasonably expect to incur such an injury by attending this event and standing where she was, and whether that person could reasonably expect the event powers-that-be to have provided adequate safety measures to prevent such an injury. but i'm not an attorney, so i could be 100% wrong about all this.
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It better not. Read the back of your ticket or the small print on your ticket online. Pretty sure that buy purchasing the ticket and using it to gain access into the event, she agrees to be vigilant to her surroundings. Pay attention. It’s why you’re there. I feel bad for her but only to the point of her then going to authorities to sue for something she was totally aware of could happen. It’s golf.

This is 2018......things don't happen that way anymore unfortunately.
 
Ryder Cup Golf Ball Strike

Man, I heard some things about this. You always need to be paying attention.

A woman took a ball to the face at Fenway a couple of years ago and sued - but she lost because they ruled that it was the danger and that the Sox did their part in limiting damger as best they could
 
Very bad situation. Just bad luck, but you always take a chance when you go to a sporting event like this.
 
Unfortunately. many of the crowd in France were French and there to be seen rather than watch a game they knew something about. An event in Scotland will have a crowd with an average handicap of 10 , in France it is an average of 54 handicap. I suspect she knew nothing of golf or the danger she was in.

Buyer beware, you bought the ticket and unless you can prove negligence, you take what comes your way.
 
Sad situation, I hope she is able to heal up and regain vision. These unfortunate situation are never fun to experience and once lawyers get involved usually no one wins. My fear is that if more of these incidents happen it could cause courses to carry more insurance and prices to play would go up. That's the last thing or sport needs at a time when growing the game is of key importance.

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