Blinded by his own ball, golfer sues

Union Leader ^ | February 05, 2009 | TRENT SPINER

[freedomlover]

Wonder how his follow up shot was.

[Cincinatus]

This guy has no legal case. Each golf course posts a standardized legal disclaimer that indemnifies the course against any legal action resulting from being hit by golf balls in flight. This disclaimer applies to balls hit by yourself or any other golfer.

Any other arrangement and all the golf courses in America would be forced out of business.

[Bob J]

I'm assuming this was the 150 yard marker that is usually placed for direction off the tee, not yardage for your third shot. Yardage markers through the green are usually flat plates or engraved on the tops of sprinkler heads for the very purpose of not interfering in the players line of flight.

Most of the erect 150 yard markers I've seen can be pulled out and replaced after a shot bringing them under the “movable obstruction” rule. This way a player doesn't need to take a drop. This player had to have been pretty close to the marker for it to ricochet fast and hard enough to blind him. If he failed to pull it out and place it on the grass then that was his error. If it was immovable and he didn't take a drop far enough away to take it out of play, again his fault.

[willgolfforfood]

And his first... and most DEFINITELY his third!!

[doodad]

I have seen many courses where a stake in the appropriate color was in the middle of the fairway. I always questioned the usage as well.

[Badeye]

Rescue wood (chuckle)

[Bob J]

I didn’t question their usage, I find them quite useful when the contours and direction of the fairways makes it difficult to ascertain a target for your ball off the tee.

I recently played with a relatively new golfer who kept asking “where should I aim?” and I kept saying “the 150 yard marker”.

[george76]

Reminds me of the foursome composed of a doctor, an attorney, a minister and an accountant ...

8-)

[doodad]

No I guess you didn’t. I just never had a use for them myself.

[Hatteras]

Okay.... If the yard marker is stated to be 150 yards from the approximate center of the green, the first thing, as an attorney (well, I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night), I need to do is to go out and take a true measurement. If it's not exactly 150 yards, the marker should have been in a different spot and my client would never have suffered the serious injury he endured. The course should be cited for negligence. The decision is for the plaintiff.

Bailiff? Whack his pee-pee.

[Bob J]

Depends on how far you hit off the tee. If you’re in the 200-220 range, they aren’t much useful. I hit 260-300. From the blues on most courses (6200-6500) the 150 markers are a good idea of the area my ball will land, so I like them as a reference tool.

I’m not bragging, just saying how it is.

[Publius6961]

Man his second shot must have been crap.

LOL!

I've been on golf courses maybe 50 times in my life, but do not consider myself a golfer. But even I am not that bad!

A golfer that lousy should be playing with full hockey goalie regalia...

[RichInOC]

“You’ll get nothing and like it.”

[rdb3]

And I thought my game was bad.

Amazing << Hear this. Feel this, and tell me that this isn't music.

Hey Barack HUSSEIN Obama, I went to Harvard too! That was the worst fieldtrip of my life, but I went there...

[Publius6961]

That's a keeper. My wife works for a large law firm and I had to send it to her.

Actually, for a blind foursome to play 18 holes in only 13-1/2 hours is awesome!

[doodad]

No I mean using the rod as a line of sight/directional. I have only played a few courses in my life that the topography was seriously aided by those or the extended pin flags.

I always check the yardage before a shot if the info is available. I have gotten pretty consistent with my clubs so I have to trust them.

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

I did not know that. I am not a golfer.

I was thinking along the lines of contributory negligence since HE hit the ball.

[jazusamo]

Hopefully playing with one eye will improve his game.

[kaboom]

Blinded in one eye...is that considered improving or hurting your handicap?

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

We’ve all been there, bro!

Drive (Square Sumo, Titleist ProV1x ball): Duck-hook topper, 125 yards

Second (4 iron): 160-yard bannana while attempting to fly the leftside fairway bunker. The miraculously changed-to Pinnacle Gold ball lands behind the yardage marker, 158 left. Lie is scruffed up with the blade of the iron.

Third (7 iron): Low screamer that hits the yardage marker square - A come-backer!

That will leave a mark.