Lightning at Greensmere

[bobjones59]

Teed off at 11:30 today and decided to take a cart (which I don't normally do) but because of the weather forecast calling for rain I though it might come in handy. Played the first 3 holes of the old back nine and then came the rain. Decided to try and wait it out and there was some serious thunder and lightning but it passed after about 25 minutes so I proceeded to play # 4, 5 and 6. Hit driver on #7 (old # 16 - par 5) in a bit of drizzle, laid up to about 100yds in a downpour and decided to take refuge under the trees between the green and #8 tee box. Boys, I waited an hour in the absolute most brutal downfall of rain I've ever been in! I thought the cart path was going to wash away! After witnessing a couple of bolts of lightning come way to close to me and some of the loudest and scariest thunder I've ever heard in my life (check underwear) I decided to make my way back to the clubhouse. Drove right past my ball and almost got stuck in the fairway, just too much water. As I made my way up the path at the beginning of # 7 and right beside # 9 (old #18) I could see LOTS of flashing lights! I knew immediately what had happened. There were 4 police cars, 4 ambulances and 3 fire trucks and emergency personnel everywhere! One of the firemen ask if me if I was nuts to be out there, he said the last person came in over an hour ago. They thought the course was clear. I told him I was trying to wait out the storm and by being in the cart which was grounded I figured it was the safest place to be under the circumstances. So I go into the clubhouse which is jammed and the emergency personnel are tending to a couple of young kids who we're in need of medical attention. I asked a few people if everyone was OK but no one seemed to know much other than they thought that 2, maybe 3 kids we're hit by lightning. The two kids that I could see we're on oxygen and seemed OK, but that's all I could see because there were so many people around. Moral of the story I guess is that you have to be extremely careful when a storm pops up like that. I hope that eveyone turns out OK. Boys and girls, even though I got soaked today, I sure am glad I decided to take a CART!
Jeff

[3Jack]

I love playing in the rain, actually play better in the rain for some reason, but after a near lightening miss when I was a teenager I scram at the first hint of thunder. Hope the kids are ok. Glad you're ok.

[MusicMan]

WIMP!!! I woulda kept playing... its only lightening... whats the wost thing that could happen!

LOL... just kidding...

[Hacker]

DAMN!!! I hate stories like that........I hope the kids are OK

[3Jack]

WIMP!!! I woulda kept playing... its only lightening... whats the wost thing that could happen!

LOL... just kidding...

Doode.

[Ginker]

Crazy stuff... I know the Pro at Cornwall Bob Flaro was struck by lightning years ago on the golf course. It struck him and exited through his foot.. Luckily he survived.

[Sakuraba]

bobjones, were you out there all alone?

[bobjones59]

Yeah I got an unexpected day off so decided to try and get a game in but it wasn't meant to be. Sure did scare the crap out of me though!

[leftylucas]

WIMP!!! I woulda kept playing... its only lightening... whats the wost thing that could happen!

LOL... just kidding...

Not in good taste Jarred, I lost 3 friends in high school at a school trip where the ground we were camping our tents was hit by lightining during the night. Those kids could have been killed on the course.

[jeffc]

I was heading back home from camping about that time and was coming up hwy 7. there was some serious black clouds and lightening over around Greensmere way. Of note for the future, the lightning was out ahead of the storm which was coming from the west - well ahead of the darker clouds. Lightning is serious stuff.

[spackler]

Glad you got back in ok BobJones, hope those kids are alright too. Man, the first sign of an electrical storm and I haul butt back to the clubhouse. The trouble is there's not always a sign before lightening hits.

[jeffc]

Teed off at 11:30 today and decided to take a cart (which I don't normally do) but because of the weather forecast calling for rain I though it might come in handy. Played the first 3 holes of the old back nine and then came the rain. Decided to try and wait it out and there was some serious thunder and lightning but it passed after about 25 minutes so I proceeded to play # 4, 5 and 6. Hit driver on #7 (old # 16 - par 5) in a bit of drizzle, laid up to about 100yds in a downpour and decided to take refuge under the trees between the green and #8 tee box. Boys, I waited an hour in the absolute most brutal downfall of rain I've ever been in! I thought the cart path was going to wash away! After witnessing a couple of bolts of lightning come way to close to me and some of the loudest and scariest thunder I've ever heard in my life (check underwear) I decided to make my way back to the clubhouse. Drove right past my ball and almost got stuck in the fairway, just too much water. As I made my way up the path at the beginning of # 7 and right beside # 9 (old #18) I could see LOTS of flashing lights! I knew immediately what had happened. There were 4 police cars, 4 ambulances and 3 fire trucks and emergency personnel everywhere! One of the firemen ask if me if I was nuts to be out there, he said the last person came in over an hour ago. They thought the course was clear. I told him I was trying to wait out the storm and by being in the cart which was grounded I figured it was the safest place to be under the circumstances. So I go into the clubhouse which is jammed and the emergency personnel are tending to a couple of young kids who we're in need of medical attention. I asked a few people if everyone was OK but no one seemed to know much other than they thought that 2, maybe 3 kids we're hit by lightning. The two kids that I could see we're on oxygen and seemed OK, but that's all I could see because there were so many people around. Moral of the story I guess is that you have to be extremely careful when a storm pops up like that. I hope that eveyone turns out OK. Boys and girls, even though I got soaked today, I sure am glad I decided to take a CART!
Jeff

on a side note, why would they assume the course was clear? How bout counting up the carts?

[Marcos]

It is a myth that you are safe in a power cart.The fact that you think that rubber is insulating you from the ground is not how it works.You have to be in a metal frame vehicle in order for the lighting to dissipate through teh metal and absorb the strike. I saw a documentary a few years ago on lighting and the effect on different vehicles.They had two birds in a metal cage and hit it with a million volts or so and nothing happened,but when they were in a plastic structure they were cooked.And also not funny Jarred we have a few patients in the hospital where i work and this has distroyed there lifes and also there famillies.

[MusicMan]

just kidding...

ok people... it was a joke...

[spackler]

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/...f1c5ae&k=95341

5 kids, sounds like they're all doing well.

[LobWedge]

Taz carries a StrikeAlert personal lightning detector. As a side effect, it also apparently detects laser printers.

http://www.strikealert.com/ProductInfo.htm

[Indio]

And also not funny Jarred we have a few patients in the hospital where i work and this has distroyed there lifes and also there famillies.

Not in good taste Jarred, I lost 3 friends in high school at a school trip where the ground we were camping our tents was hit by lightining during the night. Those kids could have been killed on the course.

I can't believe I am doing this but common guys, Jarred was not making light of the fact that some people had been hit by lightining. If you look at his quote he was taking a shot at Bobjones59 and he even said 'just kidding' I don't think Jarred, or anyone else in here for that matter would be that insensitive. If you have met Jarred, you would know he is quite a caring and quiet individual and I am sure he never meant to make light of what happened to the kids, just Bobjones59...

I really can't believe I did that

[MusicMan]

I can't believe I am doing this but common guys, Jarred was not making light of the fact that some people had been hit by lightining. If you look at his quote he was taking a shot at Bobjones59 and he even said 'just kidding' I don't think Jarred, or anyone else in here for that matter would be that insensitive. If you have met Jarred, you would know he is quite a caring and quiet individual and I am sure he never meant to make light of what happened to the kids, just Bobjones59...

I really can't believe I did that

somebody loves me

[Indio]

somebody loves me

Don't push your luck Junior

[Weazl]

Saw this on the 6pm news - scary . Glad to hear your all right and that the kids "should" be too!

[3Jack]

somebody loves me

I too know you're a good egg fella, and I know it was a joke. I could see some people jumping on you, hence my one word response:


Dooooode.


In a way, ya musta seen it coming.

[Indio]

I too know you're a good egg fella, and I know it was a joke. I could see some people jumping on you, hence my one word response:

Dooooode.

In a way, ya musta seen it coming.

God lets not all start loving the guy, he will be intolerable! and I am sure he DID NOT see it coming

[3Jack]

Well, we do have the same fine taste in golf apparel, so he's got that going for him, which is nice.

Good to read that the kids are doing well...

Heard a report on the radio that they were attending a golf camp there... I may be about to write something here that might offend some, but if that were my son or daughter I'd not be too thrilled with whoever is running that golf camp.

[gbower]

I was inside when the strike occured. As BobJones said there was a break in the weather and he had started playing again. The kids were actually on the putting green waiting to be picked up. They had all been off the course for sometime when the weather first went sour. The strike was very fast before the rain started up again. I had heard some rumbling off in the distant and then this hit the trees right beside the practice green. What was reported on tv was the same as what I heard inside. This was very sudden and not expected. My best wishes are with the kids and I hope they're back out playing next week.

[big mac]

Hey guys---don't for a minute think your OK because your in a vehicle with rubber tires---I lost a cousin on a motorcycle a few years back--no rain either--direct hit on the helmet. That's why they say "get off the course" --- hope the kids are alright.

[little brit]

You probably all know already, but Reteif Goosen was hit when he was a teen I think. He had all of his clothes burned off. His mother said that he became much quieter and more calm after that.

[MusicMan]

I too know you're a good egg fella, and I know it was a joke. I could see some people jumping on you, hence my one word response:


Dooooode.


In a way, ya musta seen it coming.

i saw it coming... but it wasnt ment to be taken seriously

[byerxa]

Taz carries a StrikeAlert personal lightning detector. As a side effect, it also apparently detects laser printers.

http://www.strikealert.com/ProductInfo.htm

The course my dad is a member at has a lightning detection system. It goes off way before you would get worried about lightning. As we have seen lightning is a threat anywhere near a storm cell.

[BC MIST]

Heard a report on the radio that they were attending a golf camp there... I may be about to write something here that might offend some, but if that were my son or daughter I'd not be too thrilled with whoever is running that golf camp.

The kids were brought off the golf course into the club house long before the damaging strike occurred. Unknowingly, the group of boys made their way back outside and the lightning struck nearby. With a small clubhouse filled with not only the juniors but many other adult golfers, do you expect the organizer to tie all the kids to their chairs to prevent them from going back out? The accident was most unfortunate and obviously preventable, but to immediately blame someone else for being stupid or naive, in unfair.

Everyone knows the dangers of lightning but many macho types have the "It's not going to happen to me," mentality. The original poster explained that he waited ON THE COURSE, rather than return to the club house. Lightning does not magically appear directly overhead and pose a danger. You can obviously see and hear the danger long before it arrives and is a message to get the hell out of there. Anyone who does not may get what they deserve.

on a side note, why would they assume the course was clear? How bout counting up the carts?
With the storm over head does it makes sense to send someone out in the middle of it to count carts? Again, rather than blame some one else, it does not take much intelligence to realize the potential danger of the situation, and the course of action that needs to be taken.

[3Jack]

The kids were brought off the golf course into the club house long before the damaging strike occurred.

A good thing, very prudent.

Unknowingly, the group of boys made their way back outside

Hey, that happens, I understand that. But...

and the lightning struck nearby. With a small clubhouse filled with not only the juniors but many other adult golfers, do you expect the organizer to tie all the kids to their chairs to prevent them from going back out?

In these circumstances, yes. Teenagers are still kids and still need adults to tell them what to do. Plus, they are under the guardianship of those who run the camp while they are at the camp, so it's paramount that they ensure the safety of the kids, even if it means being vigilant about not letting them out of the clubhouse until it is safe to do so.

The accident was most unfortunate and obviously preventable, but to immediately blame someone else for being stupid or naive, in unfair.

I agree, very unfortunate - and you state it - OBVIOUSLY preventable.