Lightning and stupid golfers

[jvincent]

OK, I have to post this. If you were anywhere near the Marshes you probably heard/saw the very active thunder-cell that rolled over just after lunch.

When I say active, there were multiple, very large lightning strikes coming down every 10 seconds or so.

Who are the stupid golfers you ask? The foursome that was playing the 18th hole as this thing rolled in. We watched them from our office as they played 18 and the storm came in. There was a very large cloud to cloud strike right over their heads when they were chipping and they continued to putt out.

It's not like it was a surprise either. You could see the cell coming for a good 20 minutes complete with lightning and there were black clouds over them from the time they were in the fairway hitting their approaches.

I had my commentary to the Citizen all written up in my head:

Yes, I feel sorry for any family that they have left behind but unfortunately I can't feel sorry for the dead golfers. They were complete and total idiots. If we are lucky they haven't had a chance to procreate yet because they were truly stupid to be on the golf course at that time.

It boggles the mind sometimes.

[spackler]

Atomic and I were playing 7 at Greensmere on the Legacy course as it was rolling and and you could see the lightning strikes in the distance moving in pretty quick. We told the twosome we were paired up with we were heading in and they wished us well and continued on. The 7th heads out directly away from the clubhouse. Dumb. Tom and I barely got to the parking lot before the storm blew in.

[jeffc]

you know what they say, "you can't help stupid". We used to play ultimate frisbee and quite often storms would be rolling in and people still wanted to play. I always said have fun (and ran to my car)!

[golfisforfun]

Kind of like all the people who smoke, even though it will kill you!!! Idiots!!!

[DenisO]

A week or two ago I was at the Kanata Lakes driving range as a quick, but strong thunder storm moved right over. The thunder in the distance gave good warning, plus the staff riding around blowing the horn. One guy stayed on the range as it was pouring and lightning, continuing to hitting balls. Chances might be a little less since it was KL and not in the middle of a golf course with no other metal around, but still. Very stupid.

[golfisforfun]

Odds of getting a hole in 1 ... 1 in 5000
odds of getting hit by lightning ... 1 in 700,000
odds of getting killed by lightning ... 1 in 2,320,000

Guess it isn't that crazy to finish your round... you will get a hole in 1 before you get hit by lightning!!!

[atomic]

Yes, but the odds are based on everyday life. Hard to get hit by lightning inside a building or in your car...but if you are out on a very flat area (golf course or beach or on the water) I'm pretty sure that the odds are a lot better to get hit.

Stand in the middle of a field holding a 50 foot metal poll and I'll put $10 down on you getting hit. Just hope you have the 23M to pay out.

[Sab]

Quick question to the course or membership club managers (EG, RM etc). Do you do anything to encourage "smart" golfing, ie refunds for golfers who come in from the storm? I totally agree it is stupid golf to play out in a storm simply because you already paid, but some think with their wallet.
Just askin'.

[golfisforfun]

Maybe people are not thinking with their wallets, maybe they just don't think it is as big a risk as others think it is...
Like I said earlier, I think people who smoke are bigger idiots than people who continue their round of golf during a storm. I think smoking will kill you before a lightning strike does...

Some courses do give rain checks because of lightning but it depends on the course. I am pretty sure that if the forecast says rain and storms, you are taking a chance playing, and no rain check will be given in most cases.

[Sunny D]

I was one of the dumb ones (or chock it up to being 20 something and feeling indestructable). I grew up on a farm and we were trying to get a load of hay into the barn before the rain came. Yes we were cutting it very close. And sure enough we got caught in the field with a load of hay on the wagon in a nasty storm. We covered the wagon with a tarp then got under the wagon to ride out the rain. About 30 seconds later there was a bang and flash and the high back of the wagon got hit. You could smell the ozone. Years later playing softball there was a light rain shower - we typically played through that, when suddenly there was a crack of thunder a flash and the right field light standard got hit. HOLY CRAP AND FEET DON'T FAIL ME NOW. Now 30 years later if I can hear the thunder and see lightening I am gone. Close call once is a gentle nudge and a acknowledgement of youth. Close call twice, well let's call that a warning. Third time I figure I don't deserve to be in the gene pool.

[Nat Williams]

I was one of the dumb ones (or chock it up to being 20 something and feeling indestructable). I grew up on a farm and we were trying to get a load of hay into the barn before the rain came. Yes we were cutting it very close. And sure enough we got caught in the field with a load of hay on the wagon in a nasty storm. We covered the wagon with a tarp then got under the wagon to ride out the rain. About 30 seconds later there was a bang and flash and the high back of the wagon got hit. You could smell the ozone. Years later playing softball there was a light rain shower - we typically played through that, when suddenly there was a crack of thunder a flash and the right field light standard got hit. HOLY CRAP AND FEET DON'T FAIL ME NOW. Now 30 years later if I can hear the thunder and see lightening I am gone. Close call once is a gentle nudge and a acknowledgement of youth. Close call twice, well let's call that a warning. Third time I figure I don't deserve to be in the gene pool.

I got caught on the back of a course (as far away as possible) when a sudden storm flew through, we were running as fast as we could to get back to the clubhouse & lightening hit the course...you could feel the energy in the air, scared the hell out of me.

Since then I'm also very cautious! A close call can really wake you up on this stuff!

[THUNDAH]

Take it from me, getting hit is not fun at all. October 2, 2004 Kingsway Park in Aylmer, I was struck walking back to the clubhouse. I was a goner, lucky for me one guy (Jacques Roy) gave me mouth-to-mouth while the other (Carl Donnelly) gave me a heart massage to bring me back to life. They were in an other foursome when they heard my wife's screams for help. Woke up 12 hours later and stayed in the ICU for a few days. One month of burn treatment, and it took about until January 2005 before I could start feeling quasi-normal again. BTW, no hole-in-one yet!

[habsfan]

Take it from me, getting hit is not fun at all. October 2, 2004 Kingsway Park in Aylmer, I was struck walking back to the clubhouse. I was a goner, lucky for me one guy (Jacques Roy) gave me mouth-to-mouth while the other (Carl Donnelly) gave me a heart massage to bring me back to life. They were in an other foursome when they heard my wife's screams for help. Woke up 12 hours later and stayed in the ICU for a few days. One month of burn treatment, and it took about until January 2005 before I could start feeling quasi-normal again. BTW, no hole-in-one yet!

that is one hell of a story, glad your OK, obviously dont have to ask where your name came from.