Compensation for Woman Hit by Golf Ball at Driving Range
A woman who was injured when she was hit in the face by a golf ball at a driving range has received accident compensation.
The Burton Mail reports that Rachel Davis suffered the injury at Branston Golf and Country Club in September last year. As she was walking from the ninth hole back to the car park, she was hit in the face by a stray golf shot from the adjacent driving range.
The impact of the golf ball caused her serious injury, smashing her teeth and cutting her lips. The impact also caused her to fall to the floor.
The ball had travelled through gaps in the fence that was designed to stop golf balls from hitting passers-by. An earlier health and safety inspection by East Staffordshire Borough Council found gaps in the fence and stated that the fence was not high enough to stop balls going over the range. However, no action was taken by the club to remedy this.
The club was fined £5,000 at Burton Magistrates’ Court this week, for failing to protect the public. Their defence team blamed the fence holes on vandals, but admitting that repairs had not been sufficient.
It is reported that Mrs Davis has previously received £7,500 compensation for her injuries.
