Golfer Killed In Golf Cart (Public Service Announcement)

This is somewhat of a Public Service Announcement so it's very much worth reading if you're a golfer.

Several years ago a golf buddy of mine told me of a friend of his that was killed while riding in his golf cart. It was an extremely freakish accident, but as you'll read on it could happen to anyone riding a golf cart.

If you've driven a golf cart then you're aware of the roped off sections of the golf course to keep golf carts out. You typically see these areas along side the cart paths to keep the carts from driving onto the fairway. You also so these ropes about 30 yards in front of the green to keep the golf carts out. You have all different kinds of objects supporting the rope to stay up like PVC piping, metal stakes, etc...

Now if you're like me there have been times where I needed to cross over the roped off area with my golf cart. Sometimes I'll get out and lay down one of the supports for the rope so that the cart can ride over it. There have been other times, while in the cart, I've taken a club and held down the rope while driving over it. In both of these scenarios it can be extremely dangerous.

My friend told me that his buddy drove over the rope of a roped off area on the golf course, but as he drove over it the rope got pulled up into the wheel-well and around the axle. He didn't know this and kept riding on while the rope got tighter and tighter. When all of the sudden one of the metal stakes holding the rope pulled out of the ground... and like a sling-shot the stake came flying at the golf cart and struck him in the head killing him instantly.

While this was the first I heard of someone getting killed like this, I see guys in golf carts do this all the time and I'm surprised there aren't more injuries or deaths because of it. I have noticed that more and more golf courses have been using PVC piping for the roped off areas, which will definitely help reduce the potential for injury or death.

So the next time you're riding a golf cart be extremely careful and aware of these ropes getting caught in the wheel-well.

Do you have any freakish golf stories to share?

Tags: golf, golf news, golf story