Aftermath of Golf Course Drowning Incident "Review of Serious Accident Punishment Act"... "Golf Cart Overturns, Ball Strikes, and Lightning Strikes?"

Suncheon Fire Station personnel are rescuing a woman in her 50s who fell into a pond at A Golf Course in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do. Photo by Suncheon Fire Station

The aftermath of the drowning accident at the golf course is intense.

The starting point was on the morning of the 27th of last month at A Golf Course in Suncheon, Jeonnam, where a female golfer in her 50s drowned in a pond about 3 meters deep. Right after her tee shot, she moved alone toward the water hazard on the right side of the fairway to look for her ball, slipped, and drowned. Although the caddy and her companions belatedly tried to rescue her by throwing life rings around, they failed. The police are reviewing whether to apply the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

▲ Consecutive drowning accidents "Safety accident warning" = Every year, one or two drowning accidents occur. Golf courses are so vast that even requesting rescue is not easy. This is because all the companions are focused on their own play from afar. Last year, a woman in her 50s lost her life at B Golf Course in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, and accidents occurred in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province; Gyeongju and Andong, Gyeongbuk Province; and Jeju Island. There were no rescue requests, and there was no trace of using life rings.

Usually, the cause is ignoring safety and searching for lost balls. It is said that trying to forcibly retrieve balls visible in the pond leads to major accidents. Most drowning accidents at golf courses occur in retention-type water hazards. Scenic water hazards have a depth of about 1 meter and pose almost no drowning risk, but retention-type water hazards are different. The deep parts reach depths of 3 to 4 meters, and wearing golf shoes makes swimming difficult.

Sloped pond edges are more dangerous than vertical walls. They are made of cement to retain water, and waterproof sheets are laid, so the more one struggles, the more they sink into the water. Jeju Island especially lays many plastic sheets in ponds due to the basalt layer that drains water well. Water hazards are necessary for lawn maintenance such as sprinklers. Facility improvements like safety fences are urgent, but for now, golfers must pay attention to their own safety.

Domestic golf courses must be cautious of golf cart overturns, ball striking accidents, and summer lightning strikes.

▲ "Golf cart overturns, ball strikes, and lightning strikes?" = The second most common accidents at golf courses are related to carts. Due to the mountainous terrain where domestic golf courses are built, there are many steep slopes and curves, increasing the risk of accidents caused by careless driving. In August 2019, at C Golf Course in Jecheon, Chungbuk, a 50-year-old woman riding in the back seat was seriously injured in a cart overturn accident and was transported to a nearby hospital but eventually died.

At D Golf Course in Gapyeong, a golfer fell from a cart while turning a sharp curve and fell into a valley, and at E Golf Course in Pocheon, a golfer riding a cart drove straight into a pond. During the summer monsoon season, slopes become even more slippery, causing a surge in cart fall accidents. Golf ball strike accidents also require caution. There have been cases of blindness caused by being hit by a ball. Remember that visibility narrows as the wind and rain worsen.

With global warming, abnormal weather events are increasing, and lightning strike accidents are also rising every year. In 2007, there were as many as 14 casualties. Holding an iron club during a lightning strike is literally a 'suicidal act.' In Gyeonggi Province and Chungbuk, golfers have actually died from lightning strikes. It is best to pay attention to safety while moving, such as riding carts, and to refrain from rounds during severe weather.