Defecation Incident While Parking Near Golf Practice Range
543 Golf Courses Nationwide... Cases of Damage Increasing
A golf ball fell from a clear sky. On the 27th, a post titled "A golf ball flew in while stopped and broke the front windshield" was uploaded to an online community. The author, Mr. A, shared his story, saying, "I was parked near an urban golf practice range when a golf ball flew in and damaged my vehicle. If it had hit a pedestrian instead of the car, it could have resulted in serious injuries."
Mr. A said that on the 22nd at around 5:55 p.m., while stopped near a golf practice range in Siheung-si, Gyeonggi-do, a golf ball flew in and struck his vehicle. It was reported that not only Mr. A’s car but two other vehicles were also damaged. Sharing photos of the damaged vehicle, Mr. A said, “The impact was strong enough to shatter the car door glass. It was fortunate that a passerby right next to the car was not hit; if they had been, it could have been a dangerous situation ranging from serious injury to death.”
He added, “On the 25th at 12:10 p.m., three days later, I asked an employee at the golf practice range’s counter if repairs had been made, and I was told that it wasn’t done by professionals but just by some men who fixed it.” He emphasized, “This accident occurred in an area with a high flow of people, including convenience stores, restaurants, and lodging facilities. I hope such incidents never happen again.” It is also known that he filed a complaint with the Safety Report Center.
Netizens who read the story responded with comments such as, “It was literally a bolt from the blue,” “This is very dangerous,” and “The golf course’s response is disappointing.”
Golf Balls Flying into Homes... Residents Suffer Significant Damage
Damage caused by golf balls at a farm in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Channel A news footage capture]
Cases of sudden golf balls flying in and causing damage continue to occur. According to Channel A in March last year, near a farm in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, golf balls frequently fell from a golf course built about five years ago, threatening the safety of farmers. The vinyl greenhouses were full of holes, patched up temporarily with tape, looking tattered.
In 2022, over a period of about a month, more than 100 golf balls fell in a rural housing complex on the outskirts of Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do. Although there were no casualties, the exterior walls of houses and vehicles were damaged by the golf balls. Around the same time, in a residential complex in Ulju-gun, Ulsan, residents were alarmed as 3 to 4 golf balls fell daily.
According to the Korea Golf Course Management Association, as of January last year, there were a total of 543 golf courses nationwide. The Seoul metropolitan area had the highest number with 172 courses, followed by Yeongnam region (114), Chungcheong region (75), Honam region (74), Gangwon region (67), and Jeju region (41).
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