Golf Course Continues Operation Despite Reporting Accident
Victim "Will File Charges for Negligent Injury in the Course of Duty"
On the 19th, Yonhap News reported a shocking accident in which marathon participants running along a course near a golf course were hit in the face and other areas by flying golf balls, resulting in injuries.
On the 6th, A (30), who participated in a 10 km marathon around the coastal road and golf course, was running near a golf course in Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, around 9:10 a.m. when suddenly a flying golf ball hit his face. He sustained serious injuries to his jaw and cheek area and was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital. Subsequently, another male participant was also hit in the face by a golf ball.
A recalled, "I was running in a congested section with many people when suddenly there was a loud 'bang' sound. I felt excruciating pain to the point where I could hardly regain my senses." He added, "After the accident, I contacted the golf course, but they showed no concern and continued playing golf. Another person was also hit by a golf ball." Currently, A is experiencing severe pain in his jaw and teeth, and a hard blood clot has formed on his cheek.
A said, "There were many children among the participants that day, and some were running with strollers. This could have led to a major accident." He announced, "I will file a complaint with the police against the golf course for professional negligence causing injury, as they did not manage safety at all despite a marathon with 13,000 runners taking place nearby." Recently, he visited the police station to report the damage and requested an investigation. The police have asked the golf course to identify customers who played golf during the time of the accident.
A police official stated, "A came to the police station for consultation, and once the case is officially filed, we plan to conduct an investigation."
The golf course said there is no CCTV covering the accident site, so they cannot identify the customer responsible for the accident. They stated they will proceed with compensation procedures for the two victims through their insurance company. "We informed customers on the day about the marathon event and asked them to be careful when hitting drivers, but we believe the accident occurred due to a slice (a shot where the ball curves sharply to the right in mid-air). Although the victims requested identification of the person who hit the ball, it is difficult to specify the customer because different teams played continuously at 8-minute intervals that day," they explained.
There was another accident caused by a slice, a common problem for beginner golfers. Former national swimming representative Park Tae-hwan also injured someone while playing golf due to a slice, resulting in a three-year legal battle. On November 14, 2021, at a golf course in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, he hit a tee shot with a driver, but the ball curved sharply to the right and struck B’s left eye, who was playing golf on an adjacent hole.
B, who has suffered aftereffects such as reduced vision and narrowed field of view due to this accident, filed a complaint against Park Tae-hwan for injury by negligence. However, the court ruled last month that "when an amateur golfer hits a common slice shot, the duty to prevent the ball from crossing into another hole lies with the golf course management company and game assistants," and dismissed the plaintiff’s case.
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