LIGHTNING BOLT KILLS GOLFER

  • Published
  • By New York State Association of Fire Chiefs
MADISON, Wisc. --  A Madison golfer's tragic death from a lightning bolt is serving as a reminder that Mother Nature can strike anywhere.

An 18-year veteran Madison police officer said he had seen a lot of gruesome and disturbing scenes, but this one was different because it "hits close to home" and many people have been in a similar situation.

The 75-year-old golfer was out on the course with three other retired friends one Monday morning for a regular weekly tee time.

They teed off and got around to the back nine when it started to rain. When they spotted a little lightning way off in the distance, they headed toward the clubhouse. Halfway there, the rain turned into a heavy downpour, so they waited under a tree. When the rain let up a little bit, three of the foursome continued toward the clubhouse. But one of the men decided to wait it out under a 50-foot pine near the 11th hole.

Minutes later a lightning bolt struck his bag and push cart as he was holding onto one of his clubs. The white hot saber killed him instantly. They found his body 20 minutes later.

Photos from the scene show what was left of his driver and putter. Most of the items in the bag simply disintegrated from the heat and intense initial zap, including the labels to his Ping irons and Cleveland woods (which all popped off). The electricity burned holes into the bottoms of the clubs. The photos also show little brown clumps, which used to be golf balls. The power of the strike also left a large gash in the course that gave responding emergency personnel "goose bumps."

The strange thing is the tree under which the victim had been standing had no sign of a lightning strike. The bolt literally went sideways under the tree to the golf clubs.

Most golf courses post signs and warn golfers of severe weather before they tee off, but it is still up to the individuals to seek shelter.