£8000 award for golf ball injury

The Courier, 17 January 2001

A man has been awarded £8000 compensation after he was hit above the eye by a golf ball as he walked near a course, he said yesterday.

Les Webb (34), of Greater Manchester, was struck above his left eye when a golfer sliced his shot at Sale Golf Club. He had been out walking on a footpath near the fourth tee when the incident happened in July 1999.

Mr Webb said he received nine stitches and for a while believed he might lose the sight in his eye before being assured it would heal fully.

His solicitor, Michael Hardacre, said he believed the case would have set a legal precedent if it had gone to court, opening the floodgates for others to sue golf clubs for injuries.