Last Updated: 28 August 2026
Introduction
Golf is generally considered a low-risk sport, but accidents and incidents can still occur on courses, practice areas, clubhouses and surrounding facilities. Risks can affect golfers, members, visitors, spectators, contractors, greenkeeping staff and members of the public.
A 2024 systematic review of 269,754 golfing exposures estimated an overall injury incidence of 2.5 injuries per 1,000 rounds of 18 holes, equivalent to approximately one injury for every 400 full rounds. Among amateur golfers, the estimated rate was lower at 1.3 injuries per 1,000 rounds. The researchers described golf as a relatively safe sport overall, but also highlighted limitations in the available evidence.
For a golf club, however, the number of injuries alone does not tell the whole story. A near miss involving a golf ball, buggy or maintenance vehicle could have resulted in serious injury even though nobody was hurt. Understanding why incidents happen and learning from them is therefore an important part of managing safety.
What Is the Difference Between an Incident and an Accident?
The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but there is a useful distinction.
An accident is an event that results in injury, ill health, damage or another form of harm. For example, a golfer could slip on a wet path and fracture their wrist.
An incident is broader and can include events that cause harm as well as events that could have caused harm. For example, a golf ball passing within a few metres of a person on an adjacent fairway could be treated as a near miss even if nobody was struck.
Near misses are particularly valuable from a safety perspective. If the same situation occurs repeatedly, it may only be a matter of time before somebody is injured.
HSE guidance recommends using accident and ill-health records as part of the process of identifying hazards and reviewing workplace risks.
Golf Balls and Clubs
One of the most obvious hazards on a golf course is being struck by a ball or club.
A poorly controlled shot can travel into another fairway, towards a tee, onto a footpath or into an area where spectators are standing. The risk can be particularly significant around driving ranges and practice areas because multiple golfers may be hitting balls simultaneously.
Golf clubs should consider the layout of tees, fairways, greens, paths and spectator areas when assessing the risk. Where there is potential for balls to enter another area, suitable measures could include changes to the layout, increased separation distances, protective netting, warning signs or restrictions on when particular areas can be used.
Golfers also have a responsibility to consider those around them. Players should not hit until the area ahead is clear and should shout “Fore!” immediately when a shot may put another person at risk.
Slips, Trips and Falls
Uneven ground is an inherent feature of many golf courses, but foreseeable hazards still need to be managed.
Wet grass, muddy paths, tree roots, steps, bridges, steep slopes and poorly maintained surfaces can all contribute to falls. The risk may increase considerably during periods of heavy rain, frost or poor visibility.
For club operators, this means considering more than the playing surface itself. Routes between the clubhouse, car park, changing rooms, first tee and other facilities should also be assessed.
HSE guidance states that employers must assess and control workplace slip and trip risks, while workplace floors and routes should be suitable and maintained so people can move around safely.
A simple example would be a pathway beside the clubhouse that becomes slippery after rainfall. If members regularly use the route, simply putting up a permanent warning sign may not be enough. The club should consider whether drainage, surface treatment, cleaning or an alternative route would provide better control.
Golf Buggy Accidents
Golf buggies can create risks that do not exist when walking the course.
Potential incidents include collisions with pedestrians, other buggies or fixed objects, loss of control on slopes, overturning and passengers falling from moving vehicles. Poor weather can increase these risks by reducing traction.
Clubs should establish clear rules covering who can use buggies, where they may be driven and how they should be operated. Restrictions may be necessary on steep ground, during particularly wet conditions or in areas where golfers and vehicles are likely to come into close contact.
Where buggy use forms part of a club’s activities, the associated risks should be considered in the club’s risk assessments. HSE workplace transport guidance emphasises identifying vehicle and pedestrian interaction, controlling routes and considering how vehicles are operated and maintained.
Incidents Involving Greenkeeping and Maintenance Vehicles
Golf courses are workplaces as well as sporting venues. Greenkeepers may use tractors, utility vehicles, ride-on machinery, mowers, sprayers and other equipment while golfers and visitors are present.
This creates the possibility of vehicle-pedestrian collisions, particularly where machinery is operating close to tees, paths or fairways.
For example, a greenkeeper reversing a vehicle near a blind corner may have limited visibility of a golfer approaching from behind. A suitable control could involve changing the route, separating pedestrians and vehicles, using a trained banksman where appropriate, improving visibility or restricting access while the vehicle is moving.
HSE identifies being struck by vehicles, falls from vehicles and vehicle-pedestrian interaction as significant workplace transport hazards.
Weather-Related Incidents
Weather can change the risk profile of a golf course very quickly.
Lightning is one of the most serious weather-related hazards. Golfers are exposed on open ground and may be carrying metal clubs or standing close to trees, water and other potential hazards during a storm.
Clubs should have a clear procedure for suspending play when severe weather creates unacceptable risk. Staff should know how warnings are communicated, where people should take shelter and when play can safely resume.
Extreme heat creates a different set of risks. Prolonged exposure can contribute to dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke, particularly among older players or people with underlying health issues.
Heavy rain, frost, ice, high winds and poor visibility can also affect ground conditions and increase the likelihood of falls or other incidents.
Injuries to Staff
Safety management should not focus solely on golfers.
Greenkeeping and maintenance staff can face risks from machinery, manual handling, chemicals, noise, vibration, working at height, vehicles and uneven terrain.
For example, a worker maintaining a bunker may be exposed to machinery movement while golfers are playing nearby. Similarly, staff using chemicals for course maintenance need appropriate controls based on the substances involved.
Where a golf club employs staff, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations require risks arising from work activities to be properly managed. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to identify hazards, assess risks and implement appropriate controls.
What Should Happen After an Accident?
The response should depend on the seriousness and circumstances of the event, but clubs should have a clear procedure rather than deciding what to do after an accident occurs.
The immediate priority is protecting people from further harm. This could mean stopping play, isolating equipment, moving people away from a hazardous area or contacting the emergency services.
The club should then establish what happened and record appropriate information. This may include:
- Where and when the incident occurred.
- Who was involved.
- What activity was taking place.
- The weather and ground conditions.
- Equipment or vehicles involved.
- Witness information.
- The injury or damage caused.
- Any immediate action taken.
Photographs, maintenance records, training records and other relevant information can also help establish what happened.
The purpose should not simply be to find somebody to blame. The more useful question is why did the incident happen and what needs to change to prevent it happening again?
Learning From Near Misses
Near misses deserve serious attention.
Imagine a golf ball lands on a pedestrian path for the third time in a month, but nobody has yet been hit. Treating each event as harmless because no injury occurred would miss an opportunity to identify a developing problem.
The club might discover that golfers cannot clearly see the path from the tee, that signage is inadequate or that the layout creates an unavoidable conflict between play and pedestrians.
Recording near misses can therefore provide an early warning before a serious accident occurs.
HSE recommends reviewing accident and ill-health information because it can help identify hazards that may otherwise be overlooked.
Investigating the Cause
A good investigation should look beyond the immediate action that preceded the accident.
For example, if a golfer falls on a slippery path, the immediate explanation might be that they were not watching where they were walking. However, further investigation could reveal that the surface regularly becomes slippery after rain, drainage is inadequate and there has been no inspection of the route for several months.
The real safety lesson may therefore concern the condition and management of the path rather than simply the behaviour of the person who fell.
Risk assessments should consider who could be harmed, how they could be harmed and whether existing precautions are adequate. HSE describes this as part of a suitable and sufficient risk assessment.
Preventing Repeat Incidents
Once an incident has been investigated, the club should consider whether existing controls need to be changed. The purpose of the investigation should be to understand why the incident happened and identify practical improvements that can reduce the likelihood of it happening again, rather than simply identifying who was involved.
This could involve changes to the physical environment, such as improving drainage where surfaces regularly become slippery, repairing damaged or uneven paths, installing suitable protective netting in areas exposed to stray golf balls, or creating clearer physical separation between vehicles, pedestrians and other areas of activity.
Changing procedures
A club may need to alter buggy routes, introduce temporary restrictions during poor weather or change how maintenance work is scheduled around play. These changes can help reduce risks where existing arrangements are shown to be unsuitable.
Improving information and communication can also make a difference. Clearer signs, better warnings, updated course information and effective communication between greenkeeping staff and golfers can help people understand changing hazards and any temporary restrictions.
Providing additional training or instruction may also be necessary where an incident identifies a gap in competence or understanding.
Increasing supervision
Higher-risk activities may require closer supervision, particularly where contractors, visitors or inexperienced users are involved. The aim should be to control the underlying risk through suitable arrangements, rather than relying solely on people remembering to “be careful”.
Managing Risks to Visitors and the Public
Golf clubs also need to consider people who are not employees. Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 places duties on employers and the self-employed in relation to people other than their employees who may be affected by their undertaking. This can include members of the public where activities or conditions on the course could create a risk.
This is particularly important where public footpaths, roads, neighbouring properties or other public areas are close to the course. For example, if golf balls regularly leave the course and enter a neighbouring property or public walkway, the club should assess the risk and consider appropriate controls, such as protective netting, changes to the layout or additional warning measures, rather than relying solely on golfers being more careful.
Building Incident Management Into Golf Club Safety
Accidents should not be treated as isolated events.
A club should have a system for reporting relevant accidents, near misses and hazards, reviewing trends and making improvements where necessary. This creates a useful feedback loop: an incident happens, the cause is examined, controls are reviewed and the lessons are incorporated into future safety management.
HSE’s current guidance for sports clubs emphasises that those responsible for sports activities should manage risks to employees, members, visiting teams, spectators and others affected by the activity. It also stresses that risk assessments should be reviewed when something significant changes rather than creating unnecessary paperwork for its own sake.
Conclusion
Golf remains a relatively low-risk sport, but accidents and near misses can occur across every part of a golf club’s operation. The hazards are not limited to golfers suffering sporting injuries. Golf balls, clubs, buggies, maintenance vehicles, uneven surfaces, severe weather and work activities can all create risks for players, staff, visitors and members of the public.
The most effective approach is to identify foreseeable hazards, assess who could be harmed, put sensible controls in place and learn from what actually happens.
A minor incident or near miss should not simply be forgotten because nobody was seriously injured. It may provide valuable evidence that something needs to change. By recording incidents, investigating their causes and reviewing controls, golf clubs can reduce the likelihood of repeat events while creating a safer environment for everyone who uses or works on the course.
Content reviewed and updated for accuracy on 28 August 2026 by Glyn Hughes, BSc (Hons), CMIOSH, CMaPS, ACQI, NEBOSH (Gen, Env & Fire).
