Tragic death of star footballer John White on July 21, 1964 recalled
Lightning strikes pin, destroys practice green
in Iowa ... so don't shelter under a tree!
Golf and lightning don't exactly mix. Just ask the Bishop from "Caddyshack."
But we got another reminder of just how dangerous some weather on the course can be last week in Iowa, when Rick Tegtmeier posted this photo to Twitter, showing the aftermath of a lightning strike on the practice green at Des Moines Golf and Country Club, where he is Director of Grounds.
If you're wondering about those long tentacle-looking marks protruding from the cup, we'll let The Weather Channel explain.
When lightning strikes earth, it branches out along the ground which, in this case, happened to be a green. These currents fan out from the strike centre in a tendril pattern. A lightning bolt can be fatal up to 100 feet away from the point of the strike.
Tegtmeier followed up the photo with another tweet that he wasn't holding out hope for a recovery, adding that the intense heat from the lightning stike melted the cup:
So next time you hear the lightning warning horn, do yourself a favour and head for cover ... but NOT UNDER A TREE!
That's where, on July 21, 1964, the Tottenham Hotspur and Scotland international footballer John White took shelter during a lightning storm at Crews Hill golf course, Enfield in the south of England ... lightning hit the tree and killed John.
So, unless you can get inside a house or a car, the safest place when lightning is flashing around you, is actually out in the open where nothing can draw a lightning bolt to you.
The odds are millions to one against you being hit by lightning but that didn't stop John White being a victim of a bolt from the blue.
But we got another reminder of just how dangerous some weather on the course can be last week in Iowa, when Rick Tegtmeier posted this photo to Twitter, showing the aftermath of a lightning strike on the practice green at Des Moines Golf and Country Club, where he is Director of Grounds.
If you're wondering about those long tentacle-looking marks protruding from the cup, we'll let The Weather Channel explain.
When lightning strikes earth, it branches out along the ground which, in this case, happened to be a green. These currents fan out from the strike centre in a tendril pattern. A lightning bolt can be fatal up to 100 feet away from the point of the strike.
Tegtmeier followed up the photo with another tweet that he wasn't holding out hope for a recovery, adding that the intense heat from the lightning stike melted the cup:
So next time you hear the lightning warning horn, do yourself a favour and head for cover ... but NOT UNDER A TREE!
That's where, on July 21, 1964, the Tottenham Hotspur and Scotland international footballer John White took shelter during a lightning storm at Crews Hill golf course, Enfield in the south of England ... lightning hit the tree and killed John.So, unless you can get inside a house or a car, the safest place when lightning is flashing around you, is actually out in the open where nothing can draw a lightning bolt to you.
The odds are millions to one against you being hit by lightning but that didn't stop John White being a victim of a bolt from the blue.
Labels: GOLF NEWS
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Tuesday, July 19, 2016
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