A golfer, who is being sued by a spectator who claims he was hit on the head with a golf ball and knocked unconscious during a tournament, has told the High Court it was a good shot.
Kevin Le Blanc who has represented Ireland many times and turned professional for over a year before leaving golf said he did not see a reason to call ‘fore’ as a warning when he took the shot.
No reason to shout
“I had 40 seconds to hit the shot. I hit the ball on the intended line,” he told Ms Justice Bronagh O’Hanlon. He said he would call ‘fore’ if a shot was going off target or on to a different hole.
“I did not see a reason to call fore. I presumed it was empty up there,” he added.
Mr Le Blanc, who went professional for over a year but who now only plays for leisure, was giving evidence in an action taken by spectator Colin Campbell.
Mr Campbell claims he is in constant pain and his life has totally changed after he was hit on the left side of his forehead during the West of Ireland Championship for amateur golfers held at County Sligo Golf Club at Rosses Point, Sligo four years ago.
He has sued Mr Le Blanc, who was at the time a top amateur golfer, as well as County Sligo Golf Club, and the organisers of the competition, The Golfing Union of Ireland.
It is the Campbell side’s contention that Mr Le Blanc who was in the rough at the 11th green and 12th tee box hit the ball and it overshot the green hitting Mr Campbell on the head.
Obligation to shout fore
They contend it was “an errant shot” and if a shot is errant there is a fundamental obligation to shout ‘fore’ because somebody could be in its way.
Colm Campbell (65) a father of three from Donegal town has sued County Sligo Golf Club, Rosses Point; the event organisers, The Golfing Union of Ireland National Coaching Academy Ltd with offices at Maynooth . Co Kildare and golfer Kevin Le Blanc , Donabate, Co Dublin over the incident on March 28,2016.
It is claimed against the County Sligo Golf Club and The Golfing Union of Ireland there was an alleged failure to take reasonable care for the safety of spectators and an alleged failure to give any warnings to those attending the competition they ought not be located at the place where Mr Campbell suffered injury.
It is claimed against Mr Le Blanc he allegedly failed to warn spectators including Mr Campbell of dangers of which he ought to have been aware,
Alleged contributory negligence
All the claims are denied, and it is contended there was alleged contributory negligence on the part of Mr Campbell who it was claimed was engaged in conversation and not looking at the golfer take the shot .
In evidence Mr Le Blanc said he had a lot of experience on the Rosses Point golf course. He said he turned professional in 2017 but he did not like it and he is now studying aircraft engineering.
He said at Rosses Point he hit the ball on the intended line and he and the caddy were happy with that. He said if he was aware there were people left of the green and the ball was headed that way he would have shouted fore but he said he was not aware of it.
The case before Ms Justice Bronagh O’Hanlon has adjourned to January 12th next.
