Risky Business

Golf Insurance – Stepping onto the golf course is risky business

Golfers who rely on a cry of Fore! to warn of miss-timed shots still carry the risk of claims against them if they hit someone. But this is nothing new…..in 1998 The Court of Appeal ruled that ‘Golfers are liable for shots that cause injury, no matter how slight the risk’. Since this ruling, personal liability claims against golfers have significantly increased - further fuelled by a ‘compensation culture’ and people who are much more likely to prosecute if they find themselves on the wrong end of a badly sliced shot.

The importance of having the right cover is further underlined by the scale of the risk golfers are facing. This year it is estimated that there will be more than 12,500 golf injuries that require hospital treatment, and with around one in ten golfers having adequate golf insurance there are literally hundreds of thousands of golfers playing at risk

The dangers on the golf course are clear to all and every golfer will have a tale to tell of a near miss…or worse. Some have been even unluckier with recorded evidence of eyesight loss, dental reconstruction, broken noses, jaws, ribs and so on. These kinds of personal liability claims can run into thousands of pounds with the advice to amateur golfers a resounding ‘get protected’. Cover won’t stop an incident happening, but it will protect you from big compensation payouts.

Golf insurance specialists have responded to this demand from golfers with some very competitive, expertly packaged policies which also take into account other essential benefits like theft, loss and damage of golf equipment, personal accident and third-party property damage. Cover also extends to reimbursement of membership fees when unable to play, personal effects and hole-in-ones (lucky and not so lucky when it comes to facing a packed clubhouse bar!). But like any other kind of insurance it’s important to make comparisons, read the small print and make sure you get the right level of cover to suit your requirements.

Verdict: This issue won’t go away and golfers need to be mindful of their duty of care to others whilst on a golf course. Do your homework and buy a policy which will give you peace of mind every time you tee off.

365 ways to love your golfer this Christmas!

Wondering what to buy the golfer in your family this Christmas?

….You want to do better than a tin of tees and a pair of socks right?!

Well here’s the answer: An Annual Golf Insurance Policy from Golfplan, the perfect gift for every golfer this Christmas.

Golfplan is the original golf insurance specialist with 25 years experience of providing great cover for UK golfers. Our policyholders benefit from a unique package of essential insurance benefits including public liability cover, 24 hour theft from car cover and new for old equipment replacement regardless of its age. Golfplan’s policies are also recommended by the PGA.

Here is a summary of our essential benefits:

 New for old cover regardless of the age of the equipment as standard
 £5m personal liability cover comes as standard on all policies
 24 hour theft from car cover as standard
 120 days worldwide cover as standard on all our policies
 Golf club membership fees covered in the event of illness or accident on or off the course
 PGA Recommended policies with equipment replaced by a PGA Club Professional
 £2m worldwide cover for accidental property damage
 No excess on total loss claims
 Buggy cover also available or may be combined with your golf equipment on one policy
Golfplan’s Christmas Voucher Giftpacks containing vouchers and an exclusive scorecard holder can be purchase online or over the phone. Vouchers are available in denominations or £25 & £50

Golf Goes Olympic!

Golf was once an event in the 1900 Olympics in Paris and played again in 1904 on the course in and around St. Louis before being dropped. After a gap of 112 years, golf will make a sensational return to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro .

The vote was a reversal of the International Olympic Committees decision four years ago to reject golf and rugby for the 2012 Olympics, bringing the number of Olympic sports back to the maximum 28 for 2016.

Golf was reinstated for the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games after the IOC assembly made the final vote for golf and rugby to be included as Olympic sports in Copenhagen back in October 2009. They are the first sports added since triathlon and taekwondo joined the programme for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Sergio Garcia said " To be able to be a part of the Olympics will be something unbelievable."

One of the main concerns had been whether top players would compete in the Olympics but The International Golf Federation has promised that the world's best will be there. The event will consist of a 72-hole stroke-play tournament with 60 players in both the men and women's competitions. One of golf’s biggest talents, Tiger Woods, has indicated he would play and welcomed the return of golf to the games and added "It's a perfect fit for the Olympics, and I think we're all looking forward to golf getting in the Olympics."

Now that golf has been included in the Olympics, the game should see even more growth. Many countries will see the opportunity to invest in golf in advance of 2016 giving hope to more younger players such as 16-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero - the youngest ever winner of the British Amateur title - to realise their Olympic dream. This thought was backed up by British Olympic chief Andy Hunt. "We currently have a wealth of talented British male and female players moving through (golf's) amateur ranks and are very excited at the prospect of what these young athletes could achieve at Olympic level.”

Jack Nicklaus said “Now the sport I have always called the greatest game of all can be shared with the rest of the world on the greatest stage in sports."

Buggy Mania

Colin Montgomerie picked up some admiring glances last week when he was presented with his Ryder Cup golf buggy. For Monty, it’s an essential part of the Captain’s armoury from which he will orchestrate the European charge against the United States next year and another indication that we’re on countdown to Celtic Manor. Of course, Monty’s ride has been suitably ‘pimped’ by the specialists at Club Car with a customised paint job and in case of any doubt – ‘Captain’s Car’ emblazoned across the front.

Great work by the team at Club Car but the sight of golf buggies of all shapes and sizes on our courses is definitely on the increase, a sure sign that many of us are jumping on the errr…buggy-wagon.

So why the increase? Golf buggies for hire by clubs are nothing new but the last few years have seen a significant increase in the number of individuals buying their own buggies for use at their home course and further afield. Buggies being unloaded from trailers are a common sight in golf club car parks these days with many clubs going one step further and offering secure storage areas for ease of use.

Golfplan’s Commercial Director Simon Seward comments: ‘Individual ownership of golf buggies is really on the increase in the UK. There is a greater range of buggies on the market at different price points which makes the ownership of a buggy a real proposition for many golfers. We also have an ageing population who are healthier and want to continue to be active. The ownership of a buggy can give golfers a new lease of life.’

He added: ‘Many clubs are latching on to this trend and improving pathways around their courses, offering secure storage and issuing guidelines for use of buggies by their members and visitors.’

But what about the risk? Well to start with, a buggy owner needs to recognise the duty of care to others whilst using their buggy on a course and have public liability cover to protect them against injuring a fellow golfer. Most clubs will insist on public liability cover as a minimum before allowing buggy owners onto the course. In addition to this, there is always the threat of theft, loss, vandalism or accidental damage during use or whilst moving the buggy around from home to a course and so on. A comprehensive golf insurance policy will provide the essential protection a golfer needs for their buggy and the rest of their valuable golf equipment.

At Golfplan, all policies provide essential protection for buggies against personal liability, theft, loss, vandalism or accidental damage during use, whilst stored at a golf venue or in a garage, and during carriage to and from the golfing venue. Cover also includes public liability protection, against killing or injuring a fellow golfer. You can compare their policies here

Within all Golfplan policies, golf buggies are treated as golf equipment which means a buggy is protected 24-hours a day, giving the buggy owner total peace of mind. All a policyholder has to do is ensure that their buggy is individually secured to a fixed object when stored at a golfing venue or in a garage. Also during carriage to and from golfing venues, buggies must be secured to the trailer.