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Court rules caddie responsible for injury on golf course

Published: 27 Apr. 2026, 09:04 Updated: 27 Apr. 2026, 18:27

A golf ball on a golf course [JOONGANG ILBO]

A caddie has been fined by the court after failing to prevent a wayward shot that left a golf course patron blind in one eye.

The Cheongju District Court sentenced the caddie to a fine of 4 million won ($2,708) on charges of negligent bodily injury during professional duties, according to law officials on Sunday.

The victim was standing about 15 meters (49 feet) to the left and slightly behind another player when they were struck in the eye by the player’s shot, resulting in the loss of sight in that eye.

The court said the caddie was responsible because they failed to carry out basic safety duties. It found the caddie did not check whether anyone was in the path of the shot or take steps to warn them, move them to safety or stop play.

"It is recognized that the defendant failed to take any action — such as waiting near a nearby cart — despite having a duty of care to check whether anyone was in the direction of the shot and, if so, to require them to move or stop the game," the presiding judge said.

The ruling is considered significant because it clarifies that responsibility for safety at golf courses is not limited to players, but also applies to caddies who are in charge of overseeing play.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]