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GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture Discussion Group => Topic started by: Thomas Dai on August 14, 2020, 04:27:19 AM

Title: Thunder and lightning
Post by: Thomas Dai on August 14, 2020, 04:27:19 AM

Some UK clubs sound a claxon as a signal for players to leave the course when thunder and lightning are nearby.
Seems like it's usually the pro-shop or the office who sound the claxon maybe in conjunction with the greenstaff.
But ... who sounds the claxon in the evenings/weekends when the pro-shop and office are usually closed and the greenstaff have finished their shifts for the day?
Genuine question, interested in how different clubs handle the situation especially as many UK storms seem to be evening ones and thus folks could be out on the course taking advantage of the longer summer daylight to play after work etc.
atb

Title: Re: Thunder and lightning
Post by: jeffwarne on August 14, 2020, 06:25:16 AM

Most I am familair with are automatic and the siren goes off when lightning detected within X amount of miles away.
Ours are located at various points across the course.


I'd sure like to be the one controlling when it sounded.....:)
The trickier part is whether you send someone into harms way to pick a group up -who watched the storm approach and simply decided to roll the dice and keep playing-(storms coming are clearly evident from our vantage point 250 feet above the Bay)


We don't

Title: Re: Thunder and lightning
Post by: Wayne_Kozun on August 14, 2020, 01:59:59 PM

We also sound an air horn when there is lightning in the area - and staff at the halfway house also use a horn so that it can be hard all across the course.

We don't have an issue with the pro shop being closed as the pro shop is open from at least 30 minutes before the first tee time (6:30 on weekends and 7:30 most weekdays), until after sunset.  That is normally the case at courses that I have played in North America.

Title: Re: Thunder and lightning
Post by: Tommy Williamsen on August 14, 2020, 06:11:49 PM

I think you'll find that most courses in the US have automatic sirens as Jeff mentioned.

Title: Re: Thunder and lightning
Post by: mike_beene on August 14, 2020, 06:46:41 PM

The automatic siren takes the pressure off the pro shop. You have to stop and all clear sounds 30 minutes after last strike within the mileage range. Ignoring the horn will get a suspension or loss of membership. Lightning is serious.

Title: Re: Thunder and lightning
Post by: Carl Rogers on August 14, 2020, 07:01:29 PM

Quote from: Tommy Williamsen on August 14, 2020, 06:11:49 PM

I think you'll find that most courses in the US have automatic sirens as Jeff mentioned.

Really?  Does Ballyhack? If I have ever played on a US course with such a system, I wasn't aware of it.  I usually just glance the flash off in a distance and then get off the course.

Title: Re: Thunder and lightning
Post by: Wayne_Kozun on August 17, 2020, 02:01:23 PM

They often look like this:
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CQkIB9c9jz8/S_XsnmHGyVI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/4Ts3PW0uJ20/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-05-20+at+8.44.58+PM.png)