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Happy Gilmore golf shot ruled illegal after stag party
10 Dec 2009
A court in Canada has ruled a "Happy Gilmore" style golf shot as illegal after a member of a stag party was injured by a friend attempting to execute the shot made famous by Adam Sandler.
The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia decided to outlaw the running swing as it "breached the standard of care owed to other players on the course", according to Justice Arthur J. LeBlanc.
The incident at the centre of the case involved Travis Hayter, who along with three friends on a stag party had consumed lots of beer, a bottle of tequila and "some marijuana". At the 16th hole Hayter decided to go for the extreme swing having already hit two disappointing shots, only his playing partners had already made their way down the fairway.
The ball struck Alan Bezanonson, brother of the groom-to-be, in the wrist causing injury and subsequently he sued Hayter for loss of income and damages.
“I am convinced that the ‘Happy Gilmore’ shot would have been less controllable than a normal tee shot, both because it involved a run-up to the ball (rather than an aimed shot from a stationary position) and because the defendant had been drinking throughout the day," said the Judge, who awarded Bezanonson$227,500 in damages.
If you fancy golf on your stag weekend we offer this in most of our locations, although maybe you'll have to play it safe after this.
The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia decided to outlaw the running swing as it "breached the standard of care owed to other players on the course", according to Justice Arthur J. LeBlanc.
The incident at the centre of the case involved Travis Hayter, who along with three friends on a stag party had consumed lots of beer, a bottle of tequila and "some marijuana". At the 16th hole Hayter decided to go for the extreme swing having already hit two disappointing shots, only his playing partners had already made their way down the fairway.
The ball struck Alan Bezanonson, brother of the groom-to-be, in the wrist causing injury and subsequently he sued Hayter for loss of income and damages.
“I am convinced that the ‘Happy Gilmore’ shot would have been less controllable than a normal tee shot, both because it involved a run-up to the ball (rather than an aimed shot from a stationary position) and because the defendant had been drinking throughout the day," said the Judge, who awarded Bezanonson$227,500 in damages.
If you fancy golf on your stag weekend we offer this in most of our locations, although maybe you'll have to play it safe after this.
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