Teenager Killed By Brother's Stray Golf Ball

An inquest has heard how a Newtownards teenager died after a stray golf ball, hit by his elder brother, struck him on the head.

Craig Woods, who was 16, had to be paced on a life support machine after the incident at Blackwood driving range in Clandeboye during July last year.

He had been practising his swing with his elder brother Connor when the incident occurred.

Coroner Suzanne Anderson was moved to send a personal message to Connor, who did not attend the hearing, asking him not to feel any guilt over the accident, saying: "No-one could blame Connor, and he must not blame himself."

Monday's inquest heard that the teenager, who was also a promising youth footballer, was hit with a golf ball at close range after he had lurched into his brother's adjacent bay to retrieve his own ball.

Medical evidence submitted to the inquest suggested Craig had died as a result of massive brain swelling due to a blood clot caused by the impact.

In a prepared statement submitted to the hearing, Connor Woods said he and his brother had spent the day together playing golf prior to entering the driving range.

Recalling the incident, he said: "I had just taken a shot and heard a metal ping sound. I asked him [Craig] if the ball had hit him but he said he was fine. I went to sit him down but he refused."

In evidence submitted to the inquest, the teenager, from Regency Park in Newtowards, held his head after the incident and was seen 'staggering' towards his brother before going into an apparent state of shock.

An ambulance was called and onlookers rushed to Craig's aid. Connor said that it seemed like his brother was having 'some sort of fit'.

Consultant neuro-pathologist Dr Brian Herron, gave evidence to the inquest saying the death was a "completely exceptional case" and had not been described anywhere in medical literature. Connor had been struck in the temple area of his head, where the skull is at its thinnest.

(DW/GK)