A Neurologist Comments On Being Struck In The Head By A Golf Ball

by Charles Boyer on Nov 27, 2010 1:08 PM EST

A Florida groundskeeper lost his life over the holiday when he was fatally struck by a golf ball. Maurice Hayden, 43, was struck in the temple by a tee shot hit by Brian Donohue, who apparently did not see Hayden when he fatefully swung his club.

Channel 13 News of Orlando reports:
The family of a man who died after he was hit in the head by a golf ball says they had no idea just how serious his injuries were.

Sanford police said Maurice Hayden was weeding near a tree on at the Mayfair County Club Nov. 24 when a flying golf ball struck him in the head.

The 43-year-old died on Thanksgiving after he was taken off life support.

Read on for comments on this event by a neurologist, who says that a victim should take such an accident extremely seriously...and that their life may depend on quick action.

Words From a Brain Surgeon: Take A Ball Strike Very Seriously Even If The Damage Seems Slight

Golf balls can obviously be dangerous things, especially when they hit someone in the head at full velocity. A neurologist (brain surgeon) that Waggle Room spoke with on background yesterday told us that as a general rule anyone who is struck in the skull by an errant shot should take the matter extremely seriously and should seek medical attention immediately.

He strongly stated the following to use as a rule of thumb: it's better to spend time in the ER than the funeral home, and that seeing a doctor sooner is the most prudent course of action.

The doctor's reasoning is simple, as he explained: not only can the impact result in a skull fracture at the point of impact, it can also damage the underlying brain tissue severely enough to result in unchecked bleeding and that if such bleeding is allowed to continue unabated, that it can possibly have mortal consequences within hours. He likened such an event as being somewhat similar to a stroke, and that being hit should be treated exactly the same seriousness -- get medical help, go to the hospital, even if the patient feels fine. Get checked and make sure everything is okay because it is better to be safe than sorry.

Some symptoms to be aware of in case of a head injury, and these may not manifest themselves immediately:

•Headache
•Nausea
•Vomiting
•Deformed skull
•A depressed area, or indentation in the skull
•Swelling of the scalp
•Scalp contusion (a lumpy bruise)

He added that being struck in the lower skull area can result in different symptoms. That sort of trauma can possibly be a basilar skull fracture and that it may exhibit itself with these symptoms:

•Bruising behind the ear, even if not the impact point
•Bruising around both eyes
•Clear fluid leaking from the nose

and that a medical professional my see bruising behind the eardrum when examining the patient.

Other symptoms may appear as well.

Given the tragedy in Florida this week -- which is not the first nor will be the last time such a thing has happened -- seeking medical advice immediately are golden words of wisdom.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This article is used for informal information purposes and is not intended to supply a medical diagnosis or any treatment recommendation. Please seek the advice and care of a qualified medical professional for that.

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Comments

OK OMP...I got a couple of them

whatcamacall it’s….Drippin from the nose…most noteably, when it’s cold out, a deformed skull…how do we know if it’s deformed or just looks like a pumpkin ? and brusing around both eyes…I thought that was jist them dark circles ya gets when ya don’t sleep to well….Well, I’d go to the ER, but I’d have to wait until all the drug over doses, shooting victums, knife cuts and all illegals have been taken care of first….Hell, I don’t feel that bad, so guess I’ll jist wait it out…..STUB

by thinker on Nov 27, 2010 2:11 PM EST reply actions

the word “DUH” comes to mind. Gee – how stupid have people become that they need an “expert” to tell them that getting whacked in the head with a golf ball shouldn’t be taken lightly ?

"When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it." - Frederic Bastiat

by courtgolf on Nov 27, 2010 6:15 PM EST reply actions

It’s a fair point, Court, but the thing I was told is that head injuries can be very deceptive and that it’s very possible for a seemingly minor injury to lead to very serious problems if they aren’t checked out. And, let’s be honest, men tend to shrug things like this off and not take them seriously.

Me, I have never been struck hard by a golf ball in the head, but I have taken big falls over the years biking and snowskiing where I banged my head on the ground and came up seeing stars plus had nice ringing headaches that night. I doubt I fractured my skull when that happened — it’s far too thick. I’m kidding of course, but seriously, it’s very difficult for a regular person to distinguish what is serious and what’s not serious. From what I learned, the symptoms I had — dizziness, a major headache, etc, indicated that I should have gotten myself checked out. Like most people, I was lucky, but it would have been a damned shame for me if I had been one of the unfortunate ones like the groundskeeper in Florida.

by Charles Boyer on Nov 27, 2010 6:45 PM EST up reply actions

Been there – beaned with baseballs, even a bat, batting helmet to the head on a home plate collision – ran head first into a 6" drain pipe – and got creased across the forehead with the side of a garage door. (not to mention the usual tumbles and bangs on the back of the head)

Shots to the head happen, but this national femininization emergency level of every bump and bruise we get is more than a little annoying. The thing that neurologist didn’t and can’t tell you is that medicine, no matter how advanced we seem to think we are, can’t always find or solve every problem. People are going to get whacked in the head with just about everything at one point or another.

Good lord – if the NFL makes quarterbacks any more girlie, they’ll be wearing flag belts on Sunday afternoons. (lol)

yes – be careful and try not to get a concussion – and if you get something particularly nasty like a golfball to the forehead, by all means get it checked out – but please – enough “experts” telling us things that should be common sense. We’ve become a country that can’t think for ourselves. Thanks Dr Spock.

by courtgolf on Nov 27, 2010 7:06 PM EST reply actions

so true...

People do need to think for themselves and use some common sense.

Problem is that these days, having common sense is an uncommon thing.

by Charles Boyer on Nov 27, 2010 7:15 PM EST up reply actions

And Illustrate My Point About Common Sense

a while back on my old site, I wrote about golfers in Florida getting attacked and severely injured while searching errant golf balls in or near the edges of ponds….where alligators are. Common sense would tell just about anyone that risking a fight with an alligator is a bad idea, especially over a darned golf ball, but it seems to happen often enough down there and in other places.

In 2009 a Beaufort, South Carolina, golfer lost part of an arm to an alligator while attempting to recover a ball. In 2008, a Tennessee visitor to Florida suffered much the same fate. Another man was attacked in 2008 while diving in a lake at the Tampa Palms Golf and Country Club, suffering a broken left arm dislocated shoulder. Another diver was attacked in 2007, and that man escaped by poking the gator’s eyes.

Common sense. It’s rare I am telling ya.

by Charles Boyer on Nov 27, 2010 7:24 PM EST up reply actions

WELL ! I certainly hope those guys sued the golf course ! That’s the way it’s done today, right ? (lol)

by courtgolf on Nov 27, 2010 7:34 PM EST up reply actions

Don't laugh

You know it’s very likely that some lawyer is probably trying to convince the family to do just that. If there’s one thing that America really needs it’s to adopt British-style loser-pays litigation. You can sue, but you better have loss insurance, which means your claim will be thoroughly examined by an insurer before they will write you a quote for coverage.

As it is now, fishing expedition litigation is just another form of commerce.

by Charles Boyer on Nov 27, 2010 8:22 PM EST up reply actions

I’m a big fan of loser pays, though there needs to be something in the legislation that protects the “little people” from being run over and intimidated by big dollar companies and people who could buy their way out of situations.

by courtgolf on Nov 27, 2010 8:50 PM EST up reply actions

Hey OMP..I gots that there

common sense you be talking about…Hell, It’s so damm common, that no one pays any attention to it anymore…One time my grandfather asked me “boy, where’s your common sense”?…I said Grandpa, I left it outside, cause I didn’t think I needed it in the house….jis sayin…STUB

by thinker on Nov 27, 2010 10:14 PM EST up reply actions

LOL, Good One Stub

My Dad could make the dumbest person on the planet. All he had to do was yell.

“What in the H__ are you doing!” he’d shout.

Invariably I would stammer “I dunno!”

by Charles Boyer on Nov 28, 2010 1:43 PM EST up reply actions

I do think you and I is related

somewheres down the line….STUB

by thinker on Nov 28, 2010 1:57 PM EST up reply actions

uuuu I have a good one too about doctors and head trauma :)

A woman I know (here in Cambodia) had a bike accident, crushed her forehead an inch inside the brain (still very visible and creepy), stayed 3 months in a coma, wakes up with full memory of the event, ask the Khmer doctor about her constant headaches…Khmer doctor to answer : JUST STOP THINKING!!! LMAO :)

Ad augusta per angusta

by Saint-just71 on Nov 28, 2010 10:51 PM EST up reply actions