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Legal matters

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Original poster

Golf Buggy hit my car on road - who is liable?

52 replies

fiftywheels · 22/09/2025 17:39

A local golf course has a public road between two halves of the course so golfers have to cross public road. A golf buggy shot out of concealed exit and slammed into side of my car damaging paintwork likely re spray of a door as metallic paint.

Golfer refused to give me his details and said to speak to golf club. They are saying they don’t think they are responsible even though it was their buggy, they also said they could not give me his details without permission due to GDPR!

I can claim on my car insurance but why should I lose my excess and no claims bonus?

is there anyone able to advise where I stand legally? Have reported to police and google says it would be classed as a hit and run as he refused to give his details. I think golf club are liable as it is their buggy

OP posts:

Silverbirchleaf · 22/09/2025 17:54

Surely the driver of the golf buggy is liable, as he was ‘driving’ without care and attention. I can’t see how the golf club were to blame, unless the buggy was faulty (eg brakes failed) .

Also golfers can get golfers insurance, which may cover this type of accident.

JohnBullshit · 22/09/2025 17:56

Interesting. I don't imagine the person driving the golf buggy is specifically insured for that. I suspect if anything you'd have to claim from the golf club.

whatasillygoose · 22/09/2025 18:04

Can you find out what the rules are about driving the buggies over a public road? I wonder how legal that is.

You need to report to your insurer anyway so you may as well ask their advice.

Nearly50omg · 22/09/2025 18:05

Ring police and report to them. Person driving buggy is liable and if the golf club refuse to name them then claim off them

Billybagpuss · 22/09/2025 18:10

I don’t think you have any choice but to talk to your insurance company. The guy refused to give details, the golf club are closing ranks you need someone bigger than you to get them to cooperate

Roaminginthegloaming · 22/09/2025 18:25

@fiftywheels - my husband plays golf and this is his ( non-legal) opinion:

If he’s a member of the golf club then the buggy and driver should be covered under the golf club’s liability insurance.

My husband wasn’t sure if the liability insurance covers non-members eg. Someone just playing for the day or as a guest of a current club member.

He says you should ask the golf club for details of their liability insurance.

Hope this helps! Do post back if you get anywhere.

Vitriolinsanity · 22/09/2025 18:44

I agree, the Members fees would be paying in part public liability insurance. The equipment loaned should also have been done with the Member formally signing it out, with specific details on the road use. I would insist my insurer goes down that line.

prh47bridge · 22/09/2025 18:46

The driver of the golf buggy is liable.

The fact the buggy belongs to the golf club is irrelevant. They are not liable unless the crash was caused by negligent maintenance of the buggy, which does not appear to be the case. It may be that they have insurance covering their members when they drive buggies, but it is still the driver that is liable in law.

You should report the collision to the police (the driver of the buggy has committed an offence by refusing to give you his details) and your insurers.

Original poster

fiftywheels · 22/09/2025 18:59

Thanks for replies
just spoke to police, they are saying nothing they can do and my insurance will have to get information out of golf club
just seems really unfair as will likely take ages to recover my uninsured losses and in meantime I have to pay increased premiums

OP posts:

AmpleLilacQuail · 22/09/2025 19:01

You’re required to tell your insurance anyway. Best to let them deal with it.

stichguru · 22/09/2025 19:15

Would the council do anything? Assuming that the road you were on is public, would the golf club have any responsibility to ensure the safety of the public on the road across their land?

ohtowinthelottery · 22/09/2025 19:16

There's a golf club near us with a track/public right of way through the golf course. We were walking through one day when a golf ball flew straight past DH's ear. Fortunately it didn't hit his head. Nobody shouted 'fore' as I believe is the etiquette and we couldn't see the fairway from the path (it's in a dip).
I wonder if the golf club would deny any liability if a ball hit and killed someone on the path?

AnneOnAMoose · 22/09/2025 20:51

I would see it as similar to a hire car.... The hire car company's insurance would be liable... The hire car company then have their own damage clauses to bill the hirer (their customer).

Same should be applicable here - Although the golfer was driving and it's their fault - As they have "hired" a buggy (either with an additional payment, or included with their membership) - it should be the golf club's insurance that pays out, then the golf club penalises their member as they see fit,

I wonder if the golf club have skimped on the insurance and don't have a policy which covers the buggy for use on public roads, but turn a blind eye to it - Hence their reluctance to cooperate.

(or it does, but only if the buggy meets certain requirements - lights, MOT, licenced driver, etc.)

Who have you spoken to at the golf club - have you been able to speak to a manager?

Failing that - As others have said, I'd have a word with your own insurers and let them chase it up with the golf club.

JohnBullshit · 22/09/2025 21:19

I'm trying to think of the deal the last time I used a golf buggy. They insisted on only handing it over to a driver with a valid licence, but they certainly didn't check my insurance credentials. As far as I recall, they simply took my word for it regarding the licence.

ThatWordDoesNotMeanWhatYouThinkItMeans · 22/09/2025 21:30

My son works PT at a golf club, which sounds to have a very similar set-up across common land, so I asked him... he's 17, so please don't take this as gospel.
At his club, anyone who hires out a buggy is asked to sign a disclaimer which basically says it's the hirer's fault if they hit or damage anything or anyone while using it. (Only brought in recently when someone drove into something and smashed up the buggy and whatever they drove into, which belonged to the club.)
But... not all clubs are the same, so I guess that's not terribly helpful. He said speak to whoever is the Pro-shop (if they have one) or course manager, and if that fails, the club Chairperson.

MusicalCarbuncle · 22/09/2025 21:33

Golf club is surely liable, as they will be the only body with insurance for this, and the guy who bashed you will have borrowed the buggy from the club (to which he presumably pays subs, which covers things like insurance??) it’s not on you: I’d just hand it over to your car insurance. They will sort it out,

minsmum · 22/09/2025 21:37

The golf club are right about GDPR but they can provide the information to the police and I think insurance companies

JohnofWessex · 22/09/2025 21:52

Its a Road Traffic Collision

The driver is required by law to provide his name, address and insurance company.

Go back to The Police

As its on a public road it has to be insured, MoT etc

The Police can require the golf club to provide the drivers particulars and insurance details

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 22/09/2025 21:58

Whoever owns the buggy is liable as they should have it insured for road use.

JohnofWessex · 22/09/2025 22:02

I suspect the driver might have been intoxicated

prh47bridge · 22/09/2025 22:23

Some people are confusing insurance with liability. The driver is liable. It may be that the golf club will have insurance to cover the driver, but whether they do or not is irrelevant. OP cannot sue the golf club over this accident. She can only sue the driver. The driver is always liable.

And, as @JohnofWessex says, the driver committed an offence by not giving their details. The police can get him prosecuted. They may not want to, but they are wrong to say there is nothing they can do.

Needtosoundoffandbreathe · 22/09/2025 22:31

JohnofWessex · 22/09/2025 21:52

Its a Road Traffic Collision

The driver is required by law to provide his name, address and insurance company.

Go back to The Police

As its on a public road it has to be insured, MoT etc

The Police can require the golf club to provide the drivers particulars and insurance details

Absolutely the golf buggy has to be insured and taxed if it's driven on the public highway. We have equipment at work which is taxed and insured because it is driven on the road as well as in the yard, even if it's only a few yards. I suppose it could potentially be some weird situation where the golf club portion of the road is private land they allow the general public to cross.

Headingforholidays · 22/09/2025 22:36

When a bike came out of a side road and slammed into the side of my car my insurance had to pay out as cyclists are not required to have insurance even though it was totally his fault and he admitted it. I don't know if the same would apply to a golf buggy....

prh47bridge · 22/09/2025 22:45

Headingforholidays · 22/09/2025 22:36

The bike rider was liable, but your insurance company probably judged that it wasn't worth pursuing him for payment.

Given that it was only crossing the public highway, not driving along it, the buggy may not have needed tax, MOT, etc. If the golf club has not insured users of the buggies for crossing the road, OP's insurer may decide that it isn't worth pursuing the driver. But the fact remains that the driver is liable.

FightingInAVatOfJellyBabies · 22/09/2025 22:45

prh47bridge · 22/09/2025 18:46

The driver of the golf buggy is liable.

You should report the collision to the police (the driver of the buggy has committed an offence by refusing to give you his details) and your insurers.

I'm not sure it is that simple.

We have forklifts, we had to get road risks insurance because they have to cross a public car park.
If they have an accident the driver is 'liable' in as far as it is their fault, but it would be our works insurance, not the driver, that paid out.

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