THE etiquette of the golf course came under a judge's scrutiny after a veteran golfer's wrist was broken by an impatient player's tee shot.

Robert Harvey, 65, began a court battle after he was left in agony when a ball hit by Brian Lynn soared through the air and smashed his hand.

Judge Peter Bullock, himself an enthusiastic amateur golfer, studied the rule book before awarding Mr Harvey, a retired engineer, £2,600 in compensation.

He said that Mr Lynn had broken "the fundamental rule of golf" by teeing off without due consideration for other users of the course.

Mr Harvey had to wear a plaster cast for four weeks after 34-year-old Mr Lynn drove off from the 11th hole.

Newcastle County Court heard that Mr Lynn did not wait until other players were out of range before taking his shot at the start of the par five hole.

Mr Harvey said that talented golfer Mr Lynn, who has a handicap of six, was frustrated by the time taken by the less-accomplished players in front of him on the George Washington Golf Course, Washington, Wearside.

He did not notice 13-handicap Mr Harvey was still waiting to play his second shot on the fairway when he lined up his own drive.

Mr Harvey, from Jarrow, South Tyneside, and two of his friends, Colin Price, 69, and Stan Hall, 78, had been standing near a right-hand dog-leg at the 11th hole.

Judge Bullock said that he did not rule that the injury had been because of a deliberate act, but that Mr Lynn's group had not been taking sufficient care because they were playing quickly