Golfer struck by lightning at Clearwater golf course

A 76-year-old golfer was struck by lightning Friday at Clearwater Country Club.

The man, idenfied as Frank Sink, was in fair condition Friday afternoon at Tampa General Hospital.

His friend, Walter Staats, was golfing with him at the time on the seventh hole.

“We were getting wet,” Staats said. “We were about ready to quit, and that’s when the lightning hit, just one strike.

“It was an enormous crack.”

After the strike, Staats turned around and saw his friend on his back with blood coming out of his head.

“I didn’t see it hit him or anything. And I don’t know that it did hit him,” Staats said of the lightning. “It didn’t look like he was burned or anything. But something knocked him down.”

A third golfer started CPR, and Staats called 911.

Golf course officials said they have lightning shelters on the course.

This story was originally published August 18, 2017 at 8:52 PM with the headline "Golfer struck by lightning at Clearwater golf course."