A routine day at Brae Burn Country Club near West Newton, Massachusetts, took a frightening turn last Saturday. A white Mercedes sedan suddenly crashed into the pro shop. At such pro shops, reception is usually adjacent to the parking lot, and that was the case at Brae Burn CC, too. This left employees caught in the path of a vehicle they never expected.
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LinksGems shared a video of the incident on X. The video shows that the driver was not in control, as the car drove past the parking lot and crashed into the shop’s wall right behind the reception. Fortunately, the vehicle passed between the two employees without striking either one
As a result, no one suffered severe injuries. The driver and both employees had minor injuries, and the first responders took them to the Newton Wellesley Hospital.
The fire department and the city engineer also responded to assess the damage. They were there to determine whether the property was structurally sound enough to rebuild the wall. After the go-ahead, the damaged wall was restored.
No information is available about the driver or the employees’ current health, and the cause of the crash is under investigation. However, NBC Boston reported that alcohol does not appear to be a factor and there’s nothing criminal about it.
Brae Burn Country Club sits at 326 Fuller Street in West Newton. Founded in 1897, it is one of New England’s most storied private clubs. Veteran Scottish golfer and golf course designer Donald Ross redesigned the course in 1912 and again in 1928.
Besides its long history, Brae Burn Country Club has also hosted seven USGA championships. These include:
- 1906 U.S. Women’s Amateur
- 1919 U.S. Open
- 1928 U.S. Amateur
- 1958 Curtis Cup Match
- 1970 Curtis Cup Match
- 1975 U.S. Women’s Amateur
- 1997 U.S. Women’s Amateur
Donald Ross’s brother, Alex Ross, served as Brae Burn’s head professional in the early 1900s. After Donald Ross’s sad demise, he was buried in nearby Newton Cemetery. While it saw golf’s Golden Age, it is woven into the modern USGA rotation, too. The venue recently hosted the 2024 U.S. Women’s Mid‑Amateur and is scheduled to host the 2028 U.S. Women’s Amateur.
This isn’t an isolated event, though, because golf courses and accidents have a long history. At the Farmington Country Club, for example, a high-speed motor vehicle accident led to the death of the driver. Early Sunday morning on June 30, 2013, a high-speed car jumped the curb at the intersection of Route 4 and Route 10 in Farmington.
It went about five feet into the air and smashed into the Farmington Country Club building. The vehicle barreled into the locker room. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, while a female passenger was trapped and had to be rescued. Despite the damage, golfers were still allowed onto the course later that day.
The crash at Brae Burn Country Club didn’t lead to life-threatening injuries. But the incident raises questions about employee safety, vehicle access, and the risks facing staff working near parking areas.