Good luck getting a definitive answer on RIDDOR these days! In a desperate attempt to reduce the number of accidents reported the definition of “at work” has been tinkered with over the years.
In the case you mention I take it the IP was your employee was being paid to play golf to entertain your clients. 25 years ago when I started in H&S this would have clearly been a work activity and would be reportable, as at work and a major injury.
Today it would appear we have to ask ourselves a few other questions. Why did he slip? Was there a fault with the equipment supplied (poor spikes?) is there an issue with the course design – some great pothole on the fairway, trailing hosepipe he tripped over. If there is any such additional factor then I would say RIDDOR. If he was just walking down the fairway or even in the rough and just slipped (easily done broke my ankle that way a couple of years ago on a walk where there was a bit of mud I did not see) then I would say not reportable.
There has always been an exemption in RIDDOR for “normal sports injuries” such as sustained in a bad tackle at football etc., but I don’t think a broken leg playing golf falls into that category.
So as I said to begin with not definitive and no doubt others will have a view on this but hope what I have said helps.

Thanks for the answers, although I totally agree that the HSE as the enforcing body will be giving the correct answer, my concern is that this information was gained from a telephone conversation, what I would like is something in writing which clairifies this point

Is the HSE the enforcing agency or is it the LA? Check the enforcing authority Regs. And Eagle says how much info was taken during the phone and was he speaking to the HSE or some agency worker looking at a script! How many people used to complain about the HSE help line?

Hang on.

Member of the public. Major injury.

Should the golf course report under RIDDOR?

Although you don’t provide much detail of the circumstances that led to the fall, if this was ‘simply’ falling over while on the golf course, then my gut feeling is that RIDDOR doesn’t apply to this case.

The issue here for me is whether the cause of the accident was or should have been under the control of the employer (or other person upon who may have a duty to report). Other than the fact that the IP was playing golf as part of his/her employment, it would seem that in reality it has little to do with ‘work’.

While you might like the ‘comfort’ of having something in writing, I think it highly unlikely that this is going to come back and bite you because you haven’t reported.

Why is there all this discussion on this? The answer was in the OP. The
HSE were asked, they gave an answer. Simple.

Why would it matter if it was a telephone conversation, and why would anyone think that the HSE helpline is staffed by agency workers?

As ususal a simple question is needlessly over-complicated by all sorts of spurious arguments.

No it is not a Riddor, it a real life event. Simples

I don't think I would report this, it is just plain bad luck.

There have been several succesful court cases following harassment etc at xmas parties over the years. On the same lines those involved were classed as "at work", surely a precedent has been set in law?

If in doubt always ask yourself the question why RIDDOR & previously NADOR were introduced in the first place?

What exactly were the HSE/LA hoping to achieve by this legislation & would it apply to the scenario given?

In my opinion this is not reportable....

Zyggy

Injuries that arise out of sporting activities are not reportable unless they are caused by a fault with the equipment being used or the safety management of the event.

General sporting injuries do not need to be reported as partaking in most sports contains an element of risk that
A) cannot be removed or controlled and
B) has been considered to have been knowingly accepted by the participant

Local authority is the enforcing authority unless the golf club is owned by the LA. Not enough detail to determine whether reportable.