A 22-year-old bricklayer named Conner Groom met a tragic end during a holiday celebration at TopGolf in Chigwell, Essex, England in December 2021. The incident was ruled as accidental by Essex senior coroner Lincoln Brookes following an inquest that concluded in May.
The incident occurred at a Christmas party where Groom and his friends were partaking in heavy drinking at a driving range bay. What started as innocent fun resulted in a fatal accident. Groom’s best friend, Ben Gardner, pushed him as part of a prank, which led to Groom falling over 12 feet from a safety net to the ground below, landing face first.
Video footage of the incident was described by Detective Inspector Lydia George during the inquest. She said, “Several times, it shows the friends trying to push each other into the safety netting. It was seen as a joke.” The TopGolf staff had earlier approached the group, asking them to stop their rough play.
Due to the fall, Groom sustained serious injuries, including a severe cervical spinal cord injury and a hypoxic brain injury. Despite immediate medical attention at Royal London Hospital and a month of intensive care, Groom succumbed to his injuries on January 25, 2022.
Coroner Brookes classified the death as a “misadventure,” a term used in the U.K. to describe an intended human act that unexpectedly and unintentionally goes wrong. “The last thing Groom’s friend wanted was for him to die,” Brookes declared, highlighting that the act was intended as a joke, without malice.
Gardner was arrested on suspicion of causing serious bodily harm without intent, although the charges were later dismissed. The inquiry revealed that all those present at the work party were significantly intoxicated, and their high spirits and playful behavior had escalated. Groom’s foot briefly got stuck on the net as he fell, preventing him from controlling his landing.
Since the incident, TopGolf has made substantial changes to avoid similar situations. A safety officer testified during the inquest that the company has “improved its staff training around potential health risks” to better supervise and intervene during such events. Anyone found engaging in risky activities, like pushing someone into the safety netting, would be immediately expelled from the venue.
Groom’s untimely death deeply impacted his family and friends. An unnamed close friend recalled, “Conner was always the life of the party, and he had an infectious laugh that could light up any room. It’s hard to believe he’s gone.”
The inquest underscored the risks of combining alcohol with physical activities, particularly involving heights and safety equipment. The coroner’s report concluded, “It was a night of inebriated but not malicious horseplay,” urging people to consider the potential consequences of their actions in recreational settings.
Groom’s friends and family continue to grieve his loss, remembering him as a lively and loved individual whose life was tragically cut short by a moment of reckless fun.
