An accident at a Midland golf course has left a woman with serious injuries.

Police say she had been preparing to tee-off at the first hole when she was struck by a runaway golf course vehicle.

The maintenance cart was parked at the top of the first hole at the Midland Golf and Country Club, it was unmanned, and the engine was off. Now the Ministry of Labour is trying to figure out what caused it to roll away and hit the woman.

Tire marks show where the cart struck and then dragged the 63-year-old woman before coming to a stop at the bottom of a hill.

“There were serious injuries to the person's leg and (she) had to be airlifted to a hospital in Toronto,” says Midland Police Insp. Ron Wheeldon. “They're not life threatening injuries.”

Ian Kirkpatrick manages the golf course and says the employee driving the cart had parked it at the top of the first hole and was doing some work nearby.

“Guys park there all the time and do maintenance. These vehicles are made to go on hills,” says Kirkpatrick.

He says an investigator with the Ministry of Labour and the club’s mechanic inspected the cart after the incident. It has a hand break and Kirkpatrick says it was engaged. He has no idea what caused the cart to suddenly roll down the hill.

“It's hard to say,” he says. “We'll see when more facts will come out.”

The club says the woman has been a member for about two years and plays few times a week. She was also known among club members.

“She's a very lovely person,” says golfer Ruth Gammell. “This was a senior mix and I just found out she has broken bones and is going to be sore for a long time.”

The golf course says inspections are performed daily on all the golf and maintenance carts before they are used and staff also get training before driving the carts. The investigation now is in the hands of the Ministry of Labour.