No place outside is safe if lightning is in the vicinity. Partially enclosed shelters are not safe. If no safe shelter is available... stay away from the tallest objects (trees, light poles, flag poles), metal objects (fences or golf clubs), standing pools of water, and fields."
If you hear thunder, it means that lightning is within striking distance. The first step in staying safe from lightning on the golf course is awareness of weather conditions and expected weather conditions during your round. If you know that thunderstorms are possible, then you know to watch out (and listen out) for trouble.
Fortunately, there are many options to help you stay safe if you’re caught in a thunderstorm, including avoiding open spaces, avoiding lone tall objects and the tallest trees. If you’re at a campground or car camping then retreating to your car or to a plumbed building will help you stay safe. Dangers of Thunderstorms While Camping
Golf courses in areas of frequent thunderstorms may have policies and procedures (such as sirens) in place to warn golfers of approaching bad weather. Sports medicine journalist Elizabeth Quinn of Verywell.com says all outdoors enthusiasts, including golfers, need to know the "30/30 Lightning Rule":
Always be aware of changing weather conditions and sky conditions on the golf course; be alert for thunder and for lightning. If you hear thunder, it means that lightning is within striking distance. The first step in staying safe from lightning on the golf course is awareness of weather conditions and expected weather conditions during your round.
Golf and Frisbee Golf are the only sports with regulations relating to lightning. A good rule for everyone is: "If you can see it (lightning), flee it; if you can hear it (thunder), clear it."
Take cover: during thunderstorms a tent is no safe place If possible, you should – especially in the mountains – try to seek shelter in a solid building, like an alpine hut, as a thunderstorm is approaching. A vehicle, if nearby, could be used as a safe place as well.
Remember the phrase, “When thunder roars, go indoors.” Find a safe, enclosed shelter when you hear thunder. Safe shelters include homes, offices, shopping centers, and hard-top vehicles with the windows rolled up. If you are caught in an open area, act quickly to find adequate shelter.
A car or other enclosed metal structure is the safest place to be in a thunderstorm. Failing that, a ditch, trench or group of shrubs of uniform height is better than nothing. Keep away from boundary areas between dissimilar terrain (water and land; rock and earth; trees and fields).
Remember, a tent offers NO protection from lighting. Stay away from water, wet items, such as ropes, and metal objects, such as fences and poles. Water and metal do not attract lightning but they are excellent conductors of electricity. The current from a lightning flash will easily travel for long distances.
If you're camping in a thunderstorm, and it's realistically safe to do so, leave your tent. If possible, leave the area and take shelter in a developed building with water and electricity. If no such building is nearby, take shelter in your car.
It's unclear whether or not anyone has ever died from showering during a thunderstorm. That being said, the above estimate that between 10 and 20 people are shocked while using water or appliances every year indicates that there is some risk.
Don't forget the 30-30 rule. After you see lightning, start counting to 30. If you hear thunder before you reach 30, go indoors. Suspend activities for at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder.
While no place is 100% safe from lightning, some places are much safer than others. The safest location during a thunderstorm is inside a large enclosed structure with plumbing and electrical wiring. These include shopping centers, schools, office buildings, and private residences.
If you are outside, move towards shelter immediately. Seek shelter in enclosed buildings. Rain shelters, small sheds, pavilions/picnic shelters, porches and open vehicles are NOT safe (NWS).
The North and South Poles and the areas over the oceans have the fewest lightning strikes.
Thunderstorms are electrically charged. Umbrellas mostly contain metal parts which are good conductors of electricity. The electric charge form thunderstorm can move into the umbrella and cause harm to the person carrying it. Therefore, it is nor safe carrying an umbrella during a thunderstorm.