Lifestyle

Fore Warning

Country Star Suffers Gruesome Injury From ’150-MPH’ Golf Ball

The brutal wound required 23 stitches.

Cailey PetschHealth and Beauty Intern

PublishedJun 24, 2026, 6:07 PM EDT

UpdatedJun 24, 2026, 6:10 PM EDT

Updated Jun 24, 2026, 6:10 PM EDTPublished Jun 24, 2026, 6:07 PM EDT

Comments

Country music star Kane Brown, 32, suffered a frightening injury after getting hit in the head by a normally innocuous projectile: a golf ball.

The accident came just as ​Brown was scheduled to perform at Tight End University’s closing event, rendering him unable to appear.

Tight End University is an annual summit in Nashville, Tennessee, founded in 2021 by National Football League players George Kittle, Travis Kelce, and Greg Olsen. The trio designed the three-day program to bring together the NFL tight end community. The “Tight Ends & Friends” concert, however, is open to the public.

​On June 23, the “Miles on It” singer shared photographs of his injuries from the incident, including a brutally bloodied ear, on his Instagram story.

On the first image, Brown wrote, “Shot to the head by a golf ball.”

The following photo, which offers another angle of the gruesome injury, is captioned, “Just a scratch.”

While not a professional, Brown is an avid golf enthusiast. He estimated the ball that hit him was traveling “150 to 180 mph.”

​The musician also shared a short video showing followers his ear. “Well, 23 stitches later,” he explains, “and a slight concussion…now we’re at Chick-fil-A.”

​In the video, Brown’s collar appears stained with a stream of blood, with dried blood slightly bobbing on his throat as he speaks. Though he’s giggling and shrugging off the injury, the caption suggests the situation may be more serious.

“They said it will probably get worse in the next 48 hours, but I’m alive, and that’s all that matters,” he wrote, adding, “Holy crap.”

​Fans learned that Brown would not be performing when former NFL players and Bussin’ With The Boys podcast hosts Will Compton and Taylor Lewan appeared on stage.

A TikTok video shows Lewan, 34, informing the crowd, “I have very unfortunate and devastating news that took place earlier today.”

After the audience fell silent, he assured them, “But we just want to say he’s OK.”

Compton, 36, continued the announcement.

“Kane Brown got hit with a golf ball today on the golf course,” he said. “He says concussion, but the football guys don’t buy it.”

​Fans seemed slightly disappointed when Compton said, “he’s not going to make it, but just for a moment, we’re gonna do a moment of silence for Kane Brown not being here tonight.”

As the crowd began to boo, the men onstage promptly reminded attendees that they were supposed to observe a moment of silence for the singer.

The noises of dissent grew louder.

“They’re still making noise. Some nasty people in the crowd, I hear,” Compton said, sounding disappointed. “Some people don’t respect concussions. That’s cool.”

“We’re trying to look out for our boy a little bit,” he added.

On social media, users voiced confusion over the “moment of silence” for Brown.

“A moment of silence is for honoring dead people, not people that got hit with a golf ball,” one person wrote.

“A moment of silence for being hit by a golf ball and getting some stitches?” another said, adding, ”Sorry it happened, but that’s a bit much.”

​Still, some social media users praised the NFL players’ act of kindness.

“He got hurt, you guys, he was at the hospital,” one supporter wrote. “If it had hit him a little differently, he could have died. I’m glad he’s OK.”

“Right in the ear! That’s got to be horribly painful! Poor guy,” another said.

​Brown’s absence was likely forgotten after Tight End University founder Travis Kelce’s fiancée, Taylor Swift, made a surprise appearance at the concert.

​The 36-year-old pop star performed several songs, closing the set by singing a duet with country artist Lainey Wilson.

Play Video

Cailey PetschHealth and Beauty Intern

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast.