How long do you wait?

leediddy

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My buds and I just finished on the 15th green yesterday and were in our carts driving off to the next hole when BANG! - ball goes into my cart. I believe it flew in via my left shoulder(driver's side). I think I was lucky... I was doing my score on my phone so I was driving a little slower but if I was going full speed...

So the question is... how long do you wait before you hit into the green?
 
Till the people in front are gone from site or out of range.
 
I second what Hawk said. There should be no absolute chance that I could hit someone.
 
Thanks Hawk and Josh. Thats what I thought as well. We were still close to the flag driving off so definitely in range of a mishit.
 
I always wonder what the hurry is in those situations anyway. Plus, I don't want to see people when I hit the ball. It would be distracting imo.
 
Yeah it's pretty messed up if they can see you up around the green and shoot anyway. I could understand if you were down below a hill and they couldn't see you, but even then I would wait for a little bit to be sure they were gone.
 
I had this problem this weekend. I was playing by myself and the 3 some in front of me would not let me go through. I had to wait for them to clear out at every green and tee box. Talk about annoying, but it is better than potentially hitting someone even though I did want to sent one flying over their heads for not letting me though. I hate when people refuse to let others play through.
 
I wait till they are about 10 ft from the flag. Any where outside of that they are good. I am that serious of a golfer!
 
I wait till they are about 10 ft from the flag. Any where outside of that they are good. I am that serious of a golfer!

for me, 10 feet from the flag is the safest place to be.
 
For just that reason, I will usually wait for all carts to move away out of range. Especially if they are in and starting to move. What is another couple of seconds? There can be a few exceptions however. If the cart parking is way off to the side or well behind the green I might not wait until they move if I am ready to go. Usually those are reserved for when you know the course well and know, in advance, that where the cart is parked is 15-20 yards behind the green and well out of range. I can think of several holes like that. Overall though, if in doubt, I just wait until they are gone.
 
For just that reason, I will usually wait for all carts to move away out of range. Especially if they are in and starting to move. What is another couple of seconds? There can be a few exceptions however. If the cart parking is way off to the side or well behind the green I might not wait until they move if I am ready to go. Usually those are reserved for when you know the course well and know, in advance, that where the cart is parked is 15-20 yards behind the green and well out of range. I can think of several holes like that. Overall though, if in doubt, I just wait until they are gone.

Ya, or the carts are up a 10-15 yds uphill. And yes, when in doubt wait a few more seconds doesnt hurt anyone.
 
I prefer to wait until they have driven away from the green. I can't teach the guys i play with regularly to wait that long, however. For some reason they want to fire away as soon as the group ahead walks off the green. The funny thing is, they'd be pissed if a group behind us did that to them. Go figure.

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Dangerous and unnecessary is what it is. no need for it. lucky you weren't hit. carts should be clear of the hole before someone hits into the green.
 
I wait until they have driven away in their cart. On my course, the place you park your cart to go to the green can be prime landing area for me!.
 
When the guys' carts in front of me have started to move, I go into my routine to hit the shot. I realize that might be a little faster than some other people, but I figure that by the time my ball is actually in the air, they will have moved away far enough.

On the muni that I normally play, the majority of people walk, so I wait until they are at least 10-15 yards away from the green before I hit towards the green.
 
Until the players ahead are definitely off the green and headed for the next tee box, well away from the green.
 
Out of sight if possible or parked for the next tee if the locations are close. No need to risk hitting into anyone!!
 
I wait until they are off the hole and are on the next tee box or out of sight. No reason to be that rushed.
 
I typically start my "routine" once the group is more than 30 yds off the green or 30 seconds after I can't see them (for those blind areas). Couple questions regarding this event. 1.) Was the area where you were hit into a blind shot for them? 2.) How far away from the green were you ? 3.) Is that your normal routine, to drive slowly and mark your score on your way to the next tee?
The reason I ask, (of course if you were in plain site, there is in no excuse) I've been in a situation where I have hit into someone because a.) I couldn't see them but waited my nominal period of time before starting my routine (about 45-60 seconds or so before the ball actually flies) but that group (which they didn't do it the prior holes) for some reason, discussed and marked there scores just off the green and out-of-site. I thinned a shot over the green and right near them and although I didn't hit anyone, I felt terrible. We both apologized to each other which was pretty funny.

Couple other hitting into situations I've been part of, both hitte' and hitter.
1.) When a playing partner (after he/she putts out) holds the flag stick up with the flag in the air while waiting to putt it back in the cup as the others in the group are putting. That was the only thing the group playing behind us could see and assumed (rightly so) that the flag was replaced and we were done.
2.) Another classic is with partially blind landing areas. I've hit into/over groups in this scenario a couple times. Here is the situation: You come to the tee and see a cart with one person sitting in it and the other finishing their shot. S/he hops in the cart and drives toward the cart path and disappears (do to the topology of the hole). I can't see them any longer, our foursome debates, (and everyone has done it I'm sure) "Are they gone, can I hit?", everyone agrees, so I go though my routine and tee off (45-60 seconds before the ball flies), only to see the cart appear again. I feel bad, but you only can manage to what you can't see. I am always telling my playing partners to keep a cart or stand (if walking which I normally do) so you can be seen from the tee box/prior hitting area. Not sure what the group was doing that they drove from the furthest point away from the cart path, hit their shot and drive towards the cart path, disappear for a minute and then come out in the same area again.
 
Out of range or driven away from the green. There should be no chance of hitting someone, that's just inexcusable and I am glad you weren't hit.
 
If someone might be within range, I will not hit, and I will make sure the rest of my group waits... But even then, some jackass may walk back in the way as someone is in the middle of their swing.
I played a round a few weeks ago and there was a group of guys behind us that would hit as soon as we got in the carts, which is kind of nuts, cause if I get hit by a ball from a moron that wants to play with me in the way, I will throw them in the water hazard, all 4 of em and their bags.
 
I understand there will be times when visibility will cause an errant shot or yes they come back for some reason like forgetting a club. But ya... better to be safe than sorry. And the group overall should determine if its ok to hit as sometimes one person may not see the action near the green.
 
I typically start my "routine" once the group is more than 30 yds off the green or 30 seconds after I can't see them (for those blind areas). Couple questions regarding this event. 1.) Was the area where you were hit into a blind shot for them? 2.) How far away from the green were you ? 3.) Is that your normal routine, to drive slowly and mark your score on your way to the next tee?
The reason I ask, (of course if you were in plain site, there is in no excuse) I've been in a situation where I have hit into someone because a.) I couldn't see them but waited my nominal period of time before starting my routine (about 45-60 seconds or so before the ball actually flies) but that group (which they didn't do it the prior holes) for some reason, discussed and marked there scores just off the green and out-of-site. I thinned a shot over the green and right near them and although I didn't hit anyone, I felt terrible. We both apologized to each other which was pretty funny.

Couple other hitting into situations I've been part of, both hitte' and hitter.
1.) When a playing partner (after he/she putts out) holds the flag stick up with the flag in the air while waiting to putt it back in the cup as the others in the group are putting. That was the only thing the group playing behind us could see and assumed (rightly so) that the flag was replaced and we were done.
2.) Another classic is with partially blind landing areas. I've hit into/over groups in this scenario a couple times. Here is the situation: You come to the tee and see a cart with one person sitting in it and the other finishing their shot. S/he hops in the cart and drives toward the cart path and disappears (do to the topology of the hole). I can't see them any longer, our foursome debates, (and everyone has done it I'm sure) "Are they gone, can I hit?", everyone agrees, so I go though my routine and tee off (45-60 seconds before the ball flies), only to see the cart appear again. I feel bad, but you only can manage to what you can't see. I am always telling my playing partners to keep a cart or stand (if walking which I normally do) so you can be seen from the tee box/prior hitting area. Not sure what the group was doing that they drove from the furthest point away from the cart path, hit their shot and drive towards the cart path, disappear for a minute and then come out in the same area again.

DC - we were in plain sight. About 10-15 yds perpendicular of the flag which was in a front location and driving off. The course does have blind spots but this hole didnt have visibility issues.

And yes, in general if you do get close with an errant shot you would think that people would go out of their way to apologize. All I got was a hand wave and sorry.... so more negative points.
 
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