Hitting into people

The one time I did what might be considered hitting into people was with a group that was teeing up from the blues even though they were driving the ball only about 150 or so and just playing so ridiculously slow that nobody was even close to being in front of them. I asked them if I could play ahead while walking up behind them on a teebox and they said no. So after they teed off and got in their cart I teed up and blasted one past them while they were going up the cart path. I then commenced to jog up the fairway with my cart and hit my next shot before they ever even got into their preshot routine for their second shot. They were livid and were yelling at me the whole time. I got ahead of them though and lost sight of them after that same hole. I did make sure that they were out of my way before hitting though, so I don't know what you would consider that.
 
In the recent thread about slow play, somebody mentioned hitting a shot close to the slow players as a warning signal to hurry up.

This made me realize that technically I don't know what is considered hitting into people. Obviously hitting a shot that has the potentital to hit the players ahead is dangerous but where do you draw the line?

For example, the last round I played I was about to hit my second shot when a golf ball bounced and rolled right past me. That is definitely too close for comfort and the player later apologized to me at the clubhouse.

BUT, on another round, the golfers behind me were obviously pretty good and after hitting my 2nd or 3rd shot, I would look back about 20-30 yards and their shot would be there. It this a little bit different because they know how to control their shot and they knew the ball would get that far to me?

Do you guys technically consider it "hitting into people" if the ball is anywhere close to the person or only if it is still moving when it gets to the players? AND, would it tick you off if either had happened to you?

Just curious

I just got hit up on a few weeks ago and I am still peeved about it. If there is a golfer anywhere near the area that you will be hitting to I would not hit a shot. Wait the extra minute or 2 and let them clear out of there.
 
These are all very interesting stories. I am glad I am not the only one getting "hit into". What's funny is that I would not consider myself or my friends slow players. We always play ready golf and hurry off the greens after putting. But the group behind us (in the 2nd scenario I described at the beginning) constantly were hitting and having their ball end up fairly close. I wanted to flip 'em off but out of golf karma, I just let it go.

My general rule as far as playing when other people are on the same hole, wait until the players are on the green to tee off on a par 4 or on their 3rd shot on a par 5. I don't have a monster drive so keeps plenty of distance between me and the group ahead.
 
The one time I did what might be considered hitting into people was with a group that was teeing up from the blues even though they were driving the ball only about 150 or so and just playing so ridiculously slow that nobody was even close to being in front of them. I asked them if I could play ahead while walking up behind them on a teebox and they said no. So after they teed off and got in their cart I teed up and blasted one past them while they were going up the cart path. I then commenced to jog up the fairway with my cart and hit my next shot before they ever even got into their preshot routine for their second shot. They were livid and were yelling at me the whole time. I got ahead of them though and lost sight of them after that same hole. I did make sure that they were out of my way before hitting though, so I don't know what you would consider that.

No offense towards you personally, but this is still INCREDIBLY wrong in my opinion.
 
No offense towards you personally, but this is still INCREDIBLY wrong in my opinion.

I agree. you cannot do that. Just call the clubhouse, and they will send the Marshal out to take care of it. You very easily could have hit a wayward shot off of the tee and really hurt someone. Its just not necessary IMO
 
I would never hit into a group, no matter how slow they are. A golf ball can do some major damage.

The beverage cart girl at one of the courses I play was hit in the face below her eye with a stray ball. You could count the dimples from the ball on her face.
 
Never on purpose and I think that anything in the 20-30 yard range is considered hitting into somebody. You can flush any club and put one out there farther than intended at any time. Stupid thing to do and could result in some pretty nasty consequences.
 
Never on purpose and I think that anything in the 20-30 yard range is considered hitting into somebody. You can flush any club and put one out there farther than intended at any time. Stupid thing to do and could result in some pretty nasty consequences.

I agree with Razr here. Its just a dumb thing to do and dangerous. I feel worse about maybe doing this on accident because I didnt see someone then I do about 3 jacking a hole.
 
I have hit into people on accident. It does happen, but I go out of my way to apologize. I have been hit into but never too close. I would never tee it up and fire back, or hit the ball in the water. Karma

Karma is a boomerang. I've hit into people on occasion purely on accident. I've been hit into many many times. If its consistent I call the clubhouse/ranger. Its been a while but I'm pretty passive/aggressive myself. I just vent on the tee box if they catch up.
 
There is really no reason to hit any where close to the group in front of you. I would consider a shot within 50-75 yards to be hitting into a group. Obviously this yardage guideline can vary depending on your shot, (drive, lay up, etc...), but you get my point. If you are that close to a group there is no benefit to crawling up their a$$, you could probably catch them by the next tee box and ask to play through by then. I have hit close to other people before but only with completely errant shots that went into a wrong fairway or something similar. This is always followed up by yelling fore and personally walking up to the person and apologizing. Respecting the etiquette of the game is part of playing golf.
 
I've accidentally hit into a group before. They finished the hole, and I didnt realize they needed to drive back to get to the next hole. I did slice the heyzues out of my shot and it probably came within 30 yards. They got pissed and started yelling lol. Said he was gonna stab my neck or something. I felt like an idiot for not recognizing they had to drive back around. New course never do it again. I kept my cool though. My pops got a tad upset at that stabbing comment.

I don't think its a safe thing to do at all. Just my opinion. My friends will give me grief on short Par 4's but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
 
There was one time where I was waiting with my playing partner at his ball in plain view of the tee box. Suddenly a ball comes bounding by us. I calmly grab my 3 WOOD (thats how close we were) and put it back over the heads of the people on the tee box.

I was a bit more of a hot head back then.

Along those lines...
I was playing as a single and there was a three-some ahead of me that wouldn't let me play through for 5 holes. Knew I was there. Knew I was waiting. Nobody ahead of them for at least a few holes. We get up to a par 5 that is my favorite driving hole on the course. This was back when I was a scratch so I had a very good idea of where my ball was going to go and how far it would carry. While they were taking their sweet time looking at each other (I gave them time to play their shots) I took out my driver and put one 30 yards over their heads. The didn't even say a word as I went by.
That was a while ago and I do realize how dumb it was. Needless to say its the only time that I've ever done that.

I hit my drives fairly long and there is alwasy a possibility that I really catch one that goes about 30 yards further than average so I take great care in making sure the group ahead of me is clear. That it why I get pretty upset if someone hits into my group.
 
I was teeing off and this guy on the green next to us screams cause he made a put. Well I shanked the shot and was pissed. The guy did not even try to apologizes for yelling so loud. He just looked at me and laughed, I thought I was going to kill him. Well instead of teeing another one up and starting over I did the right thing and played the whole out. Well on my 4th shot had to punch out twice I was in so deep this guy tees off and hits one about 10 feet from the cart. Having little man syndrome I grab my 3 wood and hit his ball back to the tee box!. Here he comes down the fairway in his cart cussing at me. When he got out I could smell the beer and see all the cans. This guy got out and saw how pissed I was and the veins in my arms and head popping out. He then said sorry and got back in his cart and went back to the tee box. Never saw that group behind us for the rest of the day. Was what I did right most likely no but I was so mad I would have thrown down with him that day.
 
I agree with Razr here. Its just a dumb thing to do and dangerous. I feel worse about maybe doing this on accident because I didnt see someone then I do about 3 jacking a hole.

I agree completely, it's super dangerous and someone could get seriously injured because of it. I hit into a group right after I started playing golf because they were hiding in the trees and I totally didn't see them, luckily I didn't come close but I felt super bad and played horrible the rest of my round.
 
Never intentionally

One of our local muni's has a number of fairways next to each other, it is not uncommon to have someone drive into your fairway during your swing or while the ball is in flight. I wouldn't count that against me as it is karma or Darwin in action.
 
I was playing in France with father in law, we were getting held up by 2-3 groups in front. Nice day, no issue.
Idiot behind kept hitting ball when we were in range and despite warnings from me, and me making it perfectly clear I wasnt happy with him doing so, he persisted.

Rather than hit a ball back over his head however I just chipped it left into water. He ran up but Im a pretty big guy and once he got closer he calmed down and backed off. Didnt apologise but didnt hit any at us again.
 
I was teeing off and this guy on the green next to us screams cause he made a put. Well I shanked the shot and was pissed. The guy did not even try to apologizes for yelling so loud. He just looked at me and laughed, I thought I was going to kill him. Well instead of teeing another one up and starting over I did the right thing and played the whole out. Well on my 4th shot had to punch out twice I was in so deep this guy tees off and hits one about 10 feet from the cart. Having little man syndrome I grab my 3 wood and hit his ball back to the tee box!. Here he comes down the fairway in his cart cussing at me. When he got out I could smell the beer and see all the cans. This guy got out and saw how pissed I was and the veins in my arms and head popping out. He then said sorry and got back in his cart and went back to the tee box. Never saw that group behind us for the rest of the day. Was what I did right most likely no but I was so mad I would have thrown down with him that day.

Not going to lie, but based on what you wrote, I think you were completely in the wrong there. At least you are aware of that because it only makes us more aware of what is around us.
 
I'd never hit a ball back at a group that hit into me. The worst i've been guilty of like I said before is tossing a couple of balls into a pond. Now I pretty much ignore them unless the ball comes right into my feet or cart. Even then I just drive over the ball with the cart to mash it into the ground.
 
I think it's just plain ignorance. We are all playing golf not trying to catch a bus. I go out to golf to be competetive and relax. When I'm out my theory is, If the longest hitter in my 4-some can get within 75-100 yds of them then we don't tee off.
 
I been hit at a couple times, usually ill turn around, throw my arms up in the air, and go about my business.. That has worked so far
 
Not going to lie, but based on what you wrote, I think you were completely in the wrong there. At least you are aware of that because it only makes us more aware of what is around us.

I know I was in the wrong I let my temper really get to me. I was not proud of what I did but at the moment I was so hot that I did not think clearly.
 
If the group in front of us is on the fairway still, we don't hit. If they are on the green we don't hit. Yeah, there are obvious exceptions to the rule, but it only takes one of us to really catch a drive and roll it into them. I have been hit in to and it REALLY ticks me off. Do unto others and all that.
 
I've been hit into and accidentally hit into others as well. The times I get hit into, I just turn around and throw my arms up. They know we can't go anywhere. The times i have hit into people were pure accidents. You get up to the tee and see one part of the group far enough ahead, then all of a sudden the other half comes out of the trees in their cart. Or you come to a hole with a huge rise and everyone agrees they are at the green. I have never purposely hit into anyone, yelled for them to get moving yes.
 
Playing behind very very slow people that don't let people play through just pisses me off more and more until I don't even enjoy being there. These people rarely get the point if you hit into them and it's really pointless. Most places don't have marshals or are worthless about speeding up play. If the next hole is open I usually just pick up and go around them.
 
I consider it "hitting into people" when you might have the possibility of landing your ball anywhere in the vicinity of the group ahead. I don't care if a group is slow or not, they do NOT deserve to be hit into for a warning signal or anything else! Either ride up and have a talk with the group or call the clubhouse and let them deal with it if they're not letting you play through.

One day someone did this to me more than once (I was held up by the group ahead). I looked back at them so that I could acknowledge their presence, then I aimed at the nearest body of water and hit their ball in it. I only did that because it happened on more than one occasion and wasn't an errant shot (they knew what they were doing)
Without doubt.
 
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