Hitting into people

Super_Dave79

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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 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)
 
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I was playing the other day, I had my 6 iron in my had standing at the back of the cart by my bag. I was using my brush on the club to clean it before hitting my shot. Iron in left hand and brush in right hand, which is attached to my bag. My arms made sort of a circle, all of a sudden a ball flies right thru my arms about a foot from my face and landed in front of my right foot. Then it rolled under the cart. About 10 seconds after the ball stops i hear "FORE". This guy comes up and says "I'm really sorry, I yelled fore." I say to him "Next time can you yell it before the ball gets here and stops." Excuse my language but it scared the Sh*t out of me!! I had to sit down and gather my nerves.
 
Anytime someone hits a ball that gets withing 10 yards of me wheather it rolls in or flys in and stops it ticks me off. Especially if it is obvious that the group in front of our group is slower and we are having to wait on them. People who were 30 yards behind and not riding up to their shot until we had cleared the green would not particularly bother me.
 
In my opinion if the ball rolls past me that is hitting into someone. Everyone gets one one warning shot and as long as it's not too close to me it's semi-understandable. But if it happens repeatedly that's not cool and their ball might get hit into the woods :D haha

Overall everyone makes a mistake and hits into someone they might not see. Golf is fun so there is no point in getting so stressed out. If someone is riding you just let them through and continue your round. HAVE FUN!!!
 
i used to play with an idiot from work (joe) a few years ago, he had the policy that if your close enough to him its his turn to hit your ball back at you. caused serious trouble one day on a course, ball dropped behind me and rolled through my legs while i was waiting for the green to clear before hitting my second shot he turns to me and says drive it back at him i say no leave it off i'll speak to hit at next tee box when he catches up but the idiot (joe) teed it and hit back up to tee box. guy came down when we were on the green lost the rag. joe and him nearly came to punches really stupid stuff. needless to say i never played with joe again and i never hit into a group.
 
In my opinion if the ball rolls past me that is hitting into someone. Everyone gets one one warning shot and as long as it's not too close to me it's semi-understandable. But if it happens repeatedly that's not cool and their ball might get hit into the woods :D haha

I wonder how many people have done that or rolled their cart over the ball that was hit close? I was definitely tempted to but since I am passive aggressive I just let the air out of their tires when I got back to the clubhouse lol.
 
I would never hit into a group, no matter how slow they are. A golf ball can do some major damage. If I think I can reach the group ahead or come close, I wait. On the opposite side, if someone hits into my group on accident, fine. If it happens repeatedly, I would probably tee the ball up and hit it into the woods.
 
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
 
As a person that works at my home course from time to time, I have seen and heard about a fair share of situations where the group behind is landing balls too close to group ahead.

At our course, if you have this happen repeatedly, we would always advise everyone to call the clubhouse and let a employee of the course handle the situation.

While it is wrong for any player or group to repeatedly put someone out in front in danger, there is NEVER a situation where the ball should be hit back to the player or group. Two wrongs never make a right.

We had a very ugly situation a couple of years ago where this happended, and it all resulted in a fist fight on the course to which the police were called. Four people out of the two groups were charged with assult and I know one lost a very good job over the time he had to spend in jail. Two of the four charged were members and they had their memberships pulled and are banned for life along with the other two.

Retaliation is always the wrong choice. Simply call the clubhouse. Course employee's and the owners have a obligation to keeping everyone safe on the course, as do the patrons, but let the course personnel be the police on the course
 
Hitting it anywhere near me when I'm in plain sight is just rude and dangerous. I understand that it does happen, especially around here with all of the hills and blind shots. As long as the group comes up to apologize and doesnt do it again I'm usually ok. I've been hit into repeatedly and I normally just pick the ball up and pocket it. If they want it back they can come talk to me about it.
 
I would never hit into a group intentionally.

Once about 10 years or so ago back when I was younger and a bit of a hot head I had a group hit into us on a day that there was a group on the green, group in the fairway, 2 groups waiting on the tee. They hit into us, I yelled at them and picked up both of their balls and promptly threw them in the water. Definitely not something I would do anymore, but when I was 18/19, like I said I was a bit of a hot head.

Last year we were playing a course and it was a relatively slow day. We had a group in front of us and we would wait to tee off until they had hit their shots into the green and then were moving in to putt. Then we would tee off (par 4's & 5's obviously), apparently they felt we were hitting into them and they complained to the marshall and he came back and told us not to tee off until they were off the green completely. Needless to say we hadn't even put a ball within 60-75 yards of them, even on the shortest of par 4's. We didn't bother apologizing to the group in front of us, because IMO they were just flat out wrong to complain.

I've accidentally gotten close to a group one time, at which I made it a point to wait on putting to run up to the next tee box to apologize because I thought they were well out of range, then I went and bombed one of the best drives I've ever hit. Even then, my ball was still 10 yards away from the cart they were getting into.
 
Hit into a group intentionally, never. I've seen the damage a golf ball can do to someone on the fly! Not a pretty sight. I will usually overlook the first shot hit into or near me, but the second shot will be mashed deeply into the ground where ever it came to rest. It's up to them to find it and if they don't figure out my message then they won't find the next ball.
 
Once about 10 years or so ago back when I was younger and a bit of a hot head I had a group hit into us on a day that there was a group on the green, group in the fairway, 2 groups waiting on the tee. They hit into us, I yelled at them and picked up both of their balls and promptly threw them in the water. Definitely not something I would do anymore, but when I was 18/19, like I said I was a bit of a hot head.

Last year we were playing a course and it was a relatively slow day. We had a group in front of us and we would wait to tee off until they had hit their shots into the green and then were moving in to putt. Then we would tee off (par 4's & 5's obviously), apparently they felt we were hitting into them and they complained to the marshall and he came back and told us not to tee off until they were off the green completely. Needless to say we hadn't even put a ball within 60-75 yards of them, even on the shortest of par 4's. We didn't bother apologizing to the group in front of us, because IMO they were just flat out wrong to complain.

I've accidentally gotten close to a group one time, at which I made it a point to wait on putting to run up to the next tee box to apologize because I thought they were well out of range, then I went and bombed one of the best drives I've ever hit.

If the group in front felt in danger, then they did the right thing by calling the marshal who then did the right thing by telling you guys to hold up. The best course of action.
 
It has happened a few times over the years (unintentionally of course) and it's always extremely embarassing. You feel really bad when it happens.

When I played the Regionals for 16-year-olds a guy in the group behind me CARRIED his drive onto the green while I had a birdie putt of about 10 feet. It landed just a few paces from me, shook me up real good and I missed the putt. He knew that he could reach the green but hit it anyway. He later apologized, which was the least he could do. Karma won eventually as I won by 1 and he lost his spot in the Nationals in a play-off. A few years later he was suspended for a year for a similar incident.
 
The only time I hit into the group in front of me was a freak accident. At that time I usually drove my ball about 250-260. But because of better ball striking I was starting to hit longer. Well, on a course I play a lot, there is a 330 yd par 4. There were people on the green and the other three people in my group had teed off. I hit my ball flush. One of my playing partners had the presence of mind to yell "Fore" when he realized how well I had hit it. My ball hit 10 yards in front of the green and rolled to the back of the green. I had NEVER hit a drive so far. I was super embarrassed! I apologized profusely to the group. They were very gracious and accepted my offer of a beer at the turn. I now wait until the group in front of me at that hole is off the green just in case!!!!
 
It's definitely frustrating, I've had good rounds get ruined by slow play. That being said, I will hit shortly after they move out of range if they're being disrespectful (ie a twosome who arrives at the tee when the last of there 4th hasn't hit yet and won't let us play through when there is no one ahead). But I'm also a realist and understand that often times, it's not the group directly in front of me that's holding up play.
 
I will tee up the 1st ball hit into me to let them know how close they came. The second time they will not find the ball in a good situation, it will be plugged in a bunker, in tall rough or be short sided to the green. They usually don't do it a 3rd time.
 
I've had a ball roll between my feet and my ball, under my club at address, while I was about to take my second shot into the green on a par 4. No Fore call, nothing. Ticked me off but I didn't do/say anything about it as they never got that close to me. Pretty sure it was an accident. That's the closest I've ever come to getting hit.
I have never intentionally hit into another group. Don't think I've even come close. My Grandfather would send down a bolt from above to strike me down if I ever did...
 
If the group in front felt in danger, then they did the right thing by calling the marshal who then did the right thing by telling you guys to hold up. The best course of action.


On a busy day at this particular course if you aren't teeing off the way we were and the marshal passes, he tells you to pick up the pace. Which is why we were teeing off when they were moving to the greens on par 4 & 5. The only reason he said anything that day about it to us is because the group behind us was 2 holes back and could allow a slower pace. I'm not saying either party has any fault, and we certainly didn't care because it meant more time enjoying the course for us, I was just saying that it was a case where an apology to the group in front was not warranted because the ball was never remotely close to 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)

That's what I'm talking about. Once a mistake twice you lose your ball. We have some slow players. I will never hit if I will be closer than 75 yards.
 
It is ridiculous to hit into somebody when they are in plain sight. If you are in that much of a hurry, you probably shouldn't be on the golf course. My group was hit into on back to back holes a couple of weeks ago, and I just drove back to them and asked what they were thinking, but not that nicely. I let them know we were all waiting on every shot as it was a crowded Sunday, and hitting into another group is flat out dangerous. The sad part is that it is so easy to avoid. Just show a little patience.
 
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
That's me. I accidentally hit my approach shot into a group on 18 last year (i was in the rough, over 200 out, uphill, pin in the back [where they were], thought there was no way i was going to come within 50 yards of the green) well i must have hit it really good and it rolled up on to the green and past them (but a good 30 yards to the right), i didn't see it from where i was but as i got closer to the green and didn't see my ball short of the green i had that sinking feeling. Sure enough it was even with them off to the right so i waited for them to putt out and immediately apologized. They were very nice about it, but if they had been upset i couldn't have blamed them.

Getting hit into, or waiting on slow players sucks but...


As a person that works at my home course from time to time, I have seen and heard about a fair share of situations where the group behind is landing balls too close to group ahead.

At our course, if you have this happen repeatedly, we would always advise everyone to call the clubhouse and let a employee of the course handle the situation.

While it is wrong for any player or group to repeatedly put someone out in front in danger, there is NEVER a situation where the ball should be hit back to the player or group. Two wrongs never make a right.

We had a very ugly situation a couple of years ago where this happended, and it all resulted in a fist fight on the course to which the police were called. Four people out of the two groups were charged with assult and I know one lost a very good job over the time he had to spend in jail. Two of the four charged were members and they had their memberships pulled and are banned for life along with the other two.

Retaliation is always the wrong choice. Simply call the clubhouse. Course employee's and the owners have a obligation to keeping everyone safe on the course, as do the patrons, but let the course personnel be the police on the course

this is why i try not to let either bother me. I'd never hit a ball into the water, i can imagine how pissed I'd get if someone did that to me, so i'd never do it, no good will come of it. I'd like to think that even at my angriest the worst i'd do is pick up their ball, bring it back to them and say "I was (am) going to let you through as long as you can be a bleeping adult about it". I've admitted to not being the fastest player in the world, but i'm always good about letting people through (or try to be anyway), just don't be an idiot. If I come to a tee and there's a slower group out in the fairway, i'll just wait until they finish the hole before i tee off (unless the course is busy). Give them a chance to get going, and this way i can finish the hole without having to continuously wait. I figure i'm going to have to wait for them either way, so do i want to hit a shot, wait, hit a shot, wait, or just wait, wait and wait, then play the entire hole without any delay.

I think people just need to do a better job of understanding their emotions. I liken these incidents to road rage driving when you've got your cruise set and you're going, then you come up on someone driving slower but still doing the speed limit; some folks get really upset and do unsafe things (like riding someone's bumper) usually because this slower driverhas stopped their momentum, they're frustated because they can't go their own pace and not being able to do anything about it compounds the frustration until eventually the anger takes over. Yeah I get frustrated having to wait, it sucks, but i think by understanding the place the frustration comes from, I'm able to deal with it better.
 
It is ridiculous to hit into somebody when they are in plain sight. If you are in that much of a hurry, you probably shouldn't be on the golf course. My group was hit into on back to back holes a couple of weeks ago, and I just drove back to them and asked what they were thinking, but not that nicely. I let them know we were all waiting on every shot as it was a crowded Sunday, and hitting into another group is flat out dangerous. The sad part is that it is so easy to avoid. Just show a little patience.

The me me me mentality works both ways in golf. Some slow players play slow because it is all about me me me, and some players hit into slow players because it is all about me me me. Just another age old debate.
 
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