Please Pay Attention When You're Playing

Canadan

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Had an interesting encounter yesterday and I wanted to share with everyone my experience as a solid reminder that we are in harms way at times while on the golf course.

One of my playing partners was really struggling with his game as we approached the fourth green. I was off on the right hand side talking with AMart about golf pride grips (naturally) and we were probably at a 45 degree angle to said struggling golfer. Behind me I heard the thwack of a golf ball, I saw Marty jump a bit, and then I watched the golf ball pass between the two of us at a high rate of speed. It had actually clipped my back up just under my right shoulder blade, stinging shortly after I realized what had happened. the nerves blitzed, I went down, and spent the next two holes trying to gather myself at the idea that I could have been very, very hurt. I was super lucky.

I just want to take that experience to remind everyone (and myself) that we need to pay attention to every golf shot that is struck while playing. Golf is a wonderful game, and the game I love most, but it is not worth going to the hospital just because I wasn't paying attention. You just never know what's going to happen.
 
That's the truth. Always pay attention.

On a similar note, I was playing the city of St. Louis Muni course in a scramble this saturday. It's in Forest Park, which is larger than central park. There was actually a woman pushing her baby in a stroller along the cart paths!!! This particular hole required a blind tee shot. She has no concept of how dangerous it is to stroll along the golf course as if the cart paths are part of the dozens of miles of running/walking paths in the park.
 
paging 441
 
I have learned to try and stay away from possible paths of the golf ball for reasons similar to this. When playing with someone struggling I try to stand where they won't hit the ball towards.
 
Glad you're ok my dude. The people I typically play with outside of THPers aren't exactly good golfers, so I am always on alert when they are hitting. I've seen some crazy ball flights, including ones you didn't think were really possible. That hosel really knows how to throw a ball weird directions.
 
Having a golfball go whizzing by you is completely unnerving. Happened to me last year at the PGA National (through no fault of mine or the icejacker, hi Brian!) - went about a foot behind my head. I could hear feel the wind from it. Was halfway through the round and pretty much killed the rest of my round. I was visibly shaking for at least the next two holes
 
Good advice, I was struck last March and I have a permanent scar on my leg to show for it. The guy who hit me somehow managed to launch his hybrid off the heel at about 60 degrees off his intended target line.
 
Glad you're ok my dude. The people I typically play with outside of THPers aren't exactly good golfers, so I am always on alert when they are hitting. I've seen some crazy ball flights, including ones you didn't think were really possible. That hosel really knows how to throw a ball weird directions.
Caught a 90 degree hosel in the cart once, it was like someone threw a bouncy ball into a box
 
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Having a golfball go whizzing by you is completely unnerving. Happened to me last year at the PGA National (through no fault of mine or the icejacker, hi Brian!) - went about a foot behind my head. I could hear feel the wind from it. Was halfway through the round and pretty much killed the rest of my round. I was visibly shaking for at least the next two holes

It's hard to get composure back and focus with unnerved hands. I followed the experience with two bogeys and finally came back around on the 7th by nearly dunking one from the fairway. Had that not happened, I'm betting I would have slumped for at least a couple more.

Good advice, I was struck last March and I have a permanent scar on my leg to show for it. The guy who hit me somehow managed to launch his hybrid off the heel at about 60 degrees off his intended target line.

My experience was much the same, although it sounds like I got a lot luckier than you did.
 
Sound advice, you never know what could happen, better safe than sorry, and always try to stay alert. Tough to do sometimes, as you're out having fun playing, socializing and may lose sight for sure.
 
Great reminder! I have seen many unexpected things including even seeing someone hit a ball backwards. Most of the time we think we are safe, but always always pay attention!! Glad nobody was seriously injured.
 
Yep, I've been hit and do hit some shots that can be very ugly at times, like yesterday 2 total shank 6 irons in a row. So from my own experiences I always make sure If I have anty doubt about a balls direction and were people are I will wait until they absolutely know I will be swinging.
 
Good reminder Dan and glad it didn't take a total catastrophic event for us to make some changes and realize a simple change can save us a lot of trouble. Glad you are ok and took the time to share it with all of us!
 
Took a drive off my left orbital bone in high school, guy yelled fore, we cover our heads, it ricochets off the cart in front of me and catches me right in the face. 12 stitches and subsequent eye surgery down the road due to cranial nerve damage and it's back to normal.

Still a bit jumpy from time to time. I'll hit the deck hard if I hear a "fore" and it catches me off guard. But I've got a heightened awareness of what is going on around me when I am on the course.
 
I should preface that by saying the guy hooked it into our fairway from another hole. Didn't hit right into us.
 
Glad you are okay Dan, and thanks for the reminder that we all need to be aware when out on the course

I have not been unlucky enough to be hit yet, although Preston tried it once.....he had pulled his tee shot into the left rough while I was on the right side of the fairway about 30yds further up. As his view of the fairway was blocked by trees, I was stood by my ball on the other side of the fairway looking back across so that I could watch the flight of his ball and give him an idea of where it landed. He promply managed to shank it out of the rough and the ball came bounding across the fairway (never got more than a foot off the ground) directly towards me - My trolley with clubs was between me and my ball (always do that for some extra protection from any stray balls like this) so it actually bounced off it and back towards the middle of the fairway, but I was ready to jump or duck depending on how it reacted when it hit

We laughed about it as it was one of those rounds for him when nothing went right, but the fact that I always watch when anyone is hitting from slightly behind me stood me in good stead that day as if he had got the ball off the ground and I was addressing the ball, the first I would have known is when the ball hit either my trolley or me
 
Glad you weren't seriously injured Dan. You're right though, we sometimes take our safety for granted and need to keep our heads on a swivel for sure.
 
Why was 'fore' not called out? Glad it didn't hurt you Danny.
 
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Why was 'fore' not called out? Glad it didn't hurt you Danny.

By the time the initial shock of the miss was registered, the ball was already on us. It's not like it was 200 yards up or anything. More like 60 or so and HARD right.. It was truly a split second and then just a whole lot of befuddled confusion. Speaking for this particular individual, he's the first to yell fore for both his shots and other people's misses as well.

It was just one of those moments where nothing went right and shock lead the way. I just wanted to give everyone a firm reminder that our safety should be paramount to ignorance in conversation on course, especially when someone is hitting behind us.

I appreciate the thoughts towards my own personal safety, you beauties!! It was a great lesson to learn without injury.
 
Being in front of your playing partners is dangerous. Being in front of a playing partner who isn't hitting well is just silly.

I sometimes have to warn people to watch out if they've gone past me. My ball doesn't always go where I want it to go.
 
I've had a few close calls, including a buddy's hosel rocket into the cart where I was sitting. The worst close call was only a month ago or so. The range was busy so my 8 year old son and I shared a spot and took turns hitting balls. I was up and he was standing behind me and decided to stick his 7 iron out into my swing path (he was just playing around and not paying attention). My 8 iron literally chopped his 7 iron steel shaft in half. The head of his 7 iron bounced off the mats and hit me in the shin leaving a nice bruise. I was shaken because of what could have happened to him if he would have been hit by the club. I got on to him pretty hard, but hopefully from here on out he is one of the safest golfers ever.
 
Had an interesting encounter yesterday and I wanted to share with everyone my experience as a solid reminder that we are in harms way at times while on the golf course.

One of my playing partners was really struggling with his game as we approached the fourth green. I was off on the right hand side talking with AMart about golf pride grips (naturally) and we were probably at a 45 degree angle to said struggling golfer. Behind me I heard the thwack of a golf ball, I saw Marty jump a bit, and then I watched the golf ball pass between the two of us at a high rate of speed. It had actually clipped my back up just under my right shoulder blade, stinging shortly after I realized what had happened. the nerves blitzed, I went down, and spent the next two holes trying to gather myself at the idea that I could have been very, very hurt. I was super lucky.

I just want to take that experience to remind everyone (and myself) that we need to pay attention to every golf shot that is struck while playing. Golf is a wonderful game, and the game I love most, but it is not worth going to the hospital just because I wasn't paying attention. You just never know what's going to happen.

It terrified my when I had my "issues" at the gauntlet .

I had to keep reminding people to watch out . Mistake or not I would have a hard time living with myself if I injured someone seriously or worse yet killed them.

I'm a sissy now that I'm older but it's amazing I'm alive the shat I did when I was young.


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Couldn't agree more with this. When I first started playing, I had one or two shots fly by my head thanks to a couple of former playing partners. After that I got into the habit of watching every shot just to be safe. Only time I might not pay attention is if I am behind the person playing the shot, but even then there is no guarantee.

Great reminder Dan!
 
Excellent reminder. I have been hit two or three times on the course, but have always seen it coming. Never had any near misses like that one.
 
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