Nearly killed someone

[stevieheong]

Or at least caused trauma

Not especially proud of this one, when my best golf shot is also my worst.

I played on Saturday on a course I never played before, brought by my customer. Par 5 4th hole about 450 meters, about 490 yards; I hit one of my best drives of the day, about 250 meters. Lying on the fairway, I took my 22 degree, I figured i was about 200 + meters out , or 210 judging by the distance markers. Front flight on the green putting.

I hit another from the fairway and it zeroed into the group in front; I never thought it'd make it but darn if it did land 3 - 4 feet away from one of them and made them jump. I didn't even shout because i didn't think it would reach.

They got pretty nasty with their words, which was their right, I guess because I was in total shock. I drove up, apologised, got verbally abused and looked at my 10 feet putt for eagle.

This is a reminder that no matter what we think, that we cannot reach the flight in front, we should NEVER, NEVER take that for granted. I'm not a great golfer, but sometimes I do hit some shots out of pure luck and this happened to be it. I was pretty shaken up and suffice to say, I missed my eagle and my game went downhill from there. I found out later the distance markers were not accurate; but there was absolutely no excuse for that negligence, and I'm sure everyone agrees, nothing is more important in the golf course that another person's safety.

Just a reminder!

[GolfTitan]

Agree'd and I know how you feel. I did the same thing a couple weeks ago on a par 4, dog leg right. There was a group of large tree's at the dog leg, so I had no visibility beyond that. I figured I would play a drive over the tree's, and a great drive it was.

 

Apparently there were people up on the green, who managed to shout some "kind words" back towards to the tee-box to let me know my ball was close to them.

 

Talk about a quick way to ruin the feeling of a great shot! No one was hurt, and some apologies and a cold one after the round brought everyone back up to spirits :man_in_love:

[Sean2]

I agree. 99.99% of the time I may not be able to hit into the group infront of me, but every once in a while...so I err on the side of caution.

 

In any event, since the yardage markers were off you didn't know. And, you did apologize.

[stevestrike]

I had a guy "drive the green" on a very short par 4 dogleg hole on me recently. His ball landed about 2ft behind me, and 2ft in front of my playing partner. It could have hurt either of us very badly. The sissy didn't even come up to apologize--he just hung back like a little girl and waited for us to clear, and then avoided us for the last three holes. At least you were man enough to go apologize.

 

Whenever I hit into a group, which I hate doing, I always make a point to rush ahead and apologize to them. If they want to cuss or shout--I suppose I deserve that. It's not worth the risk of hurting someone when it would be easy to wait 30 seconds more for a green to clear, or a group to move on.

[AcesAZ]

I've hit into people several times, not on purpose of course, well maybe once or twice.

 

You are sitting on the tee box getting ready to tee you are waiting for the group in front to hit their approaches. Once they hit and I think they are out of range I'll hit. Sometimes I'll just flush one and hit it even further than usual and hit into them, I'll apologize if I see them and most people are O.K. with it. One time this guy said "I have to shake your hand, I've never seen anyone hit it so far" I hit into them and he congratulates me. LOL

 

Another time we were playing a par 4 that was 330 yards slightly downhill, elevated green from the fairway so to reach it you'd have to fly it on. We'll I didn't think I could fly it 300+ so I hit when the people on the green were putting out, We'll I did fly it on the green and hit it to about 10 feet from the pin, One guy kind of jumped out of the way. Those guys were pretty pissed though, I just said "I didn't think I could hit it that far, Sorry."

[Sesh]

This happened to me once I was 280yds out and just messing around with some old persimmon woods i have and hit it off the deck with a wooden driver . It not only made it to the green (it was very dry out and I had hit a low burner) it rolled in the cup double eagle. The group in front wasn't mad I guess cause it went in but, I still apologized . Great shot , but I should have waited.

[danpass]

If you can't see them (like the dogleg example) and hit into them they have no right to be ticked.

 

 

 

Otherwise, nice shot and now you know, with your newfound powaH, to wait. :man_in_love:

[dday]

Some in my group get mad at me because I won't hit unless the group ahead is well better than 300 yards away, I consistantly hit between 260-280 but there are a few times I'll tater one 300+ and would hate to hit someone. I can wait for the group ahead to hit their second shot before hitting my drive, it's not worth hitting someone.

[kitsoasis]

well said stevie

 

i had that happened to me once

nearly hit someone just because i drove the ball much further than i had expected it to go

mind you this is at a course i play very regularly so i know how far i would hit for every hole

but these things just happens sometimes

an apology given and everyone's happy :man_in_love:

[sanddog28]

Some in my group get mad at me because I won't hit unless the group ahead is well better than 300 yards away, I consistantly hit between 260-280 but there are a few times I'll tater one 300+ and would hate to hit someone. I can wait for the group ahead to hit their second shot before hitting my drive, it's not worth hitting someone.

 

I couldnt agree with you more dday, lately a lot of the focus in my lessons is distance control even with the driver but there are those times when your body just seems to relax and remind you of your potential and when that happens my 280-290ish drives can easily get out over 310 and i don't know about anyone else but i have been hit with a fairway wood shot :man_in_love: and i would never want anyone to experience that on my account so i will always give that group a little more room just to be safe. Dealing with people behind you is easier than trying to explain why you hit a fellow golfer. I will say the closest i have come to hitting someone was on a long par 4 that had a down slope out at about 260 and right as i hit my drive my buddy starts yelling i knew it was clear but as i look up you see the group in front of us driving straight back our way, my drive bounced off of the top of there cart... i had knots in my stomach for the rest of the afternoon.

[Rockfish]

A few years back at Bethpage Black, 8th hole, Par 3, elevated tee I was playing as a single with 3 other guys, 2 of which were a son (about 22) and his father (48 ?).

 

We all got on the 8th green and decided to move aside and wave up the group behind. We stood off to the side and, looking back as a guy hit, we ended up looking almost directly into the sun. Not seeing the ball coming it hit the father just blow the rib cage and he went down like he'd been shot.

 

Fortunately it did not hit him in the ribs - it would have almost certainly broken 1 or 2 of them - it him him right where you do the "Heimlich Maneuver" and it just knocked the wind out of him.

 

But that was some scary s***...........

 

From the on I NEVER hit if there's ANY possibility of my hitting into someone...

[mcon22]

I had a funny experience like this once a few months back. We were on a pretty long par 5 with a blind second shot. I hit my second, a 7 or 8 iron layup when I thoguht the group ahead of us would be well out of range. When I got close enough (over a hill) to see where my shot landed, I realized they were still in the middle of the fairway, right where my ball had landed. I felt terrible, obviously, and apologized like a maniac. They were really nice and very understanding -- accepted my apology right away.

 

Anyway, after they cleared, and I was preparing to hit my wedge into the green, I got hit square on the ankle bone with a shot from the group behind us. It hurt like hell, but I had to laugh. Karma, as they say, is a bit*h.

[rl4673]

This happened to me this year. I was on a long par 4 and there was a group in front of me about 300 yds out. I don't hit that far and I never have. Well, I just caught this one and it went screaming left. There was a house that came out of nowhere and BAM! I hit the house. No time to yell fore. I made the walk of shame to see if the house was ok, but it must have been mad and didn't answer me back. Either that or I killed it.. :man_in_love:

[mr_divots]

This thread really attests to the importance of shouting "Fore!". I understand that it's rather unpleasant first of all to hit a wayward shot, but then to have to announce it at the top of your lungs to everyone within a couple holes of yourself...but this is a serious matter.

 

A couple weeks ago, I hooked a tee shot, not horribly, but enough to threaten the group on the adjacent fairway. The ball took off fairly straight and high, but when it started hooking I got that knot in my stomach, as the ball headed right toward a guy. I bellowed "Fore!" as loudly as I could, unfortunately it was just my lone voice in the wind as the numbnuts in my group offered no help. The ball plunked the guy squarely on the lower leg. Feeling like crap I walked over to him, he showed me the golf ball-sized lump on his calf. Did you hear me yell fore? I asked him, and he said he must not have been paying attention, but taking it in stride he said No hard feelings, and shook my hand. The other players in his group, standing a few yards away, did hear my warning though, so I was able to walk away from that situation knowing I had at least done my part.

 

On the next tee, waiting to hit, a line-drive comes screaming at our group and hits right into my stand bag, a few feet from where I'm standing. We look up and see a couple of guys near the adjacent fairway, looking over at us, frozen with horror and embarassment. Not a peep to warn us. Livid, I walk over to them and express my displeasure with a few choice F-words, saying Next time...you MUST yell FORE! THAT'S IT!! THAT'S ALL YOU GOTTA DO!!! Of course they're apologizing profusely while at the same time claiming ignorance of where the ball went.

 

So, my point in all of this is, for safety's sake, golfers must be diligent about warning others of incoming balls. I understand that there is sometimes a tendency to freeze up at a moment like that, and yelling Fore! is sometimes a little embarassing and always unwanted, but PLEASE PEOPLE! Original poster, if you see a ball heading anywhere remotely near people, please shout Fore! Better to err on the safe side, as it were.

Well said. I almost got hit in the head after I teed off on the 2nd tee yesterday. I had just bent down to pick up my tee, I started to stand back up, and I hear a "whoosh" past my head. Came within inches. Two teenage kids in the first fairway, one of whom hit it errantly. Not a word. He was only about 150 yards away from me when he hit, so its not like I couldn't hear him if he yelled. They stayed well back after I reminded them about the importance of yelling "Fore." I really lucked out there. (And the kid lucked out too!)

[juansky]

Just yell FORE!!! and give'm the cold shoulder.

[Mr Mizuno]

I know that sooo good. Almost the thing happend to me once, Par 4 305 meters at least 230 carry over water to reach the green. It was a bestball tourney and me mate told me to go for it and well so I did hit that baby to the middle of the green. Well the guys on the green were a bit upset :-D

[stevieheong]

Wow, I liked that double eagle story. Wish mine rolled in for that!

 

As for yelling fore, yeah, we often do that, especially on courses with adjacent fairways and such. But I guess I kinda locked up because it never occurred to me it would hit them until it did. You know from 200 meters out, its hard to gauge where the ball is landing, i was thinking maybe 30 - 40 meters behind them.

 

And we HAVE to apologise then and there, no hanging back and all that. Buy them jugs of beer, whatever it takes. I got hit in the ankle once and the back flight just sort of hung around the tee pretending nothing happened. I almost wanted to punt their ball into OB but resisted. They hung back pretty far to avoid us after that.

 

But still, for hitting the group in front, there is no excuse. I suppose its not that uncommon to make a mistake like this, but still, it gives any golfer a bad feeling. For the sanddog who got hit, stay alive and keep playing golf!!

[kitsoasis]

Just yell FORE!!! and give'm the cold shoulder.

 

its just that we don't know the ball is actually travelling that far...

not like we don't want to warn them about an incoming ball

:P

[oregongolf]

This thread really attests to the importance of shouting "Fore!". I understand that it's rather unpleasant first of all to hit a wayward shot, but then to have to announce it at the top of your lungs to everyone within a couple holes of yourself...but this is a serious matter.

 

A couple weeks ago, I hooked a tee shot, not horribly, but enough to threaten the group on the adjacent fairway. The ball took off fairly straight and high, but when it started hooking I got that knot in my stomach, as the ball headed right toward a guy. I bellowed "Fore!" as loudly as I could, unfortunately it was just my lone voice in the wind as the numbnuts in my group offered no help. The ball plunked the guy squarely on the lower leg. Feeling like crap I walked over to him, he showed me the golf ball-sized lump on his calf. Did you hear me yell fore? I asked him, and he said he must not have been paying attention, but taking it in stride he said No hard feelings, and shook my hand. The other players in his group, standing a few yards away, did hear my warning though, so I was able to walk away from that situation knowing I had at least done my part.

 

On the next tee, waiting to hit, a line-drive comes screaming at our group and hits right into my stand bag, a few feet from where I'm standing. We look up and see a couple of guys near the adjacent fairway, looking over at us, frozen with horror and embarassment. Not a peep to warn us. Livid, I walk over to them and express my displeasure with a few choice F-words, saying Next time...you MUST yell FORE! THAT'S IT!! THAT'S ALL YOU GOTTA DO!!! Of course they're apologizing profusely while at the same time claiming ignorance of where the ball went.

 

So, my point in all of this is, for safety's sake, golfers must be diligent about warning others of incoming balls. I understand that there is sometimes a tendency to freeze up at a moment like that, and yelling Fore! is sometimes a little embarassing and always unwanted, but PLEASE PEOPLE! Original poster, if you see a ball heading anywhere remotely near people, please shout Fore! Better to err on the safe side, as it were.

 

Well, did you end up with a good lie? :man_in_love:

[spinningwedge]

When I was a kid I was hauled up before the secretary and the commitee once for driving a par 4 with someone still on the green- and I did that deliberately- thankfully I've changed for the better.

 

Golf can be a very dangerous game, the ball is travelling very quickly in early flight and carries a lot of momentum when descending from the apex. I saw a man knocked cold out (not by me) by a drive at the end of its flight- his legs buckled and he collapsed like a house of cards- scary.

 

I must say I do enjoy shouting "Fore!"- I mean how many other times in modern life do you get to shout something at the top of your lungs? It's one of the coolest traditions of the game and my 5 year old daughter loves it.

[brad]

They got pretty nasty with their words, which was their right, I guess because I was in total shock. I drove up, apologised, got verbally abused and looked at my 10 feet putt for eagle.

 

 

I'm sorry but if you accidentally hit a ball within 3-4 feet, drove up and apologized, these clowns had no right to verbally abuse you for it. An apology should satisfy the situation and the number of times this happens on a golf course...

 

Good for you for taking the high road and not jawing back and forth with them. That would have put you back in the wrong, but courtesy and etiquette says that they were the a-holes in this situation

 

Great shot btw.

 

b.

[wkuo3]

Very few excuses would cover you if you hit into the group ahead, no matter what the circumstance would be.

Keep in mind, we all do not want to be at the receiving end plus as I know, most if not all of the home owner's policy had dropped the automatic liability coverage for on course accident.

You do not wish to be ended up paying for your impatience.

[bassman1308]

The owner of our course has a spot, larger than a golf ball, on the back of his hand where he got hit by a golf ball many yrs ago. The skin is almost white. This enters my mind when hitting with people in front of me. I also had a client get cold cocked in the forehead by a shanked iron out of the an adjoining fairway.

He was standing on the t-box waiting to hit his drive. When the ball hit him it bounced at least 50 yards. He fell like a rock and had a major headache for several hours.

[Adk Jake]

What to do, how you would play such a hole. My home course has a shortish par 4, 280 yds uphill, slight dog leg right. If I hit the perfect high cut, yeah, I can reach the green, maybe 1 out of 12 times, but usually on the 2nd or 3rd hop or rolls on. Couple of weeks ago, it's playing in to the wind, group ahead of us is putting. Figure, no way do I reach with the headwind, so I tee off. Absoulutely pure it, realize as the ball's at its apex-it's there, yell fore. Ball lands on front of green rolls to the back.

 

I'm walking, so can't race up in a cart, walk to front of tee box, "sorry guys-sorry. Two of the guys are pissed, one guy is non-plussed, the lady in the group says nice shot. When I'm playing the hole and am on the green, I always keep looking back to see what the group behind is doing, have at it, if you can drive it, more power to you, I'll move.

 

What should you do on a short par 4 that you may or may not reach? Wait (and probably duck hook it in to the hazard), holding up the group behind? Hit a 5 wood? Should the group ahead wave us up? Be ready to yell FORE?

[stevestrike]

What should you do on a short par 4 that you may or may not reach? Wait (and probably duck hook it in to the hazard), holding up the group behind? Hit a 5 wood? Should the group ahead wave us up? Be ready to yell FORE?

1. Wait for everyone else in your group to tee off, so the group in front has had time to clear

2. Play a further tee box

3. Hit a shorter club

 

Period. If there is a chance you could hit someone with your shot, you should not hit it. The damage you do to someone else could last a lifetime because you couldn't wait anther 60 seconds or lay up?

[Grum]

There are times you don't know people are there or if you can reach or not. It happens. Just make damned sure you apoligise. Have done it a few times, most people are okay about it. Have even had compliments like "I wish I could hit it that far" after driving through a group on the green of a blind par4. But there are people who will get abusive and aggressive.

 

Oh, and just remember, golf balls hurt :good: Having had a full on lob wedge thinned into my spine from about 20 yards, i know all about it.

[larrybud]

A few years back at Bethpage Black, 8th hole, Par 3, elevated tee I was playing as a single with 3 other guys, 2 of which were a son (about 22) and his father (48 ?).

 

We all got on the 8th green and decided to move aside and wave up the group behind. We stood off to the side and, looking back as a guy hit, we ended up looking almost directly into the sun. Not seeing the ball coming it hit the father just blow the rib cage and he went down like he'd been shot.

 

Fortunately it did not hit him in the ribs - it would have almost certainly broken 1 or 2 of them - it him him right where you do the "Heimlich Maneuver" and it just knocked the wind out of him.

 

But that was some scary s***...........

 

From the on I NEVER hit if there's ANY possibility of my hitting into someone...

 

That's a lesson in moving WAY away from the possible landing area when waving someone up. No way in the world should you be standing pin high when waving someone up. Just stand 30 yards behind the pin and TO THE RIGHT. Generally a right hander is going to hit it short of the pin if they spray the ball to the right of the pin.

[larrybud]

Just yell FORE!!! and give'm the cold shoulder.

 

its just that we don't know the ball is actually travelling that far...

not like we don't want to warn them about an incoming ball

:P

 

What's the harm in yelling fore even if the ball ends up 50 yards short of the people?

[handmadeaddicted]

I will tell you one thing I had a similar situation but I flew the group by about 50 yards. they had a tough time believing I didnt think I would get to them. They werent really happy about it.

[stevieheong]

Yeah, it happened once when the wind caught my ball and I absolutely cut the dogleg and hit it OVER the flight in front.

 

I agree with larrybud, we need to get into the habit of yelling out a warning, whether or not it reaches or stop short 50 yards or so. We are usually covered for liability here, up to half a mill or a million of our currency, which is about 300,000 USD depending on insurance package. Still, you don't want to be in a position to exercise it.

 

Great stories!