Leaving a tee next to someone's ball...

[JJFWebster]

Does anyone here do this? I had it happen to me today. The ball was actually resting against the tee and moved when I pulled it out. I was so annoyed I returned the tee to the group a hole and a half later when green/tee box were in close proximity. The conversation did not go well (surprise) and basically ended with me telling them they weren't making any friends pulling stunts like that.

 

Bit of context: It's a private club and the par 5 has a hill that obscures the view of carries over ~280 yards (3800 ft elevation). The first 4 holes played quick with no waits. We saw the group ahead when we arrived to the box on #5 but they drove under the hill a minute or two later. We waited around 5 - 6 mins, after losing sight of them, and hit. My drive was solid, caught the down slope, and got around 30 yards of roll. As we drove up we noticed the group ahead was waiting to hit 3rd shots. It surprised us but they where still ~40-50 yards beyond my ball.

 

When I'm under the hill I leave my cart or bag on top so groups know we are still there. Especially if I noticed longer hitters behind. IMO their own ignorance caused the situation. I get that shorter hitters might not recognize the issue but to jam a tee against my ball... It seems like a childish, passive aggressive way to send a message. 

[anth]

**leaves to get popcorn

[tatertot]

Not sure I get the issue here ...

 

You hit into group (accidentally) ...  they let you know it (non-violently, non-confrontationally) ... you made it confrontational?

[toc]

When you hit into a group, no matter what the circumstance, you have absolutely no right to be the perturbed party.

[SamboRoll]

Where I live and play the proper way is to tee up the ball if a group behind you hits it too close without yelling fore. I’ve done it myself once. To be fair, a simple apology from your side would have cleared the situation. It is always player’s and playing group’s responsibility to check that the course is clear before their next shot and knowing safe distances with one’s shot yardages. 

[caeye0710]

1 hour ago, toc said:

When you hit into a group, no matter what the circumstance, you have absolutely no right to be the perturbed party.

Well said. 

[caniac6]

If I’m playing in a group with a cart, I will take that cart, and ride ahead on a blind hole to see if it is clear. I take responsibility rather than the group in front. Did you apologize for hitting in to them? Just take the tee away, and feel lucky you didn’t hit anyone.

[lefty1978]

Usually a decent person would drive up and apologize for hitting into them. Maybe next time drive up and check if all is clear first, that's your responsibility.

[BlackDiamondPar5]

In addition to what others have said, it also sounds like the course needs to install a bell or light system to indicate the blind area is clear. 

[billybaroo]

Hitting into a group in front if you is like a rear-end car accident, it is almost always the fault of the person who struck into (hit) the person (car) in front. 

Many of us have done it unintentionally. Do the right thing; apologize, do 10 push ups as penalty, and move on. 🙂 

[J13]

Fault is on both sides.  1. Because you guys didn't check by riding down to see if it was clear and 2. Group in the fairway has a responsibility to make sure the group behind knows they are still in the fairway.  Especially at a private club, everyone should know the deal on a hole like that.

[JJFWebster]

Interesting. I've never seen anyone take the 250 yard drive down that fairway to check. If it was a public course I would've understood but I expected members to know the layout on their own course. 

 

I'll bring it up with the pro to see what he suggests. 

[ND2005]

34 minutes ago, JJFWebster said:

 

 

I'll bring it up with the pro to see what he suggests. 

 
lol as if we needed any more proof that you’re “that guy”

[JJFWebster]

Well I'm at a bit of a loss here. Either I am annoying the group behind, driving out and back to check clearance or I am rolling into the group in front. Neither option seems great. He will be able to push for a bell or camera if we need it.

[ChipStrokes]

3 minutes ago, JJFWebster said:

Either I am annoying the group behind, driving out and back to check clearance

 

how slow are your golf carts?

[JJFWebster]

Not that slow but 250 yards out, driving stake to stake, and no turn-around back at the box is awkward to navigate. Group behind will almost certainly drive past my box when they arrive. Sounds like I'm "that guy" no matter what I do here.

[Rocky Ball-boa]

5 minutes ago, JJFWebster said:

Not that slow but 250 yards out, driving stake to stake, and no turn-around back at the box is awkward to navigate. Group behind will almost certainly drive past my box when they arrive. Sounds like I'm "that guy" no matter what I do here.

 

Around where I play nobody has carts, so I don't know if that's normal or not.

But fwiw, while I agree with the above posters that you didn't handle the initial situation as well as you could have, I agree that you should probably bring it up with the club.

Blind tee shots is a pretty solved problem in the golfing world, and it's in their interest to add a tower/mirror/bell/light/whatever if it causes stress or friction between members.

 

As a side-note; kudos for being a level headed grown-up on the Internet in the face of a "you did wrong barrage" 👍

[CaseyC]

Were you a single?

 

[Soloman1]

Golf courses managed by people with more than a 70 IQ install a bell, or a red/green light on the tee operated by a switch/button on a pole next to the cart path down the fairway on blind drive holes like that.

 

In the world of today, the odds are not good that the management will understand the concept. And let's not forget that a bell could cost upwards of $5 and no golf course has the capital investment budget to support that kind of massive project.

 

 

Edited July 18, 2021 by Soloman1

[2bGood]

24 minutes ago, JJFWebster said:

Not that slow but 250 yards out, driving stake to stake, and no turn-around back at the box is awkward to navigate. Group behind will almost certainly drive past my box when they arrive. Sounds like I'm "that guy" no matter what I do here.

You said you waited 5-6min. That is plenty of time to drive to the top of the hill if you wanted to get an idea of what was going on ahead.

 

Bottom line though is the guys ahead are not the villains in this scenario. They simply sent you are very gentle message that you hit into them. 

Edited July 18, 2021 by 2bGood

[CaseyC]

Royal St. George's has several blind shots and not bells, lights etc. for the members to use.

[ND2005]

38 minutes ago, JJFWebster said:

Well I'm at a bit of a loss here. Either I am annoying the group behind, driving out and back to check clearance or I am rolling into the group in front. Neither option seems great. He will be able to push for a bell or camera if we need it.

your choices are pretty easy - either wait long enough to ensure the fairway is clear, or drive up to take a look. 
 

or apologize and take your lumps if you do unintentionally hit into the group ahead. 
 
You did what you definitely should not do, escalate and confront them and imply they were in the wrong, then further escalate by involving the club pro. 

[Hawkeye77]

Simple question - is there a point where if they've played their second or whatever shots you can then see them from the tee as they emerge and proceed on?

[JJFWebster]

33 minutes ago, 2bGood said:

You said you waited 5-6min. That is plenty of time to drive to the top of the hill if you wanted to get an idea of what was going on ahead.

 

Bottom line though is the guys ahead are not the villains in this scenario. They simply sent you are very gentle message that you hit into them. 

5 - 6 mins from the time we last saw them. We waited 10+ on the box and then they were still waiting when we arrived. I can drive down but it's not a short drive and then I will have to wait until they address the ball so wasting 5 mins driving back/hitting my shot. I think it's certain to cause issues behind me but I'll give it a shot. 🤷‍♂️

[BlackDiamondPar5]

Yeah it really wasn't a big deal. It's odd that you were annoyed. Honestly not sure why. They sent you a gentle message that you hit into them. 

 

Agreed the whatever the protocol at a private club it should be followed. Better yet install a bell. 

 

 

[MountainKing]

So a guy leaves a tee next to your ball after you hit into him and you're pissed?  Now you want to tattle to the pro? 

Edited July 18, 2021 by MountainKing

[JJFWebster]

1 minute ago, MountainKing said:

So a guy leaves a tee next to your ball after you hit into him and you're pissed?  Now you want to tattle to the pro? 

Obviously I don't care to mention her name. My conversation was also not about what happened but how she could avoid it in the future. Giving the tee back clearly negated any productive conversation.

[CaseyC]

7 minutes ago, JJFWebster said:

 We waited 10+ on the box and then they were still waiting when we arrived...

 

If you waited 10+ on the box, you must have been waiting on almost every shot all day.

[caniac6]

1 hour ago, JJFWebster said:

Not that slow but 250 yards out, driving stake to stake, and no turn-around back at the box is awkward to navigate. Group behind will almost certainly drive past my box when they arrive. Sounds like I'm "that guy" no matter what I do here.

Hopefully, not "that guy", but a simple apology would have been the appropriate response. You didn't hit into them on purpose, and they didn't hit your ball back or put it in their pocket. It was a tee next to a ball. I'm sure, from your description, this was not the first time this has happened on this hole. Also, this being a private club, you are going to have to see these guys again. Everything does not have to result in a confrontation.

[JJFWebster]

2 minutes ago, CaseyC said:

 

If you waited 10+ on the box, you must have been waiting on almost every shot all day.

It was quick to that point. Not sure what happened.