Hitting within 20 yards of group in front of you

[filthee]

Not cool, right?

A buddy and I were stuck behind a foursome of 80+ year olds who were extremely slow. We were fine with it and sort of enjoyed watching how they managed the course.

The problem was we had another foursome (retirees as well) who insisted on yelling 'hit the ball!' at us if we waited for the group ahead to leave the green.

Now I had a 6 iron in my hand waiting to take a shot at the green. I probably wouldn't have hit the green but I would've come close and might've hit the green with a nice shot.

Their pestering continued for 9 holes until the final hole when the leader of the group gets out and yells 'Hit the damn ball! You couldn't hit that green with a cannon!'

Again, the green was occupied and about 160 yards out.

Am I incorrect in thinking that I should not take a chance hitting at an occupied green well within my range?

[bscinstnct]

that is crazy. surprised they did not hit into you guys.

of course you don't hit into an occupied green.

I hit into an occupied green once when I first started. Felt pressure to hit from my group who figured since
I was 200 yards out, I had no chance. Hit a sky high shot that landed with a thud on the front of the green and
fortunately did not hit any of the people. Felt a lump in my throat.

Never again.

[Sawgrass]

Your "friend" in the group behind you sounds like the same jerk who's ten cars back at an intersection, can't see what's going on ahead, but needs to lean on his horn for 30 seconds to get things moving.

And yeah, for God's sake, don't end up hurting someone just to save some time! It's not like you were 350 yards away and only had the capability of hitting it 200.

[filthee]

lol... they actually sorta did. On the last hole while we were waiting for the green to clear I hear a splash behind me. They'd teed off into a creek. They drove up to drop their ball and as my buddy and I were leaving the green I hear a ball drop about 20 yards behind me and roll up fairly close.

What can you do though? Nobody wins when you yell at an old person.

[The Duck]

Just report bad behavior if they do not apologize to the the club management

[Chicago Lefty]

[quote name='filthee' date='26 March 2010 - 10:47 AM' timestamp='1269618442' post='2342250']What can you do though? Nobody wins when you yell at an old person.
[/quote]


I would have definitely said something. Especially when they started firing balls at my group.

[jlam1127]

lol... they actually sorta did. On the last hole while we were waiting for the green to clear I hear a splash behind me. They'd teed off into a creek. They drove up to drop their ball and as my buddy and I were leaving the green I hear a ball drop about 20 yards behind me and roll up fairly close.

 

What can you do though? Nobody wins when you yell at an old person.

 

 

You hit that same ball into the same creek they teed off into.... no discussion needed...

[Pepperturbo]

[quote name='filthee' date='26 March 2010 - 09:12 AM' timestamp='1269616340' post='2342160']
A buddy and I were stuck behind a foursome of 80+ year olds who were extremely slow. We were fine with it and sort of enjoyed watching how they managed the course.

The problem was we had another foursome (retirees as well) who insisted on yelling 'hit the ball!' at us if we waited for the group ahead to leave the green.

Now I had a 6 iron in my hand waiting to take a shot at the green. I probably wouldn't have hit the green but I would've come close and might've hit the green with a nice shot.

Their pestering continued for 9 holes until the final hole when the leader of the group gets out and yells 'Hit the damn ball! You couldn't hit that green with a cannon!'

Again, the green was occupied and about 160 yards out.

Am I incorrect in thinking that I should not take a chance hitting at an occupied green well within my range?
[/quote]
You are correct, and acted appropriately.  Hitting to within 20yds of a group isn't called for.  Lot's of golfers experience the apprehension you did figuring "what if I nut it" scenario.  That's why it's so important to know carry yardages, and a reasonable measure of how consistently you strike the ball to realize those yardages.

A friend 65 has no real idea how far he carries the ball, just a perception at how far he hits it, even then he doesn't hit the ball very far now.  When I tell him yardage I regularly tell him go ahead and hit, knowing his yardages better then he does.  Sometimes he stops himself and says "I'd better wait".  That's when I have to decide to say he can't hit them... or just stay quiet.

I, on the other hand at 60 yrs old carry 6i 165-170+.  If someone was doing that behind me, at a certain point I'd head back to have a chat.  Some old men are slow, and many grow inpatient making assumptions based on knowing their own inability.

[wfrogge1]

I fired into a group in front of me after my group and another were stacked on a tee box for 20 minutes waiting for a group a head to clear. One cart was 290+ away and everybody said "theres no way you will hit them".... They were right... I went OVER the cart and almost got my arse beat because of it.

You know your game better than anybody else. If they have an issue tell them to call the club house an complain.

[bscinstnct]

[quote name='filthee' date='26 March 2010 - 11:47 AM' timestamp='1269618442' post='2342250']
lol... they actually sorta did. On the last hole while we were waiting for the green to clear I hear a splash behind me. They'd teed off into a creek. They drove up to drop their ball and as my buddy and I were leaving the green I hear a ball drop about 20 yards behind me and roll up fairly close.

What can you do though? Nobody wins when you yell at an old person.
[/quote]

these clowns were probably trying to hit you and just stink too much to do it. what a bunch of weirdos. sounds like a "gang" from "[b]Del Boca Vista[/b]" on the loose.

these things happen, fortunately, only once a year or less to me. usually, folks are very cool. if my group is slow, I am aware of it and I always offer a faster group to play through. surprisingly, the usual response is something like "don't worry about it, where are we going?"

who says New Yawkuhs are not cordial?

[filthee]

LMAO, how'd you know I was in Boca Raton?

[hawaiicy]

It's never worth hitting someone just to maintain pace of play. Hopefully the course marshals are out there monitoring that, but if not, there's nothing you can do but take a chill pill and tell the group behind to the do same. As a long hitter, this happens to me all the time, especially on those drivable par 4s.

[puttingmatt]

It is dangerous, I always let them clear if I feel I am to close. Not worth
hurting someone.

[faberj12]

I have only done this once but man was it satisfying: I was in the same position as the OP and after a few holes of having the group behind me yell at us to hurry up, one of them decided to hit his approach shot into the green while I was putting. The ball didn't come very close but it hit the green nonetheless. I simply walked to my bag, pulled out my driver, walked over the the gentleman's ball, proceeded to tee it up on the fringe, and crushed one straight into the vineyard next to the golf course. The foursome behind me didn't say another word the whole round and actually waited back to create more space between the groups .

[filthee]

I'm loving these responses. On the ride home I thought of 100 great things to yell back but, of course, at the time I just shut up and concentrated on my next shot.

[filthee]

The best one, IMO, being, 'Hey, if your fellow infantrymen from the [i]War of 1812[/i] in front of us would hurry up I wouldn't be standing here.'

[TheLastDon]

I have only done this once but man was it satisfying: I was in the same position as the OP and after a few holes of having the group behind me yell at us to hurry up, one of them decided to hit his approach shot into the green while I was putting. The ball didn't come very close but it hit the green nonetheless. I simply walked to my bag, pulled out my driver, walked over the the gentleman's ball, proceeded to tee it up on the fringe, and crushed one straight into the vineyard next to the golf course. The foursome behind me didn't say another word the whole round and actually waited back to create more space between the groups .

 

I've done this a time or two, but I always fired it back over there heads. Although once it was a tee ball hit into us so I had to "layup" with a 7 iron so I didn't hit them.

[rblmp32]

Next time call the pro shop. Let the pro or a ranger deal with it.

But yeah, they're way out of line telling you to hit into a group like that. That's absurd.

[teejaywhy]

[quote name='filthee' date='26 March 2010 - 08:12 AM' timestamp='1269616340' post='2342160']
...
Am I incorrect in thinking that I should not take a chance hitting at an occupied green well within my range?
[/quote]

You are not incorrect sir.

Perhaps the gentlemen behind you don't realize that not everyone plays a 390 yard par 4 as a three-shotter. Or maybe their eyesight was so bad they couldn't see the people in front of you.

I typically ignore anyone who yells at me from afar. But after 9 holes of this, I would likely lose my sense of decorum.

[Titleist1455]

Wait wait wait....do i have this straight??

You were 160 yards away from the green (with people STILL ON IT) and the group behind you wanted you to hit your shot?? Seriously?? So they really wanted you to hit a 7 or 8 iron into a green that had PEOPLE on it!!?!?!?!?

That's just like hitting into an average par 3 while the group is still putting!

Those guys are idiots!

[_MS22_]

Two things to do:
1. Call the pro shop and have a Marshall sent out to tell the old guys to let you play through and to chill the other guys out.
2. Pick up and play the next tee ahead of the slow guys.

I've done both many times. Yes, I call the shop from the course. Always throws them when you say "I am on 6, yes your course, hole six!"

And if someone hits into you either hit it back or take it, all depends on the ball.

[thegolfguy007]

i have had this happen twice and the first time i smashed it out of bounds off property the second time i took the ball to my cart left the guy a note saying exactly what i wouldnt yell on it in shaprie and teed it up for him right next to the cup so they had to move it to put both shut them up and the note on his ball was bonus because he couldnt have played it after what i wrote without being distracted. used a few choice words, turns out he was a member of the course and the pro confronted me with the ball after the round and i asked why i has done it i explained to him it was on the green at the same time i was and he got angry with the man behind me, one other thing i would suggest if this happens again stop and have a sandwich after 9 and let them pass 30 min is worth not dealing with it and a beverage or 2 on the turn never hurts

[usfbulls09]

Hitting from 160 is a 6/7, they really didn't think you would be able to get that distance? These guys are idiots. When I first started out, I was ~220 away on a par 5 after a miraculous drive (for me, average for golfwrx) and my friend and I both thought there was not a chance for me to hit onto the green from there, since my 3 wood is very inconsistent and I was hitting 200 at most with it. But, of course, I somehow make perfect contact and the ball lands 10 yards short of the green and rolls up the hill. Now, it never got on the green, but I will never make that mistake again. From 160, I wouldn't dream of hitting into another group...

[stevestrike]

Get hit into? Try this: Whip "it" out and lay down some casual water on their ball.

[bingbing24]

people dont understand how dangerous hitting a golf ball into an area whwre others are!! you did the right thing by waiting and not hitting. I have had balls land on the green near me and i pick their ball up and throw it if it has happened before, other times ill put it on a tee. it all depends on the situation. There will always be the exception where someone hits the 3 wood of their life and the ball trickles on the green, but to airmail one onto a green while people are putting is ridiculous

[Ferg]

It is not worth the risk. There is no point. Say you hit ahead and don't hit into them. What do you save? 2 minutes? Guess what, your right there again at the next hole. All you end up saving is a couple of minutes at the end of the day.

[larrybud]

[quote name='filthee' date='26 March 2010 - 03:51 PM' timestamp='1269633089' post='2342744']
I'm loving these responses. On the ride home I thought of 100 great things to yell back but, of course, at the time I just shut up and concentrated on my next shot.
[/quote]
Just tell them "hey, the jerk store called, and they're all out of you!"

[mission_scratch]

I always find it funny, when a group behind you, that are playing the same pace as you, get impacient because a group ahead of you, or a few groups ahead are slow. If you are in a hurry, and have some where to be, the golf course is not for you. sometimes the funnest rounds are 4 1/2 or 5 rounds, where you have a few mins to chat it up with the fellas. as long as its not tooo much time inbetween shots. No Reason to put someone in danger by hitting into them when the ppl behind are just in a hurry to hit bad shots.

[Zooko23]

I laugh at ppl like this! You play golf to get away from ppl like that. And if you looking for a quick 9 ummm play somewhere else. A normal round of golf takes 3-5 hours. If you dont have that time play what you can and dont complain.

Also note to the op. Always wait! Always assume you are going to hit the shot you intend too. If you are 165 yards out and you know your 7 iron goes 170 yards wait! Who cares what the other idiots think. Call the proshop get the pro or whoever out there to handle it. Dont let a bunch of idiots ruin your day of golf. Because more than likely the round in itslef could ruin your day.HAHA

[dewnami]

[quote name='larrybud' date='04 April 2010 - 05:56 PM' timestamp='1270418192' post='2360317']
[quote name='filthee' date='26 March 2010 - 03:51 PM' timestamp='1269633089' post='2342744']
I'm loving these responses. On the ride home I thought of 100 great things to yell back but, of course, at the time I just shut up and concentrated on my next shot.
[/quote]
Just tell them "hey, the jerk store called, and they're all out of you!"
[/quote]


HAHHAHAHHA, thats awesome. When I read that post I thought of the same exact thing!

(Seinfeld reference for those not in the know)