Balls Flying Everywhere

[GB72]

The season is only a few weeks old and I have probably had more 'close calls' to being hit with a ball this season than I had in the whole of last year. I am not talking the ones that trickle up to your feet or land 20 yards away that are shrugged off with a polite raising of the hand. I am talking ones that have flown past at speed within a few feet and a couple that would have hit if I had not ducked. I am not sure what has caused this (worse golfers, hurried play meaning that you hit the ball when you probably ought not to, too many people on the course or just pure bad luck) but I have also noticed that the shouts of 'fore' in most cases have been pretty feeble if made at all.

Is this unique or has anyone else started noticing more close calls on the course and no loud and distinct warning.

 

[G_Mulligan]

I use the short game area between the 4th and 5th fairway and when people are off the whites it can be a pretty hairy place to be. I do get annoyed when they don't shout fore if one is coming close.

I was playing a par 3 course couple of weeks ago and I was about to take my shot when a guy came in between the trees to the right of the green looking for his ball. He stopped when he saw me and held up his hand inviting me to play. I leaked one right STRAIGHT at him, not close, not in his direction, like a frigging laser. I gave a very loud fore but he was already looking at the green in expectation of seeing my ball land. I then gave another very anxious FORE pointing at the ball line and winced as it landed 1 foot in front of him and plugged. He did not bat an eye lid just waved and pointed at the ball telling me where it landed (like I did not know already) I went over very apologetic but he just waved me off smiling.

 

[USER1999]

You guys just need to play on a day when RickG isn't on the course.

 

[jeardley]

Theres a muni near stoke i played once, bit of a dump.... the fairways cross each other on numerous parts of the course.
Its bloody lethal, you need a hard hat to play it!!!!

never played it again.

 

[HRC99]

I was playing the other week in a competition and hit a reasonable drive down the second. About 220 or so but a few yards ahead of my playing partners. We were right up with the pace of play and as soon as it was clear, they hit their approaches and I was stood over mine when one of my playing partners yelled at me as a ball bounced very close to me.

It had come off the second tee so I turned, waved at them to indicate watch out and went to address my ball. Again a ball ran up close to me.

Turned around again, only to see a third one teeing off once again. Fortunately, he missed the fairway by miles by which time my fourball is turned facing the tee incredulous at what is happening. Whereupon the fourth one tees off straight at us again. We had to take evasive action again.

At that point, one of my playing partners pulls out his 7 iron and proceeds to hammer two of the balls way out into the middle of the rough.

They caught us up on the tee, full of apologies: "I've never hit it that far before", "I've never managed to hit the fairway", " We didn't see you." etc.

All total crap given that we were stood in the middle of the fairway in plain view and only 200-220 yards off the tee.

They then asked if we'd seen two of their balls as apparently they had just vanished . They didn't seem to chuffed when we told them what had happened to them.

They then let two groups through on the next hole to make sure we didn't run into them again.

 

[SwingSlow]

The sunshine is bringing more people out - with attend short term memory loss on etiquette - and I don't think people have clocked how much further the balls are travelling through the warmer, drier air.

Or there could just be a greater number of knobs on the course.

 

[stevelev]

I was playing the other week in a competition and hit a reasonable drive down the second. About 220 or so but a few yards ahead of my playing partners. We were right up with the pace of play and as soon as it was clear, they hit their approaches and I was stood over mine when one of my playing partners yelled at me as a ball bounced very close to me.

It had come off the second tee so I turned, waved at them to indicate watch out and went to address my ball. Again a ball ran up close to me.

Turned around again, only to see a third one teeing off once again. Fortunately, he missed the fairway by miles by which time my fourball is turned facing the tee incredulous at what is happening. Whereupon the fourth one tees off straight at us again. We had to take evasive action again.

At that point, one of my playing partners pulls out his 7 iron and proceeds to hammer two of the balls way out into the middle of the rough.

They caught us up on the tee, full of apologies: "I've never hit it that far before", "I've never managed to hit the fairway", " We didn't see you." etc.

All total crap given that we were stood in the middle of the fairway in plain view and only 200-220 yards off the tee.

They then asked if we'd seen two of their balls as apparently they had just vanished . They didn't seem to chuffed when we told them what had happened to them.

They then let two groups through on the next hole to make sure we didn't run into them again.

Something similar happened to me during the winter, the group behind were only 150 yards back. 3 of the four balls landed past us. I got out my 9 iron, and proceeded to hit all of their balls straight back towards them, then run back down to them and told them in no uncertain terms that if they ever do anything so stupid as that in my sight it wont be the golf balls I'll be knocking back.

Some people just don't think,BTW my 9 iron only goes 115. They left the course straight after that and it was only on the 5th hole. I still reported them to the pro-shop.

 

[JamesS]

I got hit by a ball once. We (2-ball) were waiting mid-fairway for the group on the green to finish and then the people on the tee behind (3-ball) got impatient and just took their shots without even warning us.

I heard a plop near us and said what was that to my partner, not realising. Then the next person hit me on the back of the leg with their ball.

Not an appology or anything. We just let them go through. Better in front than behind.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Got hit a few years ago right in the back. Played my approach into the green and hadn't even picked up the bag to move on. Was putting the club in the bag and the guy teed off. Once bounce and full pelt into the bottom of the back. I went down like an Italian defender as it bloody hurt and it was a hell of a shock. He said he didn't think he could reach. I have to be honest the red mist came down and if I could have stood properly I'd probably have swung for him. I made sure everyone knew what a tosser he was in the bar after and he offered to buy me a drink. Wasn't impressed.

I tried to play but after three or four holes it started to stiffen and made it almost impossible to make a passable swing. As it was a competition I carried on so I could mark the card but couldn't enjoy my game