Time to start penalising Pro's for not shouting fore..

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Why hasn't either of the big tours started to penalise players for not shouting fore. Someone is getting struck week after week. What does it take, a spectator or player being killed by a stray ball:mmm:
If players don't shout, why the hell don't the caddies shout fore. Are ego's on the tour that delicate!:angry:
 
I cant remember who it was out of Furyk or Kuch yesterday in the Tour Championship, but on the first tee his was ball was going right off the tee. He nonchalantly stuck his club out to the right and turned his back on his ball. The next shot from the TV coverage was the crowd cowering as this ball flew at them.

Now i know some people will argue the marshals are there to warn the crown but whats stopping them shouting fore right ?!

As you say, one day a member of the public will be seriously hurt, when all come of been avoided
 
Who cares, they have marshals to shout for them and signal where the ball is heading
 
I know that if you buy a ticket to a golf event (like most sports) you accept the 'risk'. But, I wonder if the golfer who doesn't shout is professionally negligent and whether that constitute a lack of a duty of care so actually means there could be a liability for damages !
 
If they shout the crowd would move out if the way and the ball would go further into the crap. By not shouting it may hit someone and bounce back into the fairway. Result!
 
DaveM said:
If they shout the crowd would move out if the way and the ball would go further into the crap. By not shouting it may hit someone and bounce back into the fairway. Result!
Click to expand...

Exactly. Better off if it hits someone on the bonce and lands on the fairway.
 
Being saying for ages, sooner or later in the US someone is going to sue either the tour, probably the playerand find some hot shot lawyer that gets around the "you're there at your own risk" and claim negligence as there was not warning given. Once it happens once, especially if it's a pro getting sued then you can bet your last dime they'll start hollering then
 
I wonder why this is not seen to apply to us amateurs?

Other players also know the risk and if the person striking the ball shouts "fore", then why should he be held liable? Yet we are all exhorted to hold insurance, primarily because of a recent landmark case where someone got sued.
 
Big D 88 said:
I cant remember who it was out of Furyk or Kuch yesterday in the Tour Championship, but on the first tee his was ball was going right off the tee. He nonchalantly stuck his club out to the right and turned his back on his ball. The next shot from the TV coverage was the crowd cowering as this ball flew at them.

Now i know some people will argue the marshals are there to warn the crown but whats stopping them shouting fore right ?!
Click to expand...

I think this is an excellent example of the difference between perception and reality

For the crowd to act as you say they did they are aware that the ball is heading their way...........so just exactly what is it that Jim or Matt did or didn't do that would have made a difference?

It is likely that there was a shout from those in position behind the player but microphones are set up to avoid broadcasting that; also with tee shots carrying 300+ a single player's shout simply isn't going to carry that distance with any impact. On par 3 holes it's more relevant and more prevalent (although not all do it).

If someone's watching then the indication with the club of the direction the balls heading is much better than a shout of fore - and this applies to situations when you are playing through as club players as well. Where people aren't watching and there's a wild ball loose then a scream of fore will of course draw everyone's attention to the existence of a danger somewhere on the course; with an indication of the direction it's coming from if not the likely targets!

Real safety options are -
1. Provide a megaphone to a dedicated marshall on the tee who can then communicate over 300 yds
2. Keep the spectators away from the landing areas...
3. insist that all spectators wear hard hats
 
duncan mackie said:
I think this is an excellent example of the difference between perception and reality

For the crowd to act as you say they did they are aware that the ball is heading their way...........so just exactly what is it that Jim or Matt did or didn't do that would have made a difference?

It is likely that there was a shout from those in position behind the player but microphones are set up to avoid broadcasting that; also with tee shots carrying 300+ a single player's shout simply isn't going to carry that distance with any impact. On par 3 holes it's more relevant and more prevalent (although not all do it).

If someone's watching then the indication with the club of the direction the balls heading is much better than a shout of fore - and this applies to situations when you are playing through as club players as well. Where people aren't watching and there's a wild ball loose then a scream of fore will of course draw everyone's attention to the existence of a danger somewhere on the course; with an indication of the direction it's coming from if not the likely targets!

Real safety options are -
1. Provide a megaphone to a dedicated marshall on the tee who can then communicate over 300 yds
2. Keep the spectators away from the landing areas...
3. insist that all spectators wear hard hats
Click to expand...

I'm sure player and caddie giving a healthy shout of "fore" would be far safer then some one half arsed pointing a club in the general direction and expecting a Marshall to spot it.
 
bozza said:
I'm sure player and caddie giving a healthy shout of "fore" would be far safer then some one half arsed pointing a club in the general direction and expecting a Marshall to spot it.
Click to expand...

but

1. the post I responded to made it clear that the crowd were well aware of the danger
2. we don't know if the caddie gave a shout or not (no microphone on them only a directional one on the players' club head which will pick up players but not those behind)
3. we can't know if any shout would be heard at that range

to be clear on my position - is it the player's responsibility to ensure that a shout exists; yes
should they always add their voice to that shout; not necessarily
if safety really is an issue are there more obvious steps; clearly
 
I think players should shout Fore and indicate where the ball is going, but I think it would be very difficult to properly implement a rule on penalising them, and it would be unworkable.

What happens when a player hits a ball straight at the flag but it overshoots and lands near the gallery. Is that a penalty?
 
bozza said:
I'm sure player and caddie giving a healthy shout of "fore" would be far safer then some one half arsed pointing a club in the general direction and expecting a Marshall to spot it.
Click to expand...

As Duncan explained, the crowd were DUCKING, they knew it was coming their way. Which part don't you get?
 
Can't really penalise them whilst playing but maybe a fine system should be in place ? Or would it matter to multi millionaire golfers

We all know why they don't shout fore and they need to find a way to encourage more to shout fore

Thankfully I don't see it happening much in club golf - it's a very rare occasion where I have witnessed people not shouting fore for wayward shots
 
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