Warning opponent group ahead may be too close!

[Richard Williams]

In 4BBB our opponent had honour - he was a 5 handicapper who can drive 250+ there was a slight headwind and 4 ball ahead were being held up by a slow group ahead of them (we had already spoken to them to establish this). The group ahead were c240 yards ahead. I thought a good drive would reach or at least bounce within 20 yards so I said to me opponent ‘Jim but hadn’t you better hold on a bit … sorry!’ He stopped addressing the ball and then hit after a minute when the group ahead had cleared but duffed his drive - he then blamed me for ‘bad form’ stating he was a 5 handicapper who knows how far he hits the ball. I thought I acted in good faith to ensure safety of players ahead and at least not to press them unnecesarliy. Ps we were 2 up with three to play and won the hole!
Thoughts please!

 

[Voyager EMH]

Forget about it.

I may appear facetious by saying that, but it is my honest opinion based on many years of experience.
To dwell on the incident would get you nowhere.

You did have good reason to say what you said at the time.

 

[Slab]

Yeah forget it, you know why you warned him (player safety) so its all fine

If instead you’d thought, I’ll get him to step away and restart to see if it unsettles him at a crucial time and I’ll use the excuse that I think those players are in range… then he’d have a case to be narked

But it wasn’t so it isn’t so he can’t

If after his reset he’d stripped it center and 275 for his bestest longest drive for many a day, do you reckon he’d have given you the credit?

 

[clubchamp98]

What he said is probably correct in his head about his skill as a golfer.
But he’s wrong to blame you for a safety aspect, that’s sour grapes imo.
He should know better ,even 5 caps make mistakes.

I have been hit and knocked out by a golf ball and it’s not pleasant.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Safety is paramount, I would have done exactly as you did. Ignore him, it was bitterness talking.

 

[nickjdavis]

Yep, bitterness and sour grapes, nothing more. Imagine how you might have felt if you had said nothing and "Jim" had ploughed his ball into the back of the head of one of the guys up front?

 

[Bobthesock]

His own fault for listening to you. If I don't think I can reach the group in front I'm going, not going to listen to a hacker.

 

[IanM]

Reasonable comment to make. Even if they were not in range, the sound if a shot or a ball bouncing behind them while they hit is not good either.

He's just blaming you his bad shot.

You may have saved him from a Court Case. That's what I'd have reminded him of.

 

[Old Colner]

He is a big boy leave him to it, it's he who will suffer the consequences, nothing felt by me if a PP is inconsiderate and hits somebody with a ball, I just let them get on with it,

 

[rudebhoy]

He is a big boy leave him to it, it's he who will suffer the consequences, nothing felt by me if a PP is inconsiderate and hits somebody with a ball, I just let them get on with it,

And what about the poor guy he hits?

i think we all have a responsibility to safeguard other players. If you see someone about to do something which is likely to endanger another player, you are duty bound to point that out.

 

[jim8flog]

Many a time it not about where your ball finishes but where it lands. I've had few shot ruined after hearing another ball land in the area just behind me.

 

[BiMGuy]

Many a time it not about where your ball finishes but where it lands. I've had few shot ruined after hearing another ball land in the area just behind me.

We had a group follow us a couple of weeks ago that couldn’t reach many of the greens in two, but kept landing balls 20/30 yards short as we were putting, and one rolled up to the front fringe.

It’s very off putting when balls are landing fairly close as you are concentrating on a putt.

I had a polite word at we teed off on 9, but they didn’t see it being a problem

Thankfully they went in after 9 holes.

 

[IanM]

He is a big boy leave him to it, it's he who will suffer the consequences, nothing felt by me if a PP is inconsiderate and hits somebody with a ball, I just let them get on with it,

Just a thought. If you had the opportunity to prevent a serious injury, you wouldn't?

I guess that's one point of view.

 

[LincolnShep]

You did nothing wrong. Ignore him, it's just sour grapes.

 

[Swango1980]

Just a thought. If you had the opportunity to prevent a serious injury, you wouldn't?

I guess that's one point of view.

I'm guessing Old Colner would have a different view if it was him in front and he got smashed in the head by a ball. Especially if he found out later that the chap who played with the guilty golfer felt that Old Colner was still in range, but explained to everyone he just kept quiet because he didn't feel any responsibility in highlighting the issue.

Classic attitude of "bury your head in the sand and no one can blame you", until they do when it all goes pear shaped.

 

[Springveldt]

In 4BBB our opponent had honour - he was a 5 handicapper who can drive 250+ there was a slight headwind and 4 ball ahead were being held up by a slow group ahead of them (we had already spoken to them to establish this). The group ahead were c240 yards ahead. I thought a good drive would reach or at least bounce within 20 yards so I said to me opponent ‘Jim but hadn’t you better hold on a bit … sorry!’ He stopped addressing the ball and then hit after a minute when the group ahead had cleared but duffed his drive - he then blamed me for ‘bad form’ stating he was a 5 handicapper who knows how far he hits the ball. I thought I acted in good faith to ensure safety of players ahead and at least not to press them unnecesarliy. Ps we were 2 up with three to play and won the hole!
Thoughts please!

You did the right thing, I'd have told him not to hit as well. There is nothing worse than someone behind you teeing off because "they can't reach you" only for the ball to land 20 yards behind you, it's one of my pet peeves.

He's just looking for an excuse for a poor drive.

 

[Swango1980]

You did the right thing, I'd have told him not to hit as well. There is nothing worse than someone behind you teeing off because "they can't reach you" only for the ball to land 20 yards behind you, it's one of my pet peeves.

He's just looking for an excuse for a poor drive.

I sometimes get people saying

"I think you can go, I doubt you can hit the green from there. Even if you do, it'll only roll on"

My response it, I don't care. Even if I'm 10 yards short, I don't want the guys in front putting out, and then being distracted by hearing a ball land just short of the green.

Besides, give them a bit more time presently, then you'll be held up less on the next hole.

 

[LIG]

Last Saturday, on the second green, one of the young guys behind us hit into the green where I was just about to putt. No shout of Fore! Ball missed me by less than 3 feet and stopped a few feet further on. The pitchmark was directly behind my head from where he played. I was so affected my 15ft par putt rolled all of 4 feet!!

Having finished the hole our 4-ball moved off but I waited beside the green to have a word with the culprit. His excuses - "I only hit a wedge from 150", "The group behind are pushing us", "I was trying to lay up".
Who tries to lay up when the green is comfortably in range?

After pointing out that, at the very least, a shout should have been given and that I wouldn't tolerate any further similar instances I got a mumbled "Sorry!".

On the positive side, I used that incident to justify my utterly abismal play that day.

 

[Old Colner]

I'm guessing Old Colner would have a different view if it was him in front and he got smashed in the head by a ball. Especially if he found out later that the chap who played with the guilty golfer felt that Old Colner was still in range, but explained to everyone he just kept quiet because he didn't feel any responsibility in highlighting the issue.

Classic attitude of "bury your head in the sand and no one can blame you", until they do when it all goes pear shaped.

Actually no, that is not my attitude at all, the point I was making was in my experience and that of the OP no notice was taken of the advise given and they carried on regardless.

 

[Bobthesock]

I sometimes get people saying

"I think you can go, I doubt you can hit the green from there. Even if you do, it'll only roll on"

My response it, I don't care. Even if I'm 10 yards short, I don't want the guys in front putting out, and then being distracted by hearing a ball land just short of the green.

Besides, give them a bit more time presently, then you'll be held up less on the next hole.

This is one of the causes of slow play. If I see people in front waiting too long I like to roll a ball up close to then.
That will speed them up I say to my playing partners