What do you do when you hear FORE!?

[sacm3bill]

Why do people duck? What if the ball coming your way is a low-flying shank? If you duck you´ll only increase the risk of getting hit in the head. It´s almost impossible to figure out where the ball is coming from, so might as well just keep walking or standing or doing whatever it is you are doing when you hear it, because odds are just the same that you will be hit no matter what you do.

I disagree. You pointed out the single

dis advantage of ducking: It could put your head in the line of the ball if and only if the ball is headed at exactly where your head would be after ducking. If the ball is coming in at any other vector though, ducking has the advantage of A) Creating a smaller target, and B) Protecting certain, shall we say, vital areas. So since, as you say, it's just as likely that the ball will hit you in the head if you duck than if you didn't duck, then might as well duck since ducking provides the additional advantages I mentioned. Make sense?

[LeftyTrevor]

I normally cover my 7 yr old playing partner (my son) . Not saying im invincible or anything but I feel I could take the hit much better than he could. I do use one hand to cover the back of my neck and if my boy is not with me I will crouch and cover my head with both hands to make as small a target as possible

[rogerw]

If the ball is coming in at any other vector though, ducking has the advantage of A) Creating a smaller target, and B) Protecting certain, shall we say, vital areas. So since, as you say, it's just as likely that the ball will hit you in the head if you duck than if you didn't duck, then might as well duck since ducking provides the additional advantages I mentioned. Make sense?

I agree, given the scenario where the current ball location and travel path is completely unknown, it seems like the odds of getting hit become smaller as the target size (you) become smaller. Yeah, you could duck into the ball, but that is less likely to happen that having the ball miss you given the smaller target size.

[twoiron]

crouch down with my back to the hacker, lower my head to my chest, cover my balls. Golf ball will hurt your body but if you catch a head shot they might have to name the hole after you.

[Zeph]

Arms cover my head, I might crouch down and hide behind my bag too, depending on where the ball possibly can come from. I never shout fore unless I see the ball going directly toward someone, for the same reasons as Erik pointed out, that people might start running towards the ball. I have good eyes, I can see if a ball lands 3 yards from someone. A stray shot is often a hook or slice, so expect the ball to curve more and more the further it goes. Wind will also play a factor.