So a guy on a golfcart just pulled up and grabbed my buddies ball. What would you do?

[Radford Wooly]

We were on a long Par 4 yesterday, and a guy in the group in front of us pulled back into the fairway and grabbed my buddies ball. We both were kind of dumbfounded about what had just happened. I knew where his ball was but thought maybe it was theirs instead. Nope, they just grabbed it and ran. After confirming it was our ball, the guy was long gone! What would you have done?

[ChipShot]

Honestly I'd probably do nothing. I would probably be as dumbfounded as you and your buddy were but I would likely just drop a new ball about where I thought mine was and continue on. If it happened a second time though I'd probably kill the guy.

[DocWu1948]

Wow. First time I ever noticed double groundhog avatars in sync.

To the first poster. Your buddy didn't hit his shot a little close to the ball grabber, did he? Some people will take your ball if that happens too often.

[jc650]

I would say something. I never pick up a found ball if theres ANY chance it belongs to someone near by. Thats totally lame.

[nike_golf]

Wow. First time I ever noticed double groundhog avatars in sync.

I was going to ask this.

The first or second year of my golfing "career", I was playing by myself and hit a hybrid into a green while the pair of guys in front of me were walking off the green on the right side. Of course I ended up slicing it and the ball ended up about 10 yards away from their cart. The one guy picks my ball up and pockets it. Lesson learned.......... I was wrong in what I did, so what could I have done?

[Tomboys]

I only let girls grab my balls. And, they have to kiss me and tell me they love me first.

[Blades4me]

Unfortnetly that is all too common at public courses, although I've actually seen it happen at a private club also. Anyway it is very frustrating and annoying and I'm not sure what can be done about it. Heck, I've even seen ppl come and grab my ball after my drive, and to top it off the ball was in the correct fairway! Yup, Penache' is a frenchie word so we shouldn't pay any attention to it--so it seems. A sad commentary on our present day society.

[dhanson]

I only let girls grab my balls. And, they

these are ridiculous stipulations.

[mdbuschsr]

There seems to be a lot of 'someone stole my ball' posts lately. I see basically two reasons:

Golf balls have gotten too expensive, so "everyone" is just stealing them.
There also seems to be a lot of posts talking about hitting into the group in front. With the angry response that follows.

Not calling out the OP on the second one because I wasn't there... People seem so caught up in the pace of play aspect of the game that patience has gone by the wayside. Don't forget, this IS just a game. I've had golf balls stolen from me out of the middle of the fairway, and out of the rough. I've let it make me so angry that it ruined my round. I've also had slow play in front of me that made me so angry that it ruined my round. Now that I play with my wife and son (both newbies and very slow), I don't allow myself to get angry out there... It's not worth it!!

If you hit into the group in front of you, you deserve to not only lose your golf ball, but you should be thrown off the course. If you steal a golf ball, just 'cuz, you should also be thrown off. In either case I say call the club house and let them handle it.

[cougar978]

If you hit into the group in front of you, you deserve to not only lose your golf ball, but you should be thrown off the course. If you steal a golf ball, just 'cuz, you should also be thrown off. In either case I say call the club house and let them handle it.

I think that if it's not intentional, kicking someone off a course for either catching a flyer or getting a big roll off the tee is a bit harsh. I've done it before, just apologize and get on with it - most people will either be cool about it or they'll let you through. As for your ball getting picked up - that really sucks. The rules state if you don't see your ball being picked up, it's treated as a lost ball so then you're really screwed (back to the teebox).

[mcfc_nick]

I think that if it's not intentional, kicking someone off a course for either catching a flyer or getting a big roll off the tee is a bit harsh. I've done it before, just apologize and get on with it - most people will either be cool about it or they'll let you through. As for your ball getting picked up - that really sucks. The rules state if you don't see your ball being picked up, it's treated as a lost ball so then you're really screwed (back to the teebox).

what happens if you do see it according to the rules?

[cougar978]

what happens if you do see it according to the rules?

I believe (I may be corrected by the rules police) that you're entitled to a drop at the nearest point where the original ball came to rest. Like, if a squirrel ran out of the rough, grabbed your ball, and ran into the woods while the ball was at rest, it would be considered interference from an outside agency.

[ohiolefty]

I would probably find the guy and maim him/her.

[Paradox]

I was playing on Tuesday and hit a wild drive that went over into an adjacent fairway. Well the other guys tee off(4some) so then i go off to my ball..when I get there, a group is on the green of the adjacent hole and as they are leaving, I actually hear one of them say "I know, thats why I threw it back down..just in case" I wonder what he was talking about? Sometimes it sucks to play expensive balls because they are the ones most likely to be picked up no matter what.

Public courses are the worst and if my group and I see your ball land and since we know the course pretty well..if it "disappears" on a busy day, you get a free drop.

[David in FL]

I believe (I may be corrected by the rules police) that you're entitled to a drop at the nearest point where the original ball came to rest. Like, if a squirrel ran out of the rough, grabbed your ball, and ran into the woods while the ball was at rest, it would be considered interference from an outside agency.

Absolutely correct. 18-1 applies.

[mcfc_nick]

I believe (I may be corrected by the rules police) that you're entitled to a drop at the nearest point where the original ball came to rest. Like, if a squirrel ran out of the rough, grabbed your ball, and ran into the woods while the ball was at rest, it would be considered interference from an outside agency.

thanks a lot

[msd3075]

I must have a dirty mind, but I read the title to this thread completely wrong. I guess it doesn't help either when the topic listed below it is about "jerkoffs".

[StricklandPropane]

There seems to be a lot of 'someone stole my ball' posts lately. I see basically two reasons:

I agree. What's everyone's hurry? Yeah it sucks to have to wait and wait, but just enjoy the day with your boys. If it's that important to you tee off early.

What's hitting into someone going to accomplish? YOu're either going to: A. Hit someone and potentially hurt them, costing you $ and possibly legal problems B. Lose your ball when they take it or hit it into the woods C. Look like an ass when you are next to them on the next tee No one's ever been like "oh crap, those guys are hitting into us. Better hurry". I bet they'd be more likely to start playing slower out of spite. If people are really slow and driving to each ball and what not, call the clubhouse and have a marshall speed them up.