How Would You Handle This

[AmazingWhacker]

About a month ago I was playing at a crowded par 3. Pace of play was brutal. We each hit our tee shots and each missed the green. I was getting ready to hit my chip when a ball from the group behind us landed on the green. I kind of couldn't believe it. The guy totally saw us. He ran up to apologize and he took his ball back to the tee - but I totally don't understand why he hit. He said his friend told him to. Anyway - that was the extent of it but it was totally stupid.

[slufoot7]

As someone who has had it happen to them and I have done it to people too. If once I usually wave at them tell them nice shot. If more than once then I wait for them on a tee box and say hey let us clear first. One thing in my favor is I'm 6' 5" tall about 270 pounds and in decent shape. When I do it to someone I usually make a bee line for the group tell them sorry explain what happened.

[David in FL]

What I would NOT have done is pick up someone else's ball.....under any circumstances.

[mailman]

Originally Posted by David in FL

What I would NOT have done is pick up someone else's ball.....under any circumstances.

yeah, I think thats just asking for trouble especially if you pick it up and throw it away.

I dont know anyone who wouldnt react to that kind of provocation regardless of whether you were in the wrong to be taking your shot while the group ahead still hadnt cleared the green.

It just seems that in this day of instant victimisation no one is prepared to talk anymore.

Mailman

[ejimsmith]

Originally Posted by David in FL

What I would NOT have done is pick up someone else's ball.....under any circumstances.

that's my master rule as well.   i will NEVER pick up a ball, unless its mine, and then only if i have to take an unplayable.   a bigger pet peeve of mine than anxious hitters are lazy dudes that drive up and pick up every ball to see what it is and who's it is.

[JerryTimes]

I had this happen to me once.  It didn't land that close to me, but I was just walking off the green as their ball landed next to it.  I would have blown it off if I would have received and apology, but I didn't.  The guy acted like he didn't do a thing wrong.

[jetsknicks1]

Originally Posted by chilepepper

One time and I would shrug it off......maybe. More than once ,same group, the ball goes bye bye. After that call the pro shop. Years ago I once flushed a 5w on a par5 onto a green that had a single putting out. I had never tagged a 5w so far so I never expected it. Unfortunately I was assistant supt on that course and it was a member putting out. Needless to say I hauled buns up and apologized profusely. So I understand sometimes stuff happens unintentionally/innocently.

Crushing a 3 or 5 wood on a par 5 is one thing. Hittung into a green from 150 is another. I think we've all hit a fairway wood further than normal and had to apologize to the group in front. What the OP describes is just rude impatience. I'd have a hard time shrugging it off.

[JaxGolfer1]

To each his own, but it you hit your ball from 150 yards and it lands near me as I'm walking off the green toward my cart you'll find it tee'd up. Fact.

[dsc123]

I think people are too quick to get upset over these things.  The guy shouldn't have hit, but nobody was hurt.  The guy who hit the ball should make a point to apologize and that's about it.  Maybe the "victim" should waive his hands in the air or some gesture like that.  There's no reason to pick up the ball or yell at the guy in the first instance.  I think its ridiculous that so many people on here are so quick to assume they know what was going through the guy's head when he hit the ball.  As if they've never made a mistake in their life.

[indyvai]

When I get hit up on... I slow down for a hole or 2 deliberately. They get the hint...

[Golfingdad]

When I get hit up on... I slow down for a hole or 2 deliberately. They get the hint...

When the group in front of me is playing slow for a couple of holes, I hit into them deliberately. They get the hint ... ( I don't really :) ... Just skeptical that your method would ever actually solve anything.)

[indyvai]

That only happened to me once... and I hit the ball back.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by indyvai

When I get hit up on... I slow down for a hole or 2 deliberately. They get the hint...

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

When the group in front of me is playing slow for a couple of holes, I hit into them deliberately. They get the hint ... ( I don't really :) ... Just skeptical that your method would ever actually solve anything.)

Originally Posted by indyvai

That only happened to me once... and I hit the ball back.

You just proved my point.  It sounds like if you were to clone yourself and played in a foursome behind yourself, it would end badly. :)

EDIT:  Whoops, my mistake ... you only elaborated on how poorly you handle getting hit into.  I still don't have any idea how you handle slow players in front of you so I don't really know how it would work out with multiple "you's" on one course. :)

[indyvai]

When the group in front of me is playing slow for a couple of holes, I hit into them deliberately. They get the hint ... ( I don't really :) ... Just skeptical that your method would ever actually solve anything.)

[quote name="Golfingdad" url="/t/63805/how-would-you-handle-this/30#post_797102"] You just proved my point.  It sounds like if you were to clone yourself and played in a foursome behind yourself, it would end badly. :) EDIT:  Whoops, my mistake ... you only elaborated on how poorly you handle getting hit into.  I still don't have any idea how you handle slow players in front of you so I don't really know how it would work out with multiple "you's" on one course. :) [/quote] It's very simple actually... if I have a slow group in front of me... which is almost always, I try to jump ahead, or just enjoy the day. If someone hits up on me deliberately... you better believe there will be an issue. That's dangerous... and can't be allowed. I'd never have an issue with myself playing behind me because I don't hit up on people regardless of how slow they play. I can skip ahead just as easily.

[indyvai]

Double post...

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by indyvai

It's very simple actually... if I have a slow group in front of me... which is almost always, I try to jump ahead, or just enjoy the day. If someone hits up on me deliberately... you better believe there will be an issue. That's dangerous... and can't be allowed.

But your original comment said "if someone hits up on me," not "if someone hits up on me deliberately " which invites people to assume that you would not consider the possibility that it was an accident.

Still, is it a fair response to say "that's dangerous, and can't be allowed ... so I'm gonna tee this ball up and try to maim them?"  (I guess it could be if you're the "eye for an eye" type)

[dsc123]

Originally Posted by indyvai

If someone hits up on me deliberately... you better believe there will be an issue. That's dangerous... and can't be allowed.

Of course it isn't "allowed."  The question is what you do about it.

Apparently, if you're hit into by mistake, your response is to be a jerk to them and everyone else on the golf course.  If its  "deliberate" you  hit a ball back into them, because well, hitting the ball at people is "dangerous" and "can't be allowed."  Huh?

How do you guys discern when it is "deliberate"?  Does the guy hit into you then yell,  "take that a@@hole!"  Can you just tell by the look on their face 200 yards away?  Or do you assume its a mistake because you've been deliberately slow playing them for the previous hour and they are likely to be pissed off at you?

[SoundandFury]

+1