Is it ever acceptable to hit into someone if they are in your range?

[Dave2512]

Yeah late times in winter could be as early as 12:30 on a slow course. I played the day after Thanksgiving and didn't have time to start the back with a 12:55 time. Took me 3 hours to play the front because it was packed with people playing bad golf. Didn't want to play a couple more into the low winter sun. I lost a ball on 9 and I swore I hit it into the middle of the fairway approaching a par 5 green.

[WUTiger]

Deliberately hitting into a group is bad from both a legal and a sportsmanship standpoint.

But, I have accidentally hit into groups, or a single player. Generally, it was a cart coming out of the shadows of the rough, or an individual where s/he wasn't supposed to be.

In one case, a group had putted out on a green of hole with a lateral water hazard. Three players went to the next tee, but one guy decided to walk along the creek bed looking for balls. I didn't see him when I lined up my shot, which almost hit him when I pulled it.

But, he should have  moved up with his group instead of walking back toward us looking for balls.

[Dave2512]

Usually people are forgiving when it's an accident. I hit some real WTF shots this year. I rolled one on the front of green of a par 5 with a monster 5w approach. Hustled up to apologize and one guy ran over to hi-5 me. He said he saw the shot as I hit it and was able to follow the ball, they were all pretty jazzed about it, was a cool shot. I certainly didn't intend for it to happen and waiting on greens to clear normally out of range is silly, I was 279 from center and thought I was laying up. That's longer than some of my drives.

This time of year it's really unpredictable due to hard ground. On short grass the ball can bounce with velocity. I waited a lot last time I played. I had balls hit the green bound over it and end up on the other side of the cart path 30-40 yards from where it landed. Better to be safe than sorry.

[rkim291968]

Why are so many golfer hit when the front group is still around green?   It isn't going to speed up the pace.   Do they really think they are so good that they won't hit people around green?    Even pros miss green completely and hit spectators.

[AmazingWhacker]

Yeah - like everybody has said, never ok to hit into people.  I have hit drives where I thought "if I hit the shot of my life here and get a good roll out, too, it might roll up into them" . .I don't consider that hitting into people, though.  Even if I did roll one up near them, I'd just apologize . .not that it's ever come even remotely close to happening, lol.   But 179 is way too close . . .unless you drive it 110, lol.

[Dave2512]

Exactly at that range you aren't hitting into them you're hitting over them.

[turtleback]

Sounds like the question is would it be acceptable to hit into someone if we think it will lead to being able to finish before it gets dark. Obviously the answer is no regardless of the reason but it likely wouldn't help get around the course any faster if it's full.

Even if it isn't full it will not speed thing up.  When was the last time someone came on here and said the group behind them hit into them and so they sped up their play?  Never, that's when.  People say they get pissed, they hit the ball back, they create confrontation, or they suffer in silence and then come here to vent. The one thing NONE of them said was that it made them play faster.

Someone hitting into a group in front because they think they are slow is basically bullying.

[Dave2512]

Even if it isn't full it will not speed thing up.  When was the last time someone came on here and said the group behind them hit into them and so they sped up their play?  Never, that's when.  People say they get pissed, they hit the ball back, they create confrontation, or they suffer in silence and then come here to vent. The one thing NONE of them said was that it made them play faster.

Someone hitting into a group in front because they think they are slow is basically bullying.

While I certainly don't hit into groups ahead if the course is open I want them to see me waiting so I can get past. Not worried about how fast they play just need to make the move to be asked to play through. I usually just hang back until the next par is 3 coming up, get close on the previous hole and then I ask if they mind if I skip the par 3 so I don't disrupt them.

[Osmond]

Isn't this the easiest "no" there is? Ask to play through if someone is keeping you waiting. But I do agree that the worst thing about golf is slow play - hitting at someone just isn't the way to deal with it.

Come to think of it, if it was my mother-in-law 179y away from me...

[ghalfaire]

Isn't this the easiest "no" there is? Ask to play through if someone is keeping you waiting. But I do agree that the worst thing about golf is slow play - hitting at someone just isn't the way to deal with it.

Come to think of it, if it was my mother-in-law 179y away from me...

I certainly thought so (the easiest and most clear no).

No it is never acceptable to knowingly hit into a group or at an individual golfer.

The fact that there is any discussion at all about this question concerns me every time I walk onto the course.