[Wetekemieluth]

When playing friday I was behind a twosome from the 4th hole on. They had let a threesome go ahead of them and seemed a bit annoyed. The threesome must have been crowding them. No one was behind me so I tried to stay back so I didn't seem like I was rushing them too. I think they may have been lumberjacks because they sure did spend a lot of time in the woods.

Anyway, the 16th hole is the signature hole for the course, a 150 yard par 3 with the hole way down a hill from the tees with a pond on the right and back of the green. After the two guys finished the hole they went to their cart which was on the path about 20 yards left of the green. They stayed there for a bit and didn't look like they were in a hurry to leave the hole so I figured they may have been waiting for me to hit to see if I made the green.

So I went ahead and hit. My ball went left and I could track it the entire way so I knew I was in no danger of hitting them so I didn't yell fore. The ball bounced and rolled to about 10 yards from them and I could see their heads turn to look up at me. When I got down to the green they were gone so I played out the hole. When I got to the 17th tee they were nowhere in sight and I never saw them again.

So my question is, what if anything did I do wrong and how would others have handled the situation?

[Clilmence]

Probably wouldn't have done a lot different myself, maybe a slight fore. I know they were not in danger, but sometimes just as a heads up it doesn't hurt if someone is in the area. Other than that, seems like you handled it without issue.

[Joircarm]

I see no problems with anything that happened there.

[herbalviagra]

If what you described was the situation and you did not hit the ball to "push" them, you did nothing wrong. In fact, I think you showed a lot of restraint if they were spending that much time in the woods.

[Vezazvqw]

I don't really see what you did wrong. How long does it take to walk off a green and write your score down, 30 seconds? I don't expect people to let me through but if they offer I am happy to jump ahead. I got stuck behind a foursome for five holes the other day. At one point, a par three they were still on the tee box and they did not offer to let me through which was annoying because I had been very patient and tried not to crowd them but when two of them are barely hitting their balls past the forward tees its hard not to.

[awagsFare]

Once they have cleared the green you are free to hit. If they are lingering in their cart it's on them not you. You did nothing wrong

[Info-phone]

The only thing I can think of is a fore call. Some people are pretty anal about others calling fore if it's anywhere in the vicinity of them. Other than that I think you're good. I don't think I would have done anything different.

[djmassk]

probably should have yelled fore, but it's no big deal. I feel it's just kind of one of those things, just to give a heads up that a ball will be landing in their vacinity. I know that you know the ball was never in danger of hitting them, but they don't know that you know that. they just know a ball landed 10 yards from them

[VogsHoock]

I will wait until they are in their cart. If the cart is close to the green I will wait until they pull off, but 20 yards away and they were in there cart, fire away. I would have yelled "FORE" as courtesy but either way I do not believe you did anything wrong.

[scoussysows]

I don't think you did anything wrong -- why do you think you did something wrong? Because they turned their heads when your ball landed? I've heard balls hit behind me, with no danger of hitting me (or even rolling to me), and I instinctively turn my head, maybe even look back, but it doesn't bother me as long as it's a rare occurrance. I know I'm sharing the course.

You did nothing wrong.

[gSjQEEmq]

I will play devils advocate here. However I will say I dont think the OP was truly out of line.
1. I was always taught that on a par 3, you wait for the golfers to clear the area (drive off in their carts).
2. Is it possible that 20 yards away is really closer to 10-15 yards?
3. Staying way back is many times worse than playing your normal game, because the group cannot tell you want to play through.
4. The ball landed with in 10 yards of them as you say, "Fore" probably should have been used.

[UriDepkeeks]

Nothing wrong. The fact that they didn't have the etiquette to waive a single thru since the 4th hole doesn't deserve a 10yd fore IMO. I'm sure they noticed you and didn't care if they delayed your round.

[Clilmence]

Nothing wrong. The fact that they didn't have the etiquette to waive a single thru since the 4th hole doesn't deserve a 10yd fore IMO. I'm sure they noticed you and didn't care if they delayed your round.

No offence, but I could not disagree more. Just because someone else doesn't show etiquette, means that you shouldn't show etiquette? Think you should always show etiquette. no matter how little or how much others around you show. I was always taught to be the bigger person and stick to my morals and ethics to do what is right, even when someone else is in the wrong.

[hHwJ229h]

Nothing get's me hotter quicker than being hit into and even 20 yards is getting pretty darn close, as expressed by their displeasure. I simply won't hit the shot until they are gone, but I have yelled four at people lingering, just to get them moving, lol.

[wCYvMKAc]

Once they have cleared the green you are free to hit. If they are lingering in their cart it's on them not you. You did nothing wrong

Agreed I had a guy wearing cutoff jeans yell at me yesterday for doing that though haha

Tappin!

[Wetekemieluth]

I don't think you did anything wrong -- why do you think you did something wrong? Because they turned their heads when your ball landed? I've heard balls hit behind me, with no danger of hitting me (or even rolling to me), and I instinctively turn my head, maybe even look back, but it doesn't bother me as long as it's a rare occurrance. I know I'm sharing the course.

You did nothing wrong.

I just wasn't sure what to do in that situation. It is such a beautiful hole that they may have been waiting to watch me hit or they might have just been farting around and I didn't want to yell to them because I might disturb someone on another hole.

I will play devils advocate here. However I will say I dont think the OP was truly out of line.
1. I was always taught that on a par 3, you wait for the golfers to clear the area (drive off in their carts).
2. Is it possible that 20 yards away is really closer to 10-15 yards?
3. Staying way back is many times worse than playing your normal game, because the group cannot tell you want to play through.
4. The ball landed with in 10 yards of them as you say, "Fore" probably should have been used.

1. I always wait until they clear the area too, just didn't know what their intentions were since it was taking them so long. They were just standing by their cart.
2. It's possible, but there are mature trees dividing the hole from the cart path and I was nowhere near the trees. I may have been closer than I thought but was in no danger of hitting them.
3. That's true, but on the fifth green they apologized to me for holding me up because the threesome they let through was now holding them up. So I knew they were already agitated and didn't want to get too close to them. The one-two piece is always at the front of my mind now when I am playing alone.
4. I was under the impression that you only yell fore when the ball may hit someone or you have no idea where it went. I didn't know it should be yelled to let someone know that it will be landing near them.

Thanks for all the responses. While it seems I didn't do anything technically wrong, I could have been a little more cautious. I think I'd do things a little differently next time.

[nobodyhere]

Yeah I usually yell just to make sure.

[Shemker394]

Once they have cleared the green you are free to hit. If they are lingering in their cart it's on them not you. You did nothing wrong

What do you consider lingering? I've had it happen a few times recently where I'm off the green and just putting my putter back in my bag (mayby 2 steps off the green with my stand bag) and had a ball hit the green. I'd say unless it's beyond the realm of reason (marking scorecard next to green is rude, but I'd still wait), the shooter should wait. If they've been sitting there for

[scoussysows]

3. That's true, but on the fifth green they apologized to me for holding me up because the threesome they let through was now holding them up. So I knew they were already agitated and didn't want to get too close to them. The one-two piece is always at the front of my mind now when I am playing alone.

ahhh ... an instant classic -- the gift that keeps on giving!!

[quote]What do you consider lingering? I've had it happen a few times recently where I'm off the green and just putting my putter back in my bag (mayby 2 steps off the green with my stand bag) and had a ball hit the green. I'd say unless it's beyond the realm of reason (marking scorecard next to green is rude, but I'd still wait), the shooter should wait. If they've been sitting there for

[imporrilk]

you should be okay I dont see anything wrong, they need to stick to par 3's if they cant keep normal pace on a regulation course... last week I played a course I hadent played in a long time and on #9 which is downhill, I actually drove the ball OVER the people in front of me... the people looked really far out and not paying much attention and not taking into account the huge cliff I was hitting off, I almost hit them. Go figure it was the straightest, farthest shot of the day... anyway, on #10 I ran up to them before they walked off the tee box and apologized... they were okay with it lol, told me nice shot