How do you handle players who hit into you?

[GolferXY]

It happens once in a while. It's happened to me.  You smooth a great swing, hit it on the button, and you get an extra 20 unexpected yards.  I yell "Fore" and say a prayer to the golf gods that I don't hit or hurt anyone, then apologize at the earliest opportunity.

Last Sunday the group behind us had a big hitter who laced one 30 yards past me, with a hot roll that missed me by  a couple of yards.  No warning, no apology.

Happened again a couple of holes later, and this time I had to do the Fred Astaire and dodge the damn thing.  No "Fore", no apology.

How would you handle tbis situation?

 

[Fongle]

Talk to them, let them know how dangerous it is, and if they're being unneccesarily difficult or aggressive, call the club house and let them know to have a marshall pull them off the course. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

Once is a mistake and unfortunate. They should know better, however it can happen. Twice on the other hand is unacceptable. I think it would depend on the group I am playing with, but I think some sort of action would need to be taken if it were to happen a second time. 

[DonnieGolfs]

Depends on the situation, am I in a slow group? Talk to them on the next tee box about it then tell them to play through.

If that's not the case I'd consider the hole layout, is it a blind shot or am I putting on the green? Either way we're talking about it, I've been hit by a ball once, we were making our way down the fairway to our tee shots. Guy behind us was a group of older guys who were upset with the days pace(backed up 2 deep on a few par 3s), we offered to let them play early on but everyone knew there was no point. Every hole they'd drive up and be out of the cart swinging and talking while they waited for the Tee box.

I was still driving the cart when the ball hit by back right shoulder, I stop look back and the next person is teeing up. I hit my 3W back over the tee box and waited in the fairway. They just left.

[Shiram]

If it happens it is 99/100 an accident. Give them a wave or congratulate them on a great / career shot. If it happens from the same group multiple times, remind them that they need to wait and inform the ranger or call the shop. 

I have been hit by a ball struck not by more foursome 3 times.

Once with a stray drive on a course with overlapping holes - hit my arm after one hop from probably 80 yards away with driver. All good but had a welt. Finished playing.

Once on a par 5 approach… it was rolling when it struck my foot. Was a fellow member and I totally pulled the Happy Gilmore line.

I hit my friend with a drive when his group waved me through. He parked left and I snap hooked it into his stomach.

I have hit myself once… practicing and ball ricocheted into my face - lost some teeth.

[FreddyTheBearCat]

I’ve been on both sides of that, sometimes you think you got the space to hit your drive without coming close, and then bang one out there 10 yards from the group ahead of you. As long as you’re yelling fore when it’s close I think you’re good. That said, if it happens again, I’d fully expect them to step on my ball and give me the business on the next tee. 

[Big moose]

5 hours ago, GolferXY said:

It happens once in a while. It's happened to me.  You smooth a great swing, hit it on the button, and you get an extra 20 unexpected yards.  I yell "Fore" and say a prayer to the golf gods that I don't hit or hurt anyone, then apologize at the earliest opportunity.

Last Sunday the group behind us had a big hitter who laced one 30 yards past me, with a hot roll that missed me by  a couple of yards.  No warning, no apology.

Happened again a couple of holes later, and this time I had to do the Fred Astaire and dodge the damn thing.  No "Fore", no apology.

How would you handle tbis situation?

 

The second time the ball is getting hit right back at them.

[JaredC]

The first time, I usually wave and give a thumbs up for a 'good shot'. IF it happens again, I say something about being safe on the course. Maybe they don't know and playing their best round. Who knows.

[ScramblinMan]

As long as the person who hit into you apologizes and yelled Fore and it’s the first time it happens, this is the acceptable etiquette. When it becomes an impatient/poor attitude individual then action needs to be taken. Sometimes a call to the pro shop for a Ranger isn’t enough to discourage it from happening again. I often play with guys that are former Hockey/baseball players that can hit the ball over 300 yards and will always be courteous to other players if hitting into other groups(Apologize & will make sure greens/fairways are clear for the rest of the round ). If someone has an “attitude problem” I have no problem giving a stern warning to those who are disrespectful…

[DiscipleofPenick]

At my old home course there were a lot of places on the back 9 where you can't see the landing zone from the tee, so I would get hit into a lot. But I was a single walking so they usually had no idea I was there. These situations I never got too upset because they were very apologetic. However, in other situations where the course is backed up or guys can see me and hit anyways. The first time I yell, tell them to back off. And only once have I pulled an 8i and hit it back towards them. There's no where to go, you can see there's no where to go, so you're just an ass at this point.

[TallyKenS]

About 15 years ago we were hit into as we were leaving the green area.  My playing partner was hit in the head and required an ambulance and 12 staples in his skull.  It was frightening.  I thought a tree limb cracked over our heads.  That’ was his skull!!  After that my attitude changed.  Its never ever ok to hit close to anyone or hit one back at a group that hit into you.  Just imagine having to explain to their spouse, kids etc that you killed their husband, Dad etc because they were holding you up.  You may lose a half hour of your day but someone can lose their life.

[tommyb1683]

I would agree it depends on the situation. The one you described @GolferXY sounds like he was just being an a-hole, maybe in a rush idk. He obviously knows he can hit it that far. I’m usually non confrontational, been described as a gentle giant many times.l but I would’ve waited at the next tee box for him offered him to play through and also brought to his attention golf etiquette about warning people. 

[JeremyD]

Totally situational. 320 yard hole and someone rolls onto the green? Nice shot. I could tell differnt people were jerks, so I've hit balls back before or even embed the ball for them in the fairway, or rough. Even had a teammate in high school hit one back at an opposing team during a practice round. The other team skipped holes and the coach had them hit into us. Later, there was a scuffle with their coach and my teammate at a local McDonalds. 

[russtopherb]

Once is a shot that just got pured and ran away from them. 

Twice is intentional, and their ball is being placed on a tee.

Saying "hit it back at them" is a grade A moron move to make. You never, ever do that. Not just because two wrongs don't make a right, it's because you are now placing THEM in danger of being hit, and you may hit someone in the group that has absolutely nothing to do with the person that's hit into you. That's absurd and I truly hope anyone saying that is just being a keyboard warrior, not someone who actually in real life thinks intentionally hitting a ball back into a group is ever the right thing to do.

[ricahh]

First time, I give them a wave point out where their ball landed. Second time I wait for them to get closer get a feel if they're aware of what happened or if it was accidental. Third time I'm waiting for them to say something, anything after that I'm picking up their ball and making sure they see me do it. 

[Headhammer]

If it happens one time I yell back "is that all you got"? If it happens continuously we are gonna have words!

[JRDuck40]

1 time... stuff happens. 2x or more, that's when we have a conversation. Unacceptable. 

[Tom the Golf Nut]

The first time I will wave back to let them know they hit into us. The second time they should have known better. I usually have a small note pad in my bag. I'm in sales so sometimes have to take a note to follow up on something when I'm with a client.  I will write a note " I have just called the club house. Back off" I put a tee through the note and their ball on the tee. I have never had to call the clubhouse. The note usually does the trick. 

[Jnoble89]

I've only had it happen a few times, but twice it was with my son with me. We don't play slow, so to me unless you hit a flier there is never an excuse to hit into me. The first time it happened the ball missed our cart by about 5 feet. Thankfully, he was still in the cart. I went into pissed off dad mode, and threw their ball back towards their tee box (no, not the right thing to do, but I was HOT under the collar). They had been playing closer than what I would consider normal pace of play, one of them was a long hitter and knew it, and I had had enough of it. This was on the 9th hole and it took everything I had in me to not confront that group in the parking lot, but I knew that was not the correct thing to do. 

It also happened a few weeks ago and it was a bit of a blind corner, with our cart hidden by that corner. A younger kid hit a great tee shot that landed a good 20 yards from our cart but was parallel to it. This one I believe was a genuine accident. We finished the hole and waited at the next tee box to let them play through. The young man apologized and all was good. 

[ballhawk]

If it's the first time I let it go and just wave back at them. If it happens a second time I hope their playing a good ball because it just became mine. Only happened once when it became my new found ball and for some reason the hitter didn't bother to come and ask where his ball is/was, (could have been because the guys playing with him most likely told him I was the martial arts instructor for the base security personnel). I did give him the ball back after the round and just said be more careful next time, you may hit into a general and that would be a lot worse for your time in the military, a year or two doing KP or guard duty really sucks big time, he got the point.