Hitting into group on the green?

[chisag]

... The Rory drive yesterday rolling on the green that annoyed Robert McIntyre lining up his putt. There are extremes to this question but I have never understood those that frown on such a shot. 

... Where you play and what kind of course you play factors into this I think. Back in the midwest it was very rare for a 2nd shot on a par 5 to land 20yds short and roll on the green due to the soft fairway conditions. But here in the desert shots can easily roll 30 yds or more. It can be brutal waiting behind a group that won't hit until those 300yds or more in front of them clear the fairway or green before hitting a 180 yds shot resulting in a 4:30 to 5 hr round. The only thing worse is someone flying a ball into your group when they know that at a minimum they have a chance of doing just that with their best shot. 

... I never mind a ball gently rolling to where I am in the fairway or on the green from a golfer that knows their max distance and would never risk hitting into a group. We played in front of 4 DI players and they constantly het near us but never into us because they knew their distances.  "Hitting into a group" for me means a ball landing on the fly near us, bouncing into us or rolling at a high speed after landing just short of us. I do not consider it hitting into us if the ball is slowly rolling and barely reaches us. I just think "nice shot". I have played with people that get annoyed and one guy hit the ball back at the group when it rolled on the front of a par 5 while we were putting to a middle pin coming nowhere near us. 

... Admittedly there can be a fine line and one should always err on the side of caution and wait even of there is a remote chance of reaching a group in front of you. But slow play is more of an issue in my experience and waiting for the group in front while there is a group behind you impatiently waiting because you hit one drive in 2009 around 280 yds but haven't reached 219 yds since is no picnic either. 

[Syks7]

Never minded the roll up to the general vicinity behind me but anything in the air, bouncing, or scooting along on the ground to in front of me is generally grounds to have a conversation with the following group.

[RetiredBoomer]

13 minutes ago, chisag said:

... The Rory drive yesterday rolling on the green that annoyed Robert McIntyre lining up his putt. There are extremes to this question but I have never understood those that frown on such a shot. 

... Where you play and what kind of course you play factors into this I think. Back in the midwest it was very rare for a 2nd shot on a par 5 to land 20yds short and roll on the green due to the soft fairway conditions. But here in the desert shots can easily roll 30 yds or more. It can be brutal waiting behind a group that won't hit until those 300yds or more in front of them clear the fairway or green before hitting a 180 yds shot resulting in a 4:30 to 5 hr round. The only thing worse is someone flying a ball into your group when they know that at a minimum they have a chance of doing just that with their best shot. 

... I never mind a ball gently rolling to where I am in the fairway or on the green from a golfer that knows their max distance and would never risk hitting into a group. We played in front of 4 DI players and they constantly het near us but never into us because they knew their distances.  "Hitting into a group" for me means a ball landing on the fly near us, bouncing into us or rolling at a high speed after landing just short of us. I do not consider it hitting into us if the ball is slowly rolling and barely reaches us. I just think "nice shot". I have played with people that get annoyed and one guy hit the ball back at the group when it rolled on the front of a par 5 while we were putting to a middle pin coming nowhere near us. 

... Admittedly there can be a fine line and one should always err on the side of caution and wait even of there is a remote chance of reaching a group in front of you. But slow play is more of an issue in my experience and waiting for the group in front while there is a group behind you impatiently waiting because you hit one drive in 2009 around 280 yds but haven't reached 219 yds since is no picnic either. 

I admit to disagreeing with Chi on this one.

I think people, recreational players for sure
and now possibly high competition level players as well,
are in too much of a hurry when playing golf.

I love to watch "Golfmates" on YouTube.

The group playing always goes to each ball individually
and everybody watches everybody else's shot and then proceeds to the next one.

I know that doesn't fly with most people here,
but if we're being honest,
that's how golf is the most fun for me.

 

Edited October 5 by RetiredBoomer

[GolfSpy_KFT]

I always look at it as if I am on the green on a Par 4, for example, and someone drives the green, I never get upset. That’s one heck of a shot and odds are there was no ill intention. 

I’ve only gotten truly upset a couple times, and one was when I had my oldest son out with me and the group behind us consistently hit the ball too close, and at one time hit it OVER our heads. That was totally unacceptable and they had to have known what they were doing. We were really not playing slow, and they had been close enough to us that they could see I had my CHILD with me. We never got hit, which is very lucky for them, as we’d have had some serious problems. 

[chisag]

4 minutes ago, RetiredBoomer said:

I think people, recreational players for sure
and now possibly high competition level players as well,
are in too much of a hurry when playing golf.

The group playing always goes to each ball individually
and everybody watches everybody else's shot and then proceeds to the next one.

I know that doesn't fly with most people here,
but if we're being honest,
that's how golf is the most fun for me.

 

... Well RB when you own your own golf course you can play at whatever pace you like.   But golf is s shared experience and you have an obligation to keep pace with everyone else on the golf course. That said the opposite holds true for those wanting to play faster than a course's suggested pace of play and it is rude to be openly impatient when the group in front is on a 4hr pace with no open holes in front of them. 

[chisag]

7 minutes ago, GolfSpy_KFT said:

I always look at it as if I am on the green on a Par 4, for example, and someone drives the green, I never get upset. That’s one heck of a shot and odds are there was no ill intention. 

I’ve only gotten truly upset a couple times, and one was when I had my oldest son out with me and the group behind us consistently hit the ball too close, and at one time hit it OVER our heads. That was totally unacceptable and they had to have known what they were doing. We were really not playing slow, and they had been close enough to us that they could see I had my CHILD with me. We never got hit, which is very lucky for them, as we’d have had some serious problems. 

 

... That's really dangerous and of course isn't a fine line at all. It has happened to me a few times through the years but it is extremely rare. And when they were confronted they didn't take it well because anyone that does that more than once just isn't someone you can talk to rationally anyway and I imagine they have other issues way from the course. I am also guessing the vast majority of the time alcohol in excess is involved. 

[RetiredBoomer]

10 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... Well RB when you own your own golf course you can play at whatever pace you like.   But golf is s shared experience and you have an obligation to keep pace with everyone else on the golf course. That said the opposite holds true for those wanting to play faster than a course's suggested pace of play and it is rude to be openly impatient when the group in front is on a 4hr pace with no open holes in front of them. 

I agree with that, I suppose, Chi.
I appreciate that everybody doesn't have five hours to play golf.
I do get that, and that's why every venue isn't ideal for me.

I, however, do have all the time in the world as do my friends. 
We play on weekday mornings, we ride,
and while it doesn't usually take five hours,
it is our club
and that's how the current owner's dad 
played with his friends as well back before he died.

I don't really see you as a YouTube watcher, admittedly,
but if you ever watch Golfmates,
you'll see how much fun it is 
for friends to play together as a group
and compliment or jokingly trash talk each other's shots.
 

 

 

 

[chisag]

15 minutes ago, RetiredBoomer said:

I agree with that, I suppose, Chi.
I appreciate that everybody doesn't have five hours to play golf.
I do get that, and that's why every venue isn't ideal for me.

I, however, do have all the time in the world as do my friends. 
We play on weekday mornings, we ride,
and while it doesn't usually take five hours,
it is our club
and that's how the current owner's dad 
played with his friends as well back before he died.

I don't really see you as a YouTube watcher, admittedly,
but if you ever watch Golfmates,
you'll see how much fun it is 
for friends to play together as a group
and compliment or jokingly trash talk each other's shots.

 

... Yup, not a social media watcher or podcast listener but I can see where that would be fun IF we had the course to ourselves and we were riding or IF the suggested pace was 4.5 hours. I have posted before when my 82 yr old and I had the course to ourselves last spring we did just that when possible and played in just under 4 hours. We set our own pace because it was 103* and we were in no hurry. I play a tee box behind him but am usually a good 20-50yds ahead of him, so if we are on a similar line we can walk together, but if he is on the right side of the fairway and I am on left side, we aren't walking extra to each others ball. 

[ClevelandGirl]

Having played in two different regions (and none out west), I have to say there are days I felt like a target because I’m golfing as a woman. I do get the eye rolls and often fine myself putting on the green alone while the threesome I was put with by the starter went to the next tee. There are some rude entitled peeps who play this game, which I find funny since I only play public courses. 

Getting hit into - and the ball landing near enough to count, not dry conditions roll - is not unusual, happened a few times a year but seems to be less often past couple of years. I bought a cart with bright orange wheels and I park it sideways in the fairway. If I’m walking, you can’t claim you didn’t see me!

Thankfully today this is a rare occurrence but I’ve also learned to play fast. And play the courses where my skirt doesn’t draw ire. And sadly it’s a driving factor in my desire to break 90 so I can be in the minority of golfers who have.

Edited October 5 by ClevelandGirl

[RetiredBoomer]

3 hours ago, ClevelandGirl said:

Having played in two different regions (and none out west), I have to say there are days I felt like a target because I’m golfing as a woman. I do get the eye rolls and often fine myself putting on the green alone while the threesome I was put with by the starter went to the next tee. There are some rude entitled peeps who play this game, which I find funny since I only play public courses. 

Getting hit into - and the ball landing near enough to count, not dry conditions roll - is not unusual, happened a few times a year but seems to be less often past couple of years. I bought a cart with bright orange wheels and I park it sideways in the fairway. If I’m walking, you can’t claim you didn’t see me!

Thankfully today this is a rare occurrence but I’ve also learned to play fast. And play the courses where my skirt doesn’t draw ire. And sadly it’s a driving factor in my desire to break 90 so I can be in the minority of golfers who have.

Too bad you can't play with us, ClevelandGirl.

We may be roughly the age of your grandfather, for all I know,
but you'd certainly be welcome, microskirt and all.   

 

 

 

[ClevelandGirl]

3 minutes ago, RetiredBoomer said:

Too bad you can't play with us, ClevelandGirl.

We may be roughly the age of your grandfather, for all I know,
but you'd certainly be welcome, microskirt and all.   

 

 

 

Ha, I’m in my 50s so no worries on the age thing. But deffo no microskirts! If I’m ever your way, we’ll tee up. 

[chisag]

3 hours ago, ClevelandGirl said:

Having played in two different regions (and none out west), I have to say there are days I felt like a target because I’m golfing as a woman. I do get the eye rolls and often fine myself putting on the green alone while the threesome I was put with by the starter went to the next tee. There are some rude entitled peeps who play this game, which I find funny since I only play public courses. 

Getting hit into - and the ball landing near enough to count, not dry conditions roll - is not unusual, happened a few times a year but seems to be less often past couple of years. I bought a cart with bright orange wheels and I park it sideways in the fairway. If I’m walking, you can’t claim you didn’t see me!

Thankfully today this is a rare occurrence but I’ve also learned to play fast. And play the courses where my skirt doesn’t draw ire. And sadly it’s a driving factor in my desire to break 90 so I can be in the minority of golfers who have.

 

... I LOVE playing with women. Great conversations and as you stated, they tend to play faster than average because some yahoo's don't think women belong on golf courses   something I will never understand. Unfortunately my home course is prohibitively long from the forward tees so we have very few women play there. The wife of one of my snowbird pards from Canada plays with us once or twice a week and I always enjoy those rounds. But it is a tough course for her and she can't reach most of the par 4's in 2 or three of the par 5's in 3. Doesn't bother her that it is quite a bit longer than her CC back in Canada that is about 500yds shorter (I only heard her complain once when I first started playing with them) so she just hits her best shots and repeats til she gets to the green and she plays faster than any of us. 

[ClevelandGirl]

7 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... I LOVE playing with women. Great conversations and as you stated, they tend to play faster than average because some yahoo's don't think women belong on golf courses   something I will never understand. Unfortunately my home course is prohibitively long from the forward tees so we have very few women play there. The wife of one of my snowbird pards from Canada plays with us once or twice a week and I always enjoy those rounds. But it is a tough course for her and she can't reach most of the par 4's in 2 or three of the par 5's in 3. Doesn't bother her that it is quite a bit longer than her CC back in Canada that is about 500yds shorter (I only heard her complain once when I first started playing with them) so she just hits her best shots and repeats til she gets to the green and she plays faster than any of us. 

Sorry didn’t mean to hijack your thread! It’s just a weird phenomenon sometimes. And for long courses I just adjust my expectations. Long courses are frustrating, but if I can get close to the green in three, then I can try for bogey at least. Nothing wrong with bogey ball! My cousin’s home course has what we call a par7 so I understand perfectly!

[RetiredBoomer]

15 minutes ago, ClevelandGirl said:

Ha, I’m in my 50s so no worries on the age thing. But deffo no microskirts! If I’m ever your way, we’ll tee up. 

Great.   Only in your fifties?

We NEED a kid in the group.

[ClevelandGirl]

2 minutes ago, RetiredBoomer said:

Great.   Only in your fifties?

We NEED a kid in the group.

Hahaha I’ll take that role!

[chisag]

7 minutes ago, ClevelandGirl said:

Sorry didn’t mean to hijack your thread! It’s just a weird phenomenon sometimes.

 

... No apology needed as I always feel posts and threads can take a turn at any time and usually equally interesting. 

[Erin B]

5 hours ago, chisag said:

... The Rory drive yesterday rolling on the green that annoyed Robert McIntyre lining up his putt. There are extremes to this question but I have never understood those that frown on such a shot. 

... Where you play and what kind of course you play factors into this I think. Back in the midwest it was very rare for a 2nd shot on a par 5 to land 20yds short and roll on the green due to the soft fairway conditions. But here in the desert shots can easily roll 30 yds or more. It can be brutal waiting behind a group that won't hit until those 300yds or more in front of them clear the fairway or green before hitting a 180 yds shot resulting in a 4:30 to 5 hr round. The only thing worse is someone flying a ball into your group when they know that at a minimum they have a chance of doing just that with their best shot. 

... I never mind a ball gently rolling to where I am in the fairway or on the green from a golfer that knows their max distance and would never risk hitting into a group. We played in front of 4 DI players and they constantly het near us but never into us because they knew their distances.  "Hitting into a group" for me means a ball landing on the fly near us, bouncing into us or rolling at a high speed after landing just short of us. I do not consider it hitting into us if the ball is slowly rolling and barely reaches us. I just think "nice shot". I have played with people that get annoyed and one guy hit the ball back at the group when it rolled on the front of a par 5 while we were putting to a middle pin coming nowhere near us. 

... Admittedly there can be a fine line and one should always err on the side of caution and wait even of there is a remote chance of reaching a group in front of you. But slow play is more of an issue in my experience and waiting for the group in front while there is a group behind you impatiently waiting because you hit one drive in 2009 around 280 yds but haven't reached 219 yds since is no picnic either. 

I’ve had it happen to me and I’ve done it. Only bad reaction I’ve had was in our club championship this year. Drove the green at 325, the women in front of us actually hit my ball off the green into the trees. We were left speechless. They wouldn’t even look at us on the next hole and played as fast as they could the rest of the round. Cost me three strokes as I didn’t know the rule. Yes there’s a rule in USGA.

[chisag]

12 minutes ago, Erin B said:

I’ve had it happen to me and I’ve done it.

 

... Yup, I was playing a course for the first time and about 10 yds farther than the 250 marker so I hit a 5 wood short of the green as my 5 wood was my 215-220 yd club. But it was measured at a right angle and not the direct path I took and my ball landed about 5 yds short and rolled right past two women on the green putting. They stopped looked back and pointed at us, then after they putted out they jumped in their carts and headed right for us. "Oh Boy" this is gonna be unpleasant but I was ready to take my scolding and at least let them know I completely misunderstood the yardage and it wouldn't happen again and I was really sorry. 

... They pulled up and one of them said "Who hit that shot on the green?" I said "I did and please ..." was all I got out before her friend said "What an awesome shot! We play here 3 times a week and have never seen anyone hit it on that green in two shots and we wanted to tell you how impressed we are." And then they gave me a high five, got back in their cart and drove to the next tee.  Absolutely not the response I was expecting. 

[Erin B]

3 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... Yup, I was playing a course for the first time and about 10 yds farther than the 250 marker so I hit a 5 wood short of the green as my 5 wood was my 215-220 yd club. But it was measured at a right angle and not the direct path I took and my ball landed about 5 yds short and rolled right past two women on the green putting. They stopped looked back and pointed at us, then after they putted out they jumped in their carts and headed right for us. "Oh Boy" this is gonna be unpleasant but I was ready to take my scolding and at least let them know I completely misunderstood the yardage and it wouldn't happen again and I was really sorry. 

... They pulled up and one of them said "Who hit that shot on the green?" I said "I did and please ..." was all I got out before her friend said "What an awesome shot! We play here 3 times a week and have never seen anyone hit it on that green in two shots and we wanted to tell you how impressed we are." And then they gave me a high five, got back in their cart and drove to the next tee.  Absolutely not the response I was expecting. 

Certainly wished that would have happened to me. I went from an eagle opportunity to a bogey. 

[chisag]

1 minute ago, Erin B said:

Certainly wished that would have happened to me. I went from an eagle opportunity to a bogey. 

 

... It was one in a million. You got screwed.  

[Josh Parker]

Our course has a lot of blind tee shots and most don't ride up to see if anyone is there. We get hit into quite often but most of the time it's a rolling up behind you shot and not in the air. 

 

[EasyPutter]

It's been a couple months since I was last hit into, or past as the case was.  Was setting up for my third shot on the second fairway when a ball landed 15 yards in front and to the left.  My partner expressed concern.  I didn't feel any concern, but I'm not "normal" because a golf ball is not deadly fire unless it hits the skull at a critical point.  And it missed us.

I know what it is to be a target for someone using deadly fire and for whatever reason those who were aiming for me missed.  The younger male golfers behind us were definitely not aiming for us so chances of being hit were about as good as them getting a hole in one.

The young man made sure to talk to me when he got close with a profuse apology.  Maybe my ACU camouflage bag with military appearance encouraged it but I think not, it was a magnanimous statement that was easy to accept with a smile and assurance back that he was forgiven and not to worry.  Just from his demeanor I knew he was not going to do it again.

Golf is my peaceful place, unless someone is really disagreeable, there is nothing to get me upset on a course.  The disagreeable ones too cannot get me upset but I will make sure at the first opportunity to let them go ahead of me so they can focus on someone else.  Then again one of my regular playing partners loves to push the stress card ensuring the disagreeable one feels the sting of someone ready to take them on. 

He knows it is not good to trigger my stress response and he usually backs off, and then the combination of our two personalities usually has the disagreeable one(s) rethinking their own safety in the situation... never put two Scout Dad's in a position where they can play off each other at the expense of the one who brings up their ire, or is it?  When the response comes back with kindness and a smile when something else is logical, it tends to be most unnerving  and psychological operations may or may not have been some of my favorite military tactics.

Edited October 6 by EasyPutter

[chisag]

42 minutes ago, EasyPutter said:

Was setting up for my third shot on the second fairway when a ball landed 15 yards in front and to the left.  My partner expressed concern.  I didn't feel any concern, but I'm not "normal" because a golf ball is not deadly fire unless it hits the skull at a critical point. 

 

... Not on the course when playing, but I saw a women get hit by a Tom Weiscopf drive right on her wristbone and it shattered. The screaming in pain was awful and they took her away in an ambulance. I later found she would need reconstruction and would never have the same use of that wrist again. So a golf ball may not kill you, but it can do some serious damage that can change your quality of life. 

[Erin B]

9 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... Not on the course when playing, but I saw a women get hit by a Tom Weiscopf drive right on her wristbone and it shattered. The screaming in pain was awful and they took her away in an ambulance. I later found she would need reconstruction and would never have the same use of that wrist again. So a golf ball may not kill you, but it can do some serious damage that can change your quality of life. 

Don’t disagree, I’ve been hit before. When I hit my drive I didn’t expect it to carry the green. But to have someone hit the ball into trees in a club championship is quite uncalled for, especially when they’re on the green and the players from the tee on a par 4 can take their shots.

[chisag]

13 minutes ago, Erin B said:

Don’t disagree, I’ve been hit before. When I hit my drive I didn’t expect it to carry the green. But to have someone hit the ball into trees in a club championship is quite uncalled for, especially when they’re on the green and the players from the tee on a par 4 can take their shots.

 

... If you are saying you "carried the ball onto the green" when they were putting I don't blame them for being furious. If you did* that gives them the right to confront you, call the clubhouse, alert a marshal or report you to an official. All that said it is childish to do anything to a ball in that situation other than marking it if it is in someone's line. I think doing it in a tournament is reason enough for her to be disqualified. 


*  I am guessing you didn't fly it into them and landed short and rolled on

[Erin B]

1 hour ago, chisag said:

 

... If you are saying you "carried the ball onto the green" when they were putting I don't blame them for being furious. If you did* that gives them the right to confront you, call the clubhouse, alert a marshal or report you to an official. All that said it is childish to do anything to a ball in that situation other than marking it if it is in someone's line. I think doing it in a tournament is reason enough for her to be disqualified. 


*  I am guessing you didn't fly it into them and landed short and rolled on

Yeah, I don’t know to be honest. I can’t see that far anymore . I didn’t mean to do it and normally don’t hit it that far on that hole. Water under the bridge now. I hold no animosity. 

[GaryF]

21 hours ago, chisag said:

... The Rory drive yesterday rolling on the green that annoyed Robert McIntyre lining up his putt. There are extremes to this question but I have never understood those that frown on such a shot. 

... Where you play and what kind of course you play factors into this I think. Back in the midwest it was very rare for a 2nd shot on a par 5 to land 20yds short and roll on the green due to the soft fairway conditions. But here in the desert shots can easily roll 30 yds or more. It can be brutal waiting behind a group that won't hit until those 300yds or more in front of them clear the fairway or green before hitting a 180 yds shot resulting in a 4:30 to 5 hr round. The only thing worse is someone flying a ball into your group when they know that at a minimum they have a chance of doing just that with their best shot. 

... I never mind a ball gently rolling to where I am in the fairway or on the green from a golfer that knows their max distance and would never risk hitting into a group. We played in front of 4 DI players and they constantly het near us but never into us because they knew their distances.  "Hitting into a group" for me means a ball landing on the fly near us, bouncing into us or rolling at a high speed after landing just short of us. I do not consider it hitting into us if the ball is slowly rolling and barely reaches us. I just think "nice shot". I have played with people that get annoyed and one guy hit the ball back at the group when it rolled on the front of a par 5 while we were putting to a middle pin coming nowhere near us. 

... Admittedly there can be a fine line and one should always err on the side of caution and wait even of there is a remote chance of reaching a group in front of you. But slow play is more of an issue in my experience and waiting for the group in front while there is a group behind you impatiently waiting because you hit one drive in 2009 around 280 yds but haven't reached 219 yds since is no picnic either. 

Last year my wife was playing with a GF and they got paired with 2 other guys. The course was busy and they occasionally had to wait for the Groupon front of them but they were on pace per the cart’s gps.  

My wife’s group had just finished a par 3 and she was putting her putter back in the bag/cart on the cart path when she was struck on her front/side by an airborne ball.  She waited for “Mike” to drive up and all he could think of to say was “so….do you have to go to the ER?”  Then walked away. She was livid.  After her round, she reported ‘Mike’ to the club house and all they did was toll their eyes and say something like ‘oh, him again’.  

I’ve passed him a few times near but off the course and whenever I do, I ask if he’s hit anyone that day with a tee shot.  
 

[RetiredBoomer]

34 minutes ago, GaryF said:

Last year my wife was playing with a GF and they got paired with 2 other guys. The course was busy and they occasionally had to wait for the Groupon front of them but they were on pace per the cart’s gps.  

My wife’s group had just finished a par 3 and she was putting her putter back in the bag/cart on the cart path when she was struck on her front/side by an airborne ball.  She waited for “Mike” to drive up and all he could think of to say was “so….do you have to go to the ER?”  Then walked away. She was livid.  After her round, she reported ‘Mike’ to the club house and all they did was toll their eyes and say something like ‘oh, him again’.  

I’ve passed him a few times near but off the course and whenever I do, I ask if he’s hit anyone that day with a tee shot.  
 

This is what's great about playing on a golf course which is generally known to be a laundromat for revenues accrued "elsewhere."

We have no shortage of members whose bags contain items
that we never mention in those "what's in your bag" threads.

It genuinely does wonders for both the politeness and the patience of the players.
I'm all in with that.
In the end, there's the right club for everybody, I guess!

[RetiredBoomer]

16 hours ago, chisag said:

 

 Unfortunately my home course is prohibitively long from the forward tees so we have very few women play there. 

There are some good things about a New England Donald Ross course
which opened in 1906 with little if any room for hole expansion.

Our course would scream if you tried to stretch it much longer than 6000 yards.

That's one of many reasons why I'm happy to play 90% of my golf at home.
I guess that I've mentioned some of the others.