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When someone hits into you, how do you usually respond? Is it different if you're in the fairway or putting on the green?

Also, what kind of responses have you experienced or seen second hand?

This should be a fun topic.

Just a few days ago I was hitting my second shot on a par 5. I was in a bunker about 300 out and the guys ahead of us were about 50 yards out. With hybrid I knew I couldn't get there. So I hit and then realize there is a guy about 120 out in the trees on the right side. I felt bad and would have apologized except for the fact that the guy flipped me off and then just stared at me after he got off the green. It was a complete accident.

He was already in a bad mood, however, because he had just ran his cart into a tree after going down a hill...that's why he was suddenly walking I realized.

It depends on where the ball was hit from, and just as important, how he responds to it. If a ball just rolls up and I look back and see the player is some 250 yards away, I'm going assume that he just hit well beyond his usual range. Since I've been there myself, I have to give him the benefit of the doubt. If it happens a second time, I'll have a little conversation with him. If a ball carries into my group without so much as him yelling "FORE!", then I might be a bit more peeved.

Regardless, I'm not going to do something stupid or childish. If the guy is a total jerk, I won't hesitate to call the pro shop and let them know that they have a situation escalating. I don't mess with his ball, or threaten bodily harm. That's just not how I deal with such things.

Usually when this happens, the guy makes a point of walking up close enough to quickly apologize, and is careful not to do it again.

The worst I ever had was when my partner and I both hit 1 in 50 type of drives on the same hole. I guess our balls rolled past the group in front and one of them drove back to us real mad. Told us it was backed up in front and that he'd report us. We apologized and felt bad but never thought we could reach them. I guess the wind was stronger than we thought.

I'm with Fourputt. As long as they apologize, I'm fine with it. Once, that is. I punched out from under a tree earlier this year, and it rolled up about 30 yards short of the next tee box. They yelled "Hey!" at me, so I went to apologize, and they just turned their backs on me. What happened to etiquette??

There is a short par-4 on one of my home courses (320 yards, usually a little bit downwind) and a buddy of mine that is a long hitter hit it to about 18 inches. The group in front of us was standing around the hole making their final putts, and it rolled right up to the hole.

They waited for us to approach, then all high-5'd him. It was hilarious. He did make the putt for eagle.

This guy also hit one 437 yards on the 18th at the Plantation Course while on vacation in Hawaii. Long hitter!

I am usually very cool about it if someone does it to me, as long as it's just once. If it happens a few times, then it gets annoying.

If I do it to someone else by mistake, I'll always try to get up there and apologize. Then, I am usually thinking about it and try to make sure that I am nowhere near them again.

I have allways said if i get hit i am keeping the ball for my self.

..I dive for cover,as if it were incoming artillery.....'cuz it is !!!



I've seen guys cuss, throw the ball back, HIT the ball back...I just duck and cover....

I use a few simple guidelines as follows:

If I am on the fairway and have a clear line of sight to the teebox where the people were hitting from that just plopped a ball into me, I react angrily. This could mean teeing the ball up and hitting it into the woods, or driving over it with my cart, or just picking it up and keeping it as a nice souvenir.

If I do not have a clear line of sight to the people who hit into me, then I react as though it was a complete accident. However, even then if the people come up on me, I do expect an apology.

I figure if you hit into a group when you can clearly see where they are, then you don't deserve to keep your ball at the very least.

I'll just give them a look the first time unless it is super close and they better hope there is not water around. I've picked up peoples ball twice and threw them into the water. Twice and I'm headed their way.

I guess I've calmed with age. Years ago, I hit one back to the group that teed off into us. Now, I pretty much figure it's an accident - IF I hear a fore out of them. If not, their ball will still be there, teed up for them so they'll know I'm not happy about it. If it happens again, they can expect a visit from a course ranger. I'm not a big fan of getting jailed for assault, so I figure a ranger had better handle it.

Good response. Physical confrontation just isn't the way to handle a stiuation like this.

Sure it is! It makes you feel good inside If a person is being a jerk then they get treated like one. Just make sure there are witnesses. If it is a rollup accident then that is a different story.

Well being how I am new I probably shouldn't speak. About 2 weeks ago my wife and I were out and sitting in the middle of a fairway waiting on the group in front of us. Next thing I hear is someone tee off. Now keep in mind this hole is straight and flat. I was standing beside the cart and my wife was in it. All of a sudden this ball smacks the cart right behind her head. Then we hear FORE and 4 guys bust out laughing. I was ticked so before I could think I yelled back a few words and stomped the ball as deep in the ground as I could get it. I am pretty sure he never found it.

the other day i took out my 5 iron on a par 3. I played that hole yesterday with that 5 iron and it plopped right on the green. Well ahead of the green there is a tee box. About a good 10 - 20 yards. I hit that ball and I was surprised and i forgot to yell FORRRRRRREEE. So they just looked at me for a second and I yelled sorry. It was a stupid decision on my part. I was'nt thinking very well.