Golfer hit by golf ball while on the green
 

Please be careful out there.
Our friend was hit on the head today by a golf ball, and was taken to hospital for treatment (stitches, CAT scan) when another golfer hit a 120 yd drive from tee, his ball hitting our friend on the head as our buddy walked to the green. The photos ain't pretty.... :(

He was hit by someone who was 120 yards away? Was this a par 3? Why did this person hit into your group?

OMG, Sorry to hear that. Hay People, wait tell Everybody is off the green & in their cart's goin to the next hole before U Tee-off.......Please!!!!!!

Do not hit until the people have driven away in their carts.
 

Friends were hit up on, on a par three and one of the group picked up the ball, not really realizing it was from someone who had just hit from the group behind them.

While they were on the green the woman and her husband came up to them and really yelled at them for picking up her ball. She said they weren't close enough to hit them.

Dumb, scary dumb.

Friend Hit By Golf Ball
 

Our neighbor is the one who was hit by the golf ball this morning. I don't know which course, but I know for sure that he was struck by the ball driven 120 yds from the tee, into their green - hitting our neighbor in the head. The golfer playing behind our friends, was the culpret, when he drove before the group ahead were off the green. Poor victim has a split head, stitches, spent the morning at the hospital getting CAT scan and is now sporting a terrible haircut to go with the rest of the damage.

Hitting the ball when someone is 120 feet in front of you on the hole? Dumb, scary, dumb is right. Or assault by another name. Good grief!

Well obviously hindsight is 20/20, but I would of immediately stopped play and found an Ambassador and reported the incident and the fact there was injuries. However, since that didn't happen you could call the course tomorrow and get the names of the party playing behind your group and ask the manager how you should proceed since you will need to collect for medical bills and maybe future litigation.

Hoppin' mad!
 

I cannot imagine anyone ever hitting into a group that is on the green from 120 yards away, ever, anywhere, anytime.....

If what I described above is what happened and it happened to me I cannot imagine how angry I would be. If someone with me was hurt I would get the name of the person that hit the golf ball and witnesses from their group. Could be a nice law suit here, or at least scare the **** out of them as I collected info for one. If no one got hit, I would alert the ambassador of the details in no uncertain terms.

If I have the facts wrong based on the posts, I apologize for my over reaction...

PS. As gracie stated in her post subject, you must wait until the folks have driven away before you hit up to an executive green, a policy which IMO should also be followed on most holes on championship courses.

Wonder how many folks "play at" golf and don't know the etiquette?!? I've heard of folks coming here and saying they want to play golf but have never played. Also wondering if they just go ahead without taking lessons etc. What is talked about on this thread is horrible and I hope something is at least said to those who did this...perhaps action should be taken.

Many don't even know the word etiquette and obviously have no common sense to boot. That unfortunate situation should most definetly be reported and I'd like to see the idiot who hit the ball be banned form play. Sure hope the person who got hit recovers quickly

If the golfer who got hit had to have stitches in his head, it was a deep wound and would have been bleeding very heavily - as head wounds do bleed a lot.

I would imagine he would have gone down on the ground and his golf buddies would gather around him. Surprised no one in the group called 911 for an ambulance.

If all this happened, how is it that the person that hit the ball did not come up to the group to see the hurt person and at least apologize - as well as giving his name and insurance information?

If the person that hit the ball did not come up immediately, how is it that one of the group did not go to that person and demand his name?

It does seem like a good possibility for a lawsuit for negilence - hitting the ball from 120 yards while people are on the green is ridiculous.

I would think action could be taken
 

I lived on a course in Marietta GA back a few years not an executive but a typical course built through a housing development. A fellow T'd up at the T box that was behind my house and you could see the person playing ahead had not left yet. I was in the yard and yelled for him to wait which he did not as he had more beer than brains at that moment. I was asked to sign an statement as to what happened because the club was recinding his membership and not giving him his $5K membership fee back.

I think I have read that abuse of the T time system has suspension rights you woud think this kind of action would also.

IMHO the person hit shoud sue the pants off the person who hit him and it should be made front page news. But it is you peoples back yard so to speak not mine.

[QUOTE=NotGolfer;458031]Wonder how many folks "play at" golf and don't know the etiquette?!?

Etiquette? This is common sense! That someone hit onto ANY green, hit the green and was able to hit somebody in the head means a) they have skill b) the ball was flying high and NOT rolling onto the green (ala "career shot on a par 5 reaching it in 2) c) HAD to know they could reach the green

Now an errant shot from another tee onto a wrong green is a different story. Had to be a really, really STUPID person!
AND nobody yelled FORE? I'd have issues with that person right then and there so YOU better NOT hit into ME! I'd have the other person accompany you to the hospital for stitches inflicted by my 9 iron....or maybe that's over clubbing....

I heard that the guy who got hit was an attorney. He yelled back at the group "I'm going to sue you for $5,000"! Someone in the group yelled back "I yelled fore". The attorney yelled back "I'll take it"

Honey I'm Home
 

This Wed. we will have our closing in Ohio. We sold it quick,(Jan.14) got our price, but it took soooo long for the bank to close these banks want your first born before they loan you any money. Our Alhambra Way home shoud be seeing activity in March. Home sweet home in less than two weeks.

golf ball strike
 

The facts of the incident are correct, but I do not have a follow up of what transpired following the injury. Other than our neighbor requiring hospital treatment.

If you made that up just for this thread, you should be writing for Leno. LOL

Sandra (Shrandell, the OP) is a trustworthy reporter and it makes me mad and VERY worried to hear of such a thing. Most of us who have played golf for awhile try to be helpful to new people.We usually don't like to instruct on the course.....but, you would have thought too that the other members of that foursome would have told them not to hit.

If you haven't ever played. DO NOT hit until the people have driven away from the green if you are playing on an executive course.

I hope that the person is gonna be alright. A concussion is very possible. I am not a person who jumps to getting a lawyer, but in this case I hope they know who the guy who hit the ball is just in case his noggin isn't o.k.

Did the person at least appologize? I've been hit by a golf ball, in the chest from an errant 3 wood from another fairway. The golfer immediately came over and appologized. That was good enough for me.
This case is a little different where they had not waited for the golfers to clear the area. But they could have at least appologized.

Vote of confidence
 

Thank you, sweet Gracie for supporting my integrety :) I posted the incident as a warning to let other TOTV know such injuries occur. (Seldom reported in the newspape) There are so many extra folk here at the moment, that all amenities, roads, restaurents etc., are straining to maintain some semblence of civility. With visitors attempting to sample every single thing offered at TV during their short stay, I have notice a trend of "get out of my way".. I will be the first to admit, this is only MY little survey. As I travel TV in my golf cart, I've had several near misses involvng out of state tagged cars cutting in front to make a turn, beat me to the "carts merge" signs, wrong way cart travel, (another post involving a lady attempting to go through the posts put there to STOP folks from passing though) I conclude a healthy percentage are visitors on a mission. It is also reflected in some of the classes I take, the class number of attendees having doubled. For another month, an hour wait is essential to ensure getting into class. As I listen I hear eager conversations of a very full day of activities planned for the remainder of the day. I don't begrudge our seasonal visitors, indeed they help "pay our way" so to speak. Its the frantic pace so many of them keep. Lastly, enjoy our beautiful Home Town and all its' amenities, but please be "safe out there"

Hit by ball
 

I know Fire & EMS were sent as I heard the call on the scanner. As for PD I can't say. I would hope the person responsable at least came over. Sure hope the person who was hit has a speedy recovery!!

I remember once on a short par four (270 yards) at Eisenhower Park when I tee'd off and got everything into it. I was young and not very good but somehow I reached the green. The ball rolled by the feet of one of the players on the green and we went ape s**t .

Here it was, one of the best shots I have ever made and he ruins it with a bunch of 4 letter words and threats. There was no way I can reach the green but on that day, for that one swing I did. But to hit up on a 120 yard hole, there is no excuse.

I was on a par 4 at Baseline when a ball came trickling between our legs when we were on the green. Since it could not have hurt anyone I just waved and they waved back. I am sure he thought twice before doing that again.

On the par 4 at Amberwood there is a sign to not hit before the group in front leaves the green. I asked the field marshall - since my wife cannot possibly hit the ball that far does she have to wait? His answer was - she might get lucky. That was good enough for me.

In the case of the 120 yard drive there is no excuse. Someone should have called 911 and reported him to the police for endangering lives. Jail sounds like a good place for the moron.

I am VERY new to golf and still learning. I NEVER tee off first unless the people I am playing with tell me I should. We always make sure the green is clear before teeing off.

There was one occasion where I hit the ball "AT" the green, but it somehow went off to the right. After everyone had taken their shot, I walked over to where I thought my ball had gone. There was a group of 4 "ladies" over there calling me everything they could think of because they said a ball had come by them on their fairway. I asked them where the ball went and told them that I didn't think I could have hit it that far anyway. They said that they didn't know where the ball went. I looked around and finally found my ball way back from them on our fairway. They never offered an appology even though I had told them I was sorry, and it wasn't even me.

I have had to caution a player from time to time who gets ready to tee off when the group in front has just reached their carts. Yes, the green is clear, but, since we are a long way from the Tour, there is no telling when you may send one off line and either hit or scare the crud out of the group in front. I wait until they have entered their carts and moved well away toward the next tee.

I am a little paranoid about being hit into. Early in my golfing life I was hit in the chest by a tee shot from the adjacent hole. Scared the heck out of me. The golfer was very apologetic, but it really was a course design flaw. The holes were so close together it was bound to happen.

But the incident that haunts me today was when I played golf with my dad about 12 years ago. We had finished the first hole and were putting our clubs back in the cart when the group behind us hit toward the green. The ball hit me in the back of the head and knocked me unconscious for a few seconds. I came to lying on the cart path. My dad was furious, and the hitter was only slightly apologetic. (Said something about not leaving the green area fast enough!) I was taken to the hospital, but was OK (although my wife may challenge that statement). I never got to play golf again with my dad as we lost him to cancer not long afterward.

I will NEVER play a shot when there is a possibility of reaching someone in the group in front, ever.

Rules
 

As I recall the basic rules are:
1. You enter a golf course at your own risk as you know there are risks of
being hit.
2. If the person who hit you yelled "fore" then he/she has some protection
from being sued.
3. If the person who hit the ball did not yell "fore" and there was a potential
for the ball hitting someone he is at risk.
4. If the person hitting the ball was striking the ball in a way that was out of the ordinary expectation then again the ball striker may have some problems.
These are not meant to be a statement of the law but rather what I understood from playing golf? Only an attorney can make a reasonable judgement as to responsibility!:mornincoffee:

Alas, I cannot take the credit. I read it in a joke book last week!

I recently played at Miona Lakes (my first time there). The group behind us consistently hit into us - but usually 10 - 20 yards short. After one time that their ball ended up right next to our golf cart we complained to them about hitting too soon and told them to stop it. Their response? No apology, no excuses, they just got mad and said, "I'll bet you're from The Villages." So, I guess to them, only people from TV worry about being hit into.

A word of caution to those who have not played at Miona Lakes - they have squeezed 18 holes into such a small area that you will probably be dodging golf balls from adjacent fairways all day.

hJitting into other golfers
 

We were playing at Sandhill the other day and the people behind us hit into our group three times. Thank God we were not hit. I have only had this happen twice. The first time I was so stupid that I thought the balls I was seeing were lost balls and I picked them up the first two time. The third time I figured it out.
She caught us later and complained that I had snagged two of her balls. She told me I was stupid to not realize what was going on and picking up her balls. I pointed out that if three of her balls were on the part of the course that I was playing on, it is not I who was stupid. She was not pleased but the ambassador that was standing near us came over and read her the roit act. :22yikes:

You are so right and she was so wrong and how in the world could she think she was right?????? Any golfer knows better than that.

Hmm, there is only one par 4 on Sandhill....so, they hit into you at least twice on Par 3s? It is almost unfathomable that a group tees off on a par 3 before the group ahead is off the green and on their way. It is time for those that know the rules to stand their ground and for the ambassadors to step up and admonish those who commit this etiquette/safety violation before further injuries occur.

What the heck is going on out there? Inexperienced golfers, impatient people, or ??

How timely for thread and embarrasing for me
 

Yesterday, Bonifay, par 5 big down wind, 305 from green, group on green. I gave a 3 wood a mighty lash, expecting if I really caught one it would roll out to 260-280 down wind on firm fairways...

As we approached the green, my ball was not short in front, it was on back collar. My heart sank. I dropped my wife off and raced to the next tee at 19.6 MPH and apologized. It was roundly accepted and in fact one of them was shocked how far his ball went. My best guess is it landed 60 - 70 yards short....

I am glad they were nice guys and have played golf enough to understand an accident.

Gonna have to start calling you AJ McIlroy. 300 yd 3 wood? Yikes

How did this happen at Sandhill? There is only 1 par 4 on that course. Did they hit into your group when you where on a par 3? If the did then they are absolute idiots. Yes, the play can be slow on the execs during the winter season but that is no excuse.

That's what I'm talking about...the "career" shot. Yeah it went into them but rolling I would imagine (300yds in the air I don't think so). AJ did the right thing and explained that he never thought it would go so far... They accepted that.....no harm no foul

To be hit into on a par 3 is just dangerous with no regard for potential injury. It is common sense. Etiquettte is waiting until the carts cleared the area. Even if it backed up and you feel you MUST hurry things along do it when it is clear......

Come on April!

Exactly Russ. I e played behind some slow folks but never would hit like this.

:bigbow:

Almost the same, I smoke a 3 wood down wind with 70 yards of roll for 300, Rory chokes down a 3-wood, plays a fade to take some distance off and flies it 300....

Watching the tour players and the distance they are hitting shots is crazy. The USGA lost control of the ball sometime in the late 90s and it is never going back. Kind of a shame if you ask me, but that is for another thread.....

AJ,
Did you make eagle? :bigbow:

Ouch! He's lucky to be okay.....a fellow in Orlando was killed last year when hit by a ball.