Dear, Guy who.............

Dear, Guy who picked up my ball today while I was playing the 4th and you were playing the 5th.

If you see a golf ball that does not belong to you (yes even if it is on your hole), please just leave it there. Please understand that sometimes golfers have a tendency to hit that little hook that hits the tree and then kicks right. There is no doubt in my mind that my golf ball was there, ya right there pretty much exactly where you are standing, because I watched it hit the tree and fall a little to the right and down to the ground, right there in that spot. Now magically, it's not there, and judging by your reaction when I asked you about the ball (your head down and couldn't get out of there fast enough as though you either hit my ball or it is in your pocket as we speak and you couldn't possibly admit your mistake), I'm certain that you took it.

Yes, it was a nice ball, a ProV1, but it was my ProV1, not yours. You see, I was already preparing mentally for a recovery shot of some sort and was feeling good about how I was going to make a "working man's par", but now, because you stole my ball, I have to go back to the tee and reload and see if I can scrounge up a double.

Sir, that was not very nice of you and I would appreciate it if the next time you see a ball lying in an open space that does not belong to you, you ask yourself "hmmmm, finders keepers, or is it possible that this might belong to that guy over there who appears to be walking this way who might want to play it as it lies?"

But don't worry sir, I won't let it get to me. Nope, instead I'm going to us it as test of my mental toughness and chalk it up as on of those things that happens on the golf course that I'm just not in control of, therefore, nothing I can do but try to make my double and move on to hole #5.

P.S. Your group is a hole and a half behind. Please move along a little quicker.

Yours Truly,


The guy who's ball you stole between the 4th and 5th hole.


Sorry everyone, a little dramatic I know, but I see it all the time and I drives me crazy when people pick up a golf ball on the golf course that doesn't belong to them. Ever happen to you?
I bet it has

Have a good weekend!

yup it has and I've given up as it's not within my control. It tends to get rarer on guest / member only golf course.

Well, the lesson learn is always drive your ball to your own fairway

It happens buddy! Has happened to me countless times!

Anyway, always tell myself never to pick up any ball that doesn't belong to me on the course cause "what goes around, comes around!"

You can either call it "karma" or "there's a God"

Beautifully written...

which course?

People picking up wayward balls are commonly done by people who are

either "naughty" and let's say "Selfish"

In our country it occurs when our caddies pick it up and tells you...

"Sir your ball went OB" and there's a snake around that corner...."

Anyway, I believe in karma.

The Universe get's back at this act.

Just play on and have fun my friend

Another reason why it's important that all players have taken or have been through a handicap / etiquette test. it reminds them that golf is a gentlemens game and there is a certain behavior that is expected

just for discussion sake....no doubt, it is wrong to pick up a ball that doesn't belong to you on the golf course.
However, if the person who picked it up took it out of his pocket and apologised to you, would you be less angry? would you accept the apology?

Yesterday, i had the temptation to pick up someones ball.

I am waitin for people on green to clear off..
The flight behind me tee off n landed 3-5metres behind me.

So angry. Jus let the ball off. Keke

kevlye wrote:

just for discussion sake....no doubt, it is wrong to pick up a ball that doesn't belong to you on the golf course.
However, if the person who picked it up took it out of his pocket and apologised to you, would you be less angry? would you accept the apology?

I would accept the apology no doubt, appreciate the fact that someone was capable of admitting a mistake.

hi punkrockpga : your response indicates you are a golfer with grace and appreciates the game the way it should be appreciated.
i have, however, encountered many instances where golfers just would not accept apologies on the golf course, especially in instances of alleged dangerous play.
sometimes, balls land where it is most unexpected....the occasional bounce on the spirnkler head, etc. Yet, there are golfers who refuse to accept apologies offered.
Any fellow GRians out there with similar experiences? Care to share? hope to understand the thought processes of golfers in such instances.

saw it before....they pick up because the ball landed near them and nobody shouted 'FORE' or the shout was not loud (some ppl just shout 'fore' like chatting with GF nearby..must shout a loud 'FORE' so the guy 200m away can hear your warning to take action)....ofcourse sometimes when someone shouts a loud warning and you are teeing off nearby, it can scare you...but saftey is no1, a wayward drive is not so important than a ball craking a person's skull or blinding someone.

Quote "i have, however, encountered many instances where golfers just would not accept apologies on the golf course, especially in instances of alleged dangerous play.
sometimes, balls land where it is most unexpected....the occasional bounce on the spirnkler head, etc. Yet, there are golfers who refuse to accept apologies offered."

As you said "I have however, encounter many instances where golfers just would not accept apologies.. " It seem to me you or your friends have done it on many occasion causing a dangerous situations! I may sound direct to you(i apologies if i came across to you as rude). But i do take Dangerous play very seriously and i do not want golfers "F%$King around with my life" while i am golfing.

Well there are times I will accept an apology if there are no condition attached to the "I am so Sorry" but if the "sorry" comes with a "BUT" and "Because" I will take that person to task ! The sincerity of the apology does count too. Always think .... are u "within range"? ie. does not mean once the golfer walk off 10-20 m off the green( left or right) give you the right to hit.

I have seen a ball hitting my friend and it nearly kill him ... Try tossing a ball up and use your head to stop it from falling to the ground ! bet you will have a bad headache after.

Trust me... Dangerous play means whats it exactly spell out, DANGEROUS!

Damn.. i hate finders keeper golfers. Once a well dress "pro" golfers look alike almost hit my ball, when told, bro that mine, he say..no la, its his. Told him to what ball he uses, he don't even know, told him my ball is Callaway Warbird No.4 with my initial in black and 3 dots. He look at it and say.. oh sorry ah bro.. i tot its mine... i just and him in silent....

There was once at Warren Golf course. I finish my putt and waiting for flight mate to complete. I have tendency to look around while waiting. I saw a flight behind us at about 100m. The guy was having practice swing with a buggy near by and another buggy was near rough area.

To my horror, the guy actually hit the ball.. i saw the ball flying to us, and i am the only one who shouted 'Ball". the ball landed on fringier and roll onto green. We were so fuming mad and stayed on green and wave the fellow to move forward.

One uncle (about 55-60) came up very apologetic, saying he can't see so far.. just had eye operation and keep apologizing. We forgave him as his is apologetic and old uncle.

However, I was still fuming mad for the following reason:

1. Eyesight no good can't see 100m away how to play golf?

2. The buggy beside allowed him to hit the ball, clearly, knowing we are on green

3. Another young guy came forward also apologizing and claimed that he is at the rough looking for his ball and pushing blame to another buggy that allowed the uncle to hit the ball.

So is this a dangerous play? Who is at fault? The uncle? The buggy mate at the rough? The buggy beside the uncle?

and68low wrote:

Quote "i have, however, encountered many instances where golfers just would not accept apologies on the golf course, especially in instances of alleged dangerous play.
sometimes, balls land where it is most unexpected....the occasional bounce on the spirnkler head, etc. Yet, there are golfers who refuse to accept apologies offered."

As you said "I have however, encounter many instances where golfers just would not accept apologies.. " It seem to me you or your friends have done it on many occasion causing a dangerous situations! I may sound direct to you(i apologies if i came across to you as rude). But i do take Dangerous play very seriously and i do not want golfers "F%$King around with my life" while i am golfing.

Well there are times I will accept an apology if there are no condition attached to the "I am so Sorry" but if the "sorry" comes with a "BUT" and "Because" I will take that person to task ! The sincerity of the apology does count too. Always think .... are u "within range"? ie. does not mean once the golfer walk off 10-20 m off the green( left or right) give you the right to hit.

I have seen a ball hitting my friend and it nearly kill him ... Try tossing a ball up and use your head to stop it from falling to the ground ! bet you will have a bad headache after.

Trust me... Dangerous play means whats it exactly spell out, DANGEROUS!

@and68low : Thank you for your informative reply. And also your conditional apology. You don't sound rude. Just a tad presumptuous.

Well. I quote what was written by you.... about your encounter... maybe the sentencing should be "I have come to know of many instances..." and not " I have, however encounter many..." and i will not be that presumptuous! anyway play safe... Cheers !

yep...my bad. cheers!

kevlye wrote:

hi punkrockpga : your response indicates you are a golfer with grace and appreciates the game the way it should be appreciated.
i have, however, encountered many instances where golfers just would not accept apologies on the golf course, especially in instances of alleged dangerous play.
sometimes, balls land where it is most unexpected....the occasional bounce on the spirnkler head, etc. Yet, there are golfers who refuse to accept apologies offered.
Any fellow GRians out there with similar experiences? Care to share? hope to understand the thought processes of golfers in such instances.

H

Wow I gotta hand it to people like you. Ever heard of the saying " better safe than sorry"
What's the big bloody deal about your apology if you continue to neglect safety and conmit the same mistake constantly. Accidents happen, but if any of you holders out there who have met MANY golfers who don't accept your apologies, maybe the real issue is whether you should be on the course in the first place

Peace out .

I had experience one of the worse cases of dangerous play and the marshals did nothing about it...

There was a group of ah-mohs behind my group (I joined flight with 3 uncles). The uncles were quite old (the oldest was 60+) and thus was a bit slow (but still on time). While we were putting on the 7th Green, a stupid ang-moh took his second shot that landed about 5m from the green. I got so pissed off that I stood there after we finished the hole to confront the ang-moh. Guess what, when he approached, I told him it was dangerous play and he said "no... I know it will land here short of the green", walk straight pass me and proceed to take his shot. Pissed off, I called for the marshal who asked my flight to proceed whilst he talk to the ang-moh.

Assuming that we have settled the matter and the ang-mohs are most prob being "red-carded" by the marshals, we proceed to the 9th hole and then on the 10th green, I turned back and the ang-mohs were still behind us. I finished my putt and whilst the uncles were still putting, I talked to the marshal who come to the green to tell us that he has informed the ang-moh's to play safe. At this exact moment, a ball flew in and landed beyond the ropes (the one that is close to the green to indicate that the buggy cannot cross). This is obviously dangerous play as the uncles where still on the green and actually, the ball was also pretty close to me and the marshal. Pissed again, I told the marshal that they have to do something about it before someone gets killed. He said he will ask the chief marshal to come over and talk to the ang-moh and ask my flight to proceed again.

The final nail in the coffin came when I was on the 12th Tee box... I noticed that the ang-mohs was still around and were parking their buggies to putt on the 11th green. Fuming mad, I decided to take it out on my poor golf ball and whacked it with all my might trying to drive the green. Then, I heard a stupid ang-moh shouted on the 11th green "Hey... you killed the ball,,, isn't that dangerous play?" Knowing that they are taking a mick, I totally lost it and immediately went to my buggy, took a balled, tee it up, and aimed for the 11th green... One of the uncles saw this and quickly stopped me. He then said: "It is not worth it...Ang-moh and Singaporean are handled differently,,, just let it go and enjoy your game". I totally agree that it is not worth it and backed off. I know that I will most prob get barred if I did that even though I know all the marshals pretty well. The uncles also picked up their pace to create a little gap between us and the back flight.

After the game, I filled a complaint over the counter and got a reply back a month back saying that they have "handled" the situation (I wonder how, given that they did nothing then).

My question is how are these people not "red-carded" on the spot? They might be tourist in Singapore so barring them after the game does little good. Do we need to have someone killed by a golf ball before action is taken? Are ang-mohs (or maybe other foreigners) really handled differently?

Gosh... writting this post got me fuming mad again

Wa, in this case i would really take the ball n throw it in the water infront of him.. Keke.
Tats atrocious..

Perhaps the situation could have been remedied if you just went up to them and explain tht there are old men in your flight and they are playing at a slow pace so please be patient .Im pretty sure you would have gotten a better response than just "complaining" hope you consider this as a future solution! Good on you for standing up for our senior citizens btw!

we have all gotten our fair share of idiots on the golf course i think. I find the most effective method has been to just let them overtake and be within range of my balls. They are obviously in a hurry and too numbskull to understand dangerous play. What is 15 minutes on the golf course versus keeping myself safe. Better to be wrong and alive than be right and Dead. Would you rather be right or be happy.

Remember only the planes in front get shot down in a dogfight.

Bangla123 wrote:

Perhaps the situation could have been remedied if you just went up to them and explain tht there are old men in your flight and they are playing at a slow pace so please be patient .Im pretty sure you would have gotten a better response than just "complaining" hope you consider this as a future solution! Good on you for standing up for our senior citizens btw!

Ermm... if they have come up to apologies in the first instance, I would have told them to be patient and things will usually end with a smile (as I did many times before). But to act as if there is nothing wrong when it is apparently dangerous play (and as if they own the golf course), this is what I cannot stomach. In any case, as I mentioned, the uncles were still on-time (not slow pace, just slower than the ang-mohs).