What is an Appropriate Response?

At times if your ball unwittingly drift out of your fairway or line of sight, and unknown to you, endanger other golfers, and you forgotten to shout 'fore', let common sense prevail:
- I'm terribly sorry! (I would suggest this as the default first response when you found your ball next to other flights of startled golfers)
- are you ok? Are you hurt? (Demonstrates genuine concern and sincerity)
- can I buy you guys a jug of beer or juice at the clubhouse? (Ah got some class! You will make new golfing friends!)

This morning, we were playing Kranji 6th hole. My ball drifted into fw bunker adjoining the 13th hole, and as I get ready to hit my shot, a ball landed in the same bunker few meters behind me! Naturally I got startled. My buggymate he parked the buggy behind this bunker watching my shot was startled too as the ball whizzed past him.

I composed myself and hit my shot out, raked the bunker and waited for the flight who just teed off from hole 13 tee box. As they came looking for their ball, we told the guy in red shirt that his ball is in the bunker next to us.

"Ok thanks"

We then asked if he knew his ball nearly hit us?

"Really? I never see you"

At this point, I shaked my head and motioned my buggy mate to move on. I reminded myself - I cannot control other people's actions, but I can control mine.

My buggy mate wasn't prepared to let it end there - you mean you cannot even see our buggy parked here?

"Nope" was the defiant response.

At that moment, I fear a fight is erupting. Thankfully, the gentleman in pink top from the other buggy intervened to apologize. The chap in red still appear unapologetic. Anyway we moved on.

I guess my point sharing this incident is to hopefully share to golfers who are new to this sport to be aware of the dangers and respond appropriately when confronted. The chap in red may be honestly saying he wasn't aware of our presence but that's not my point. My point is at times you may not be aware, but when TOLD, then an apology is all it takes to sort it out

Denial, defensive response, maintaining ignorance is probably not the right response.
Thanks for reading, hope you can share your thoughts

PS: to the chap in red, if you are in this forum, I could have reported you, but I gave you the benefit of the doubt. Life is too short, hope you learn from it as others may not be so forgiving. Your friend from the other buggy got a bit of class. Learn from him

Bro pocketace, I strongly stand by you!
Yes, he may hve no intention like everyone here bt ball is round and since he was kindly n politely informed, so...at least a simple apology will nt has his ergo betrayed!
I often tell my kakis off shld I see his ball hooked or sliced when they re still starg at it wo callg fore till it landed on other areas beside our own fairway!
And life is short does'nt mean he s young lor!

I think one important thing is not taught or emphasized clearly.

Golf is a game of ethics and patience.

Not just hitting balls into holes.

Hopefully he is here and sees this.

@pocketace: had similar encounter and share your sentiments.

my friend and i played 2 ball at palm villa yesterday.
another 2 ball played behind us, often times very close to us and we werent playing slow. the 2 ball behind were pretty good players, better than us for sure. however, there is a 3 ball flight in front of us thats quite slow (looks like some coaching going on - correcting setup and swing). After a couple of holes, at one of the par-3, we teed off and the buggy of the 2 ball arrived already, so, we invited them to tee off, while we head to the green. when they joined us at the green, we said hello, joked and all (we jokingly said to each other, they are nice fellas, wont hit us la).. then, we went on our way to next hole (while they finish up their putt) and we teed off, landed around 200m. while waiting to take our 2nd shot (3ball flight still taking their shot in front), my friend was sitting in the buggy and the 2 ball behind teed off, landing 5m behind our buggy. we got a shock but decided not to ruin our day and played on. We thought it would be appropriate for them to shout fore or wave and at least apologize at that time or over the next few holes, but they did not.

During the crossover to back nine, we met another 2 balls (with a caddy) warming up at 10th hole but they were nice to offer us to go first. We were in no rush, so, we said, thanks but please go ahead, we dont play that fast anyways. So they teed off BUT surprisingly they starting walking instead of riding on the buggy (only caddy in buggy). As they were walking towards their ball, we called out to them and asked "hey bro, u guys walking ah?", they replied "we'll be fast". It would have been nice if they told us to go ahead first because they intend to walk the course. So, we decided to drive our buggy pass them to play at the 11th hole first, then circle back to 10th hole once we finish 18th.

Though i have not golfed with u bro pocketace... But ur actions had earned my respects.. Ur ability to stay calm despite wat happened to u is truly wat tis game is about..

Hope the golfer learned something from his flight mates and u... Really hoping tat "red shirt golfer" will really start to understand wat golfing is realli about..

A true gentleman in the game of golf.

the guy in red has the usual small prxxk syndrome. apologies and acceptance of responsibility must be really detrimental to his already minute self esteem. sounds like my father generation, say sorry like will kill him as if.

Sometimes just cannot help thinking that guys with such behavior and mentality should be banned from playing. I remember my first lesson in golf was SAFETY - not your own, but others on the course or around you at range in case you hit them.

If such people do not change, an accident is bound to happen - just a matter or time...

I feel ashame for the guy in red. A bad example. If there are junior golfers in his flight, that is even worse. It costs nothing to say sorry. Sometimes pride has to be swallowed and learn the art of Apologizing.

robert33 wrote:

Though i have not golfed with u bro pocketace... But ur actions had earned my respects.. Ur ability to stay calm despite wat happened to u is truly wat tis game is about..

Hope the golfer learned something from his flight mates and u... Really hoping tat "red shirt golfer" will really start to understand wat golfing is realli about..

A true gentleman in the game of golf.

Robert33 bro, remb we d a similiar situation at T.Putri C!
While waited patiently fr the frt 4 balls which hold up the entire flights behind, suddenly the korean teed off n landed abt within 1m fm u n rolled off!!
I ve done w my 3 shot n u goin fr yr eagle chance which s possi (note guys: par 5 left 210-220m)!
Tats was f....shaved!
There on, u ve almost needed to buy a complete set n tat particular spot we re waitg became a GUR liao!
Yr gd game was lost n nt found! Sianz....
Bt I m sincerely glad to get to golf w you again.

Hi pocketace,
U able to describe the look and size of the red color shirt guy...seems that he may not be doing it once or so...my frds do met such situation and the same answer given...

Thanks for airing your thoughts

I've been playing about 10 years already. All kind of funny characters also seen before
- once another similar incident like this happened and upon confrontation, the culprit retorted, "what? I shouted already mah... You never hear only!"
- once I paired up with these threesomes, this guy who shared buggy with me NEVER rakes his bunkers even when reminded to do so

Ya pocketace, I certainly hate those dress like they are pros but behave and play like monkeys....my frd got a bad encounter before when a flight behind nearly hit him but act nothing happened and even tried to blame him for playing slow

volkswagenboy wrote:

Hi pocketace,
U able to describe the look and size of the red color shirt guy...seems that he may not be doing it once or so...my frds do met such situation and the same answer given...

In his 30s, average build, no head wear (I think) but has his shades on

Just curious, bro, what ya gonna do ah?

Make love not war ah...

I probably think got many such characters around...

In a game that's supposedly played by gentlemen and ladies, abovementioned examples of poor golfing etiquette are reminder that there are really all sorts of 'golfers' out there. In your case bro, I would choose to lodge a complaint, quite pointless talking to people with low IQ and no EQ.
And to 'golfers' that park in handicap parking lots to save on walking a few extra steps...YOU SUCK!

Overheard one day at the reception at Kranji, "You cannot expect me to keep shouting Fore and Fore everytime and on every shot, right?" The frustrated golfer was voicing his complaint when he was confronted for his dangerous play.

That bastard should give up golf n castrate himself to prevent off springs bearing his attitudes and common sense, or the clear lack of.

Bro pocketace, I urge you to make a report. The culprit has demonstrated no remorse and his prior mistake of not ensuring that there were no other golfers in his line of play. On those holes where the incident happened, there were no trees or obstruction that could have hidden you or the buggy from his sight.

Such behaviour left unchecked will only empower these kind of golfers to take further risks and potentially injure others in the future. Do the right thing and help make our golfing venues safe place for recreation.

i cannot dare to fathom the scene if the red shirt guy hits that front flight ahead of you instead....

Seems like most of us are victim of such


Once I Over putt and hit my buggy mate left foot... I bot him juice later

Slinger, extend reservist till eternity

Duval,

U over putted n hit your flights mate legs?

He should not be in your line of putt when u r putting. Same for caddies.

U can see that in PGA that caddy will be there when their player lined up their putts but have to go away when the player putts.

He should buy u a drink, add 2 strokes in strokeplay or lose the hole in matchplay.

I remember once I almost hit Bro Haragolfer when my second shot sliced and bounce off the buggy track to where he was teeing off.

Went over to apologized immediately, but he so steady never scold me.

Next time take out phone snap some pictures... hahaha

Don't let him ruined your day!

Happened to me in kranji also

Some more that guy say he is not wrong cos its his fairway and sounded like he own e bloody golf course

The whole flight came n supported him

I made a complaint and Henry sent him a letter of a warning

The lousy attitude golfer is in his 50s and wears a cap with fake hair on top

Seriously. I pity his kids...

Agreed with bro crayon. They will never learn otherwise. I've had my fair share of experiences too:
1) Driver went right and borrowed fairway at RCC Palm. About to hit my ball when flight turns up barking that it is his ball. Point out my markings and showed him the other ball in my pocket with same marking. He told me to spend more time at the range instead of playing on the course. Then he hits my ball.
2) We're walking back to buggy from Par 3 at NSRCC when ball flies and hits our buggy. No apologies etc etc
I should have reported them and if I did, I wouldn't have passed on the same recalcitrant chap over to you guys. So apologies.

Think we shd stop all these dangerous play at kranji and "not sorry" attitudes and start filing complaints for safety of golfers in Kranji.

andrew-golf wrote:

Happened to me in kranji also

Some more that guy say he is not wrong cos its his fairway and sounded like he own e bloody golf course

The whole flight came n supported him

I made a complaint and Henry sent him a letter of a warning

The lousy attitude golfer is in his 50s and wears a cap with fake hair on top

Seriously. I pity his kids...

U sure he has any?