AUGUSTA, Ga. – Fore is fast becoming golf’s forgotten word.
All over the world, kids are standing on fairways holding their arms out to indicate a wild shot. They are copying the professionals they see on TV, who seem to have forgotten one of the first tenets of good behavior on the golf course.
For some reason, many pros have either forgotten or don’t totally understand the etiquette of the game.
They may be careful not to walk on another player’s line and to stand still when someone is taking a shot, but they are found wanting when it comes to basic safety.
I know the rules of golf can be a tough read, but I don’t understand why anyone serious about the game wouldn’t bother to read them.
That’s like an accountant not knowing the tax codes.
I wish top players would familiarize themselves with the etiquette section of the rule book. I’d particularly like to remind them about the last paragraph under the heading “Safety.”:
“If a player plays a ball in a direction where there is danger of hitting someone, he should immediately shout a warning. The traditional word of warning in such situations is ‘fore.’ ”
The word is as plain as day. So plain that we hear it on private and public courses all over the world. I reckon there would be strong words at my club if a member hit a ball toward another group and didn’t yell “fore!”
Yet go to a professional golf tournament these days, even a major, and there’s a good chance you won’t hear “fore!” from players who should know better.
I was walking down Augusta National’s 7th hole during the first round last week when a ball from the tee landed within yards of me and plenty of other people. Luckily, no one was hurt. I waited until the player in question arrived at the ball to find Ray Floyd was the culprit.
Not one word of warning, and no inquiries when he stepped over the gallery rope to see if everyone was OK. Nor was there an apology.
This is a four-time major champion we are talking about, and neither he nor his caddie could get the word “fore” out of their lips.
Yet when Floyd’s caddie walked past his divot on the eighth hole in Round 2, Floyd was quick to tell him to replace it. I guess Floyd cares more for Augusta’s pristine turf than life or limb.
A day later, Jonathan Byrd carved his tee shot into the crowd on the 8th hole, and not a peep came out of his mouth or his caddy’s. Again, it was lucky no one got hurt.
Byrd looked as casual about things as Floyd had done the day before, oblivious to the safety of the throngs of spectators parading the Augusta National fairways.
I wasn’t surprised by their indifference. Two people were hurt in last year’s British Open by stray shots. Tiger Woods launched a ball that hit a spectator on the sixth hole, while a Sergio Garcia shot to the 17th green did the same.
In both cases, the players simply stuck their arms out to indicate the ball was going wide.
That’s a common practice these days. There’s just one problem: ears can’t hear arms being stuck out.
How is someone who is not paying attention 200 yards away supposed to take cover from a poorly hit shot when all the player does is stick out an arm?
That’s why the rule book implores players to shout a warning.
Not all pros are guilty of this. For example, Padraig Harrington hit his approach left of the 18th green in the second round at the Masters and immediately yelled “fore!”
Sadly, he and his like seem to be in the minority in the professional ranks. The status quo needs to change before someone gets seriously hurt.
Posted: 4/15/2008
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