Golf-FAQ.com

why yell fore when playing golf

by Stone Mante DDS Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

Why Do Golfers Yell Fore?

  • FORE! Safety is Every Golfers’s Responsibility! ...
  • Origins of Fore. Back in the early history of golf, golfers played golf with a caddie. ...
  • Fore Left or Fore Right. ...
  • Every Golf Hits An Errant Shot. ...
  • Have Fun Playing Golf! ...
  • Resources. ...
  • Closing Thoughts: My Secret To Golf Improvement. ...
  • Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better. ...

It Is Derived from the Word 'Forecaddie'
Forecaddies were in charge of watching the golf balls and indicating where the golf balls landed. To let the forecaddie know when the ball was being struck, the golfers would yell out forecaddie. Eventually, the caddie part was dropped, leaving just the fore.
May 4, 2022

Full Answer

Why do golfers Shout "fore" when teeing off?

  • Where did ‘fore’ originate from in golf?
  • Why do golfers yell ‘fore’ on the course?
  • When should you yell ‘fore’ on the golf course?
  • How loud should I yell ‘fore’ on the golf course?
  • What happens if I don’t yell ‘fore’ in golf?
  • Do the pros yell ‘fore’ on the PGA and European Tours?
  • Final message

Why do golfers yell Fore as a warning?

One theory is that it derived from “fore caddie”, who was an assistant employed by the golfer to wait ahead of the golf ball to find where it might land. Because of the danger that this had the potential to cause, they would hear their golfers yell “fore” to warn of an incoming ball in the event of a wayward shot.

Why do they say four in golf?

people call the word "four" just to warn other people that are golfing to get out of the way or they might get hit with the golf ball

Why do people yell 4 in golf?

Why do lumberjacks yell "Timber!"? When they were using hand saws and it took MANY people to cut down a grove of trees, Timber was a safety word used like “four” in golf. It was the final warning for people to look out for a falling tree. They yell “Timber!" for the same reason blasters yell “Fire in the hole!"

image

What does "fore" mean in golf?

The prefix "fore-" originated during the Middle Ages and, in general, indicates that something is "ahead" or "in front of.". "Foremost," "foretold," "forerunner" and "foreman," for example, all mean something or someone that is initial or first. In the 1700s and 1800s, the golf term "forecaddie" described a person hired by golfers ...

What is a forecaddie in golf?

Although most golfers now only hire a caddie to carry their clubs, forecaddies are still used in professional golf tournaments, but they are more commonly referred to as spotters .

Why do golfers yell "fore"?

For professional golfers, they also yell "Fore!". to indicate if they've hit a ball that's going to potentially hit someone in the gallery watching them play.

What does "caddie" mean in golf?

The term caddie is a shortening of the term forecaddie, which meant the person that went ahead of the golfer to hunt for their ball once struck. Another theory contends yelling "Fore!". was designed to warn the forecaddie that the ball was going in a particularly bad direction.

Do pro golfers point in the direction of their ball?

Many times, pro golfers will also point in the direction in which their ball is heading so those who may not hear them shout from hundreds of yards away could at least see them pantomime and know that they should be on the lookout for an incoming ball.

What is the best reaction to a yelled fore?

When you hear the word, your immediate reaction might be to look around for the incoming ball. The best reaction, however, is to duck and shield your face.

When to shout fore?

Shouting the word once usually suffices, although it's acceptable to shout it repeatedly if you see your shot sailing toward another group of golfers. If you lose sight of your shot but know it was errant, yelling the term is suitable.

What does "fore" mean?

The term is a short form of the word "before," which is a synonym to "ahead.". Thus, fore literally means, "look out ahead.".

Should you yell "fore"?

Considerations. Golf etiquette dictates that golfers should always yell "fore" upon hitting a shot that carries the risk of hitting another golfer. As long as you yelled "fore," you did all you could to warn the other golfers. Convey this message to them in as polite a manner as possible.

Other Theories On The Origin Of The Term

Not everyone agrees with this theory. Some claim that the term is derived from a military background. According to this theory, artillery forces had to fire over the heads of the infantry soldiers and would shout out “beware before” to warn them of the incoming artillery fire. This was in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Modern Use

While initially, the alert was only used for tee shots it is now used to warn anyone ahead that they are at risk of an errant ball. Despite being small and light, no one wants to be hit by a golf ball. Even a relatively soft shot can cause a lot of damage. It is dangerous to the person being stuck and also distressing to the player.

When was the word "fore" used in golf?

The use of the term ‘fore’ in golf dates as far back as 1878 with its inclusion in the Oxford English dictionary, around the time golf was establishing its foothold in Scottish and English cultures.

What does "fore" mean in the military?

An article from scottishgolfhistory.org concludes the term is an abbreviation of the phrase ‘Beware Before’ and ‘fore’ is subsequently “derived from an artillery term warning gunners to stand clear”.

What Fore Means in Golf?

Usage of the golf term “fore” can be traced back to 1878 and is short for the term “before”. The dictionary has “fore” as a synonym to the word Ahead, and can be understood to mean “look out ahead.”

What Happens Next?

After yelling fore, continue to watch your golf ball’s flight so you can see approximately where it lands. If the ball lands close to people, a few things can happen next.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9