Slow play is an epidemic in golf and as a tournament staff, we are constantly in search of ways to improve pace of play.
But we haven’t lost our minds, like one man in Florida apparently did in a fit of frustration with slow play. James Alonzo Hines allegedly slammed his golf cart into the group in front of him and whacked one of the tortoise-like offenders with a club, starting a brawl with a foursome trying to enjoy a bachelor party.
“They were among six friends celebrating the May 5 wedding of buddy Donald Salsbery. Hampe said the group, some of whom had just learned how to golf, had a few drinks at a nearby bar and joined Salsbery for the mid-afternoon golf outing at his request. Hampe said none of them was intoxicated.
The other group — two older men and two older women — were golfing behind the partygoers, said witness Justin Ravel. Ravel, who saw the initial confrontation from the 18th tee, said one of the women told him they had become incensed with the younger golfers driving on the greens and holding up their game.”
The police report made no mention of riding on greens but apparently our man Hines began firing balls into the offending group from 200 yards away (as an aside, this was on the 18th hole! He suffered through 17+ holes and couldn’t hold off for a few more minutes?!), at which point the problems started:
“One of the balls was heaved back at Hines, who then hopped in his cart and headed for the group, police and witnesses said.
Ravel, 23, said he heard the shouting, saw a golf ball fly back and forth and then watched as Hines drove into the group.
“He drove the cart as fast as it could go,” Ravel said.
Hampe said he jumped out of his cart just before Hines ran over his leg and slammed into Hankin, pinning him against another cart.”
Apparently Hines wasn’t the only one doing the threatening:
“Ravel said he arrived about that time to see Hines and a companion holding clubs over their heads and their female partners also brandishing clubs.”
This is a must-read story! Slow play has to be addressed, but we won’t be consulting with Hines!
