Last week the PGA Tour played their Byron Nelson Classic at Trinity Forrest in Dallas, TX. Tyler Duncan, who shot a very low round of 66, made only one bogey in his second round. The bogey was made after his approach shot caromed off of his wife. You read that right, he hit his wife with a golf ball, while he was playing a professional event.
It is no surprise that tour pros routinely get good breaks when they hit balls into the gallery. How many shots have the enormous galleries that follow Tiger around saved him over the course of his career? Tour players are playing their shots in bowling alley thin slivers of fairways but they have the crowds to save them. A quick signed glove or ball for the spectator they hit, a shot saved, a couple grand more in the bank and pro's are on their way.
Tyler's wife was ok, She had actually been hit before by a stray ball that came from a driving range at a tour event. With odds like that she better start playing the lotto.
I have been hit with a ball once and lived to tell the tale. When I was coaching high school golf I was out playing with my number one golfer. I was about 30 yards ahead of him up a hill to the left. An enormous oak tree was in front of me and the green loomed about 150 yards in the distance. He lined up, pulled his approach shot into the tree, the ball flew off and struck me right in the ankle. I thought it was broken. My ankle would swell up to look like Manny Pacquiao's eye after a fight. Golf balls hurt. There's no joke to being hit by a ball unless you tattoo your buddy with one after he routinely takes a minute to hit his ball after countless Sergio-esque waggles.
Another time, while playing a 2 man scramble, my buddy and I were sitting in our cart in a fairway adjacent to the long drive hole. After no warning, no call of fore, a ball smashed through our windshield and literally landed in between the two of us in the cart. My buddy said "That guy lost out on a ton of roll".
Always keep your head on a swivel when you're out on the course, especially if you're related to Tyler Duncan.
Stay safe out there SwingJuicers.
Be a pro and hit some fans with golf balls!
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