“Fore” is the warning golfers shout when a ball they have hit might strike someone, to alert anyone in its path. Whether it is the group ahead, players on the next hole or greenkeeping staff, if your ball is heading toward a person, you are expected to shout it loudly and immediately. The Rules of Golf also say a player should give a warning straight away when there is a danger.
What the Rules of Golf say
Rule 1.2a of the Rules of Golf (R&A and USGA) requires every player to play in the spirit of the game. It gives examples of showing consideration for others, including playing at a prompt pace, looking out for the safety of others and not distracting other players.
The official interpretation of this Rule says that a player who hits a ball in a direction where there is a danger of hitting someone should immediately shout a warning, such as the traditional “fore”. In other words, the word itself is not fixed, but warning people of the danger is the player’s responsibility.
- There is no set penalty stroke for failing to shout.
- However, the Committee can disqualify a player for serious misconduct.
- If a club or event has its own code of conduct with penalties, those apply.
When to shout
If in doubt, shout. If you shout and nothing happens, no harm done; if you stay quiet and the ball hits someone, it can cause a serious injury.
- Your ball is curving onto an adjacent hole where people are playing, or where you cannot see whether anyone is there.
- You have hit a shot that might reach the group in front.
- On a blind hole, there may be people where your ball is heading.
- The ball flies toward a cart path, practice green, refreshment stand or anywhere else people gather.
- The ball heads toward course maintenance staff or another group’s caddies.
Shout right after you hit. Shouting just before the ball lands gives people no time to protect themselves. If the player who hit it hesitates, a playing partner or caddie can shout instead. Someone watching from the side often has a better view of where the ball is going than the player who hit it.
How to shout it, and where the word comes from
Shout one clear, loud “Fore!” so it carries. Some golfers add a direction, as in “Fore right!” or “Fore left!”, to tell people which way the ball is going. At the same time, stretch your arm out and point in the direction the ball went; it helps people far away understand.
The origin of the word is not certain. The most widely accepted theory is that it is a shortened call to the forecaddie, a person who stood ahead down the fairway to see where balls landed. It is thought to relate to the word “before”, a call to warn people ahead. The USGA also mentions a theory that it came from an old military warning used when the rear rank fired over the heads of the front rank.
How to protect yourself when you hear fore
If you hear the shout, looking up to find where the ball is coming from is dangerous. Do this instead:
- Crouch where you are and cover your head with both arms.
- If there is a cart or a tree nearby, get behind it.
- Turn your back toward where the shot came from, so your face and head are not facing the incoming ball.
Do the same when someone in your own group shouts. Even a ball from your own group can hit you on a ricochet.
If your ball hits someone
First go to the person, check how they are, and apologize. If they are injured, contact the golf course staff.
Under the Rules, if a ball in motion accidentally hits a person, there is no penalty to anyone, and the ball is played as it lies. Since the 2019 Rules changes, there is also no penalty if the ball hits you, your caddie or your equipment.
If your ball goes onto another hole, the players on that hole have priority. Signal to that group and wait until they confirm it is safe before you play. When you play back to your own hole, choose a safe line away from the people on that hole.
On Southeast Asian golf courses
Some courses in Southeast Asia have holes laid out close together, with trees or planting that make it hard to see across. If you cannot tell whether anyone is where your ball is curving, shout without hesitating. “Fore!” is understood by golfers everywhere, so local caddies and players in other groups will know what it means.
At courses with caddies, the caddie is tracking your ball and will often shout fore before you do. That does not change the fact that the responsibility to warn is yours. When your caddie shouts, shout as well and point the direction with your arm. To avoid hitting into the group ahead, check with your caddie that they have moved far enough forward before you play.
How far to stay behind the group ahead and how to wait so you do not hit into a green are covered in our article on etiquette around the green, and basic behavior on the course in Golf etiquette for beginners.