Interesting story.
The Friday before last I had a day off from work and it was like 67 degrees so I went to play a local course I'd never played before. i went alone and they paired me up with a couple of guys that play together all the time, apparently.
Anyway, we got stuck behind a really slow foursome that was pushing their bags. They looked over a 4-footer from all angles prior to missing it. Really, really slow, especially on the greens.
Well, about the 7th hole or so I found myself about 205 out. I had never played the course before so I didn't know what troubles might lie over the back of the green. I could see that short was safe. So I chose a club I didn't think would actually get there. Then I waited for the guys to walk off the green, get to their carts, and apparently begin pushing them to the next hole.
Of course, I hit a pull/draw, and I hit it flush. Apparently after they started to walk off they stopped for some reason (probably arguing about whether one of them had an 8 or a 9 on the hole, but I digress). I guess my ball ended up rolling up to the vicinity where they were standing; I don't know, because I never saw them, even after I hit the shot. There were a lot of trees in the vicinity. I had no idea whatsoever that they were still anywhere near the green, even after I hit the shot.
Anyway, as I'm driving the cart down the path toward the green I see this guy just standing there. "Danny," one of the guys I was playing with, says, "What the hell is that guy doing?" I said I didn't know. He said the guys looked pissed. I said that maybe my ball rolled up by them and they were angry. I told Danny that i would drive up there, apologize, and get it over with.
As I drove up I was met by not one but two angry guys. They were yelling obscenities at me: "What the $%$ is wrong with you?" etc. I immediately apologized. "I'm really sorry... I didn't know you were still there... I didn't mean to hit into you... I apologize..... My bad.... I shouldn't have hit until i was sure you were gone..... I couldn't see you...... I didn't think I could even hit it that far..... I'm really sorry..... it won't happen again...." etc., etc., but they continued to stand next to the cart being all agitated and yelling. I'm wasn't sure what they wanted at the time, but on reflection I really think they were angry because I wasn't getting up out of the cart to fight them. I just kept apologizing.
Meanwhile, after all this time, Danny walks up to where this is happening. Now Danny was a medium-build guy about 5'11" and mid-40s; didn't look too tough or too strong to me. But as he walks up he yells, "Go on! Get out of here and play the game! You're holding up the entire course!"
They start agitating at him, calling him names and swearing. He remains supremely calm. He then says, in a smooth, calm voice, "If you know what's good for you, you'll turn around and walk away. You picked the wrong dog to mess with."
They stared at him for about 3 seconds, like they were mulling over in their minds whether he was bluffing or not, and then turned and walked off.
I don't know if he was bluffing. For all I know he has a black belt in Kung Fu or jujitsu. But it was really funny to watch the wheels in their heads turning after he said that.
But honestly, what kind of jackasses want to pick a fight over a shot that accidentally rolled up near them when they had left the green a minute before that? And these weren't kids, either. Men in the 30s and 40s. Unbelievable.