2006-10-05 02:06:32 · 32 answers · asked by ajackson1975 1 in Sports ➔ Golf
It's not Four, it's 'fore - meaning 'Watch out afore' or ahead!
2006-10-05 02:08:53 · answer #1 · answered by Avondrow 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Fore" is another word for "ahead" (think of a ship's fore and aft). Yelling "fore" is simply a shorter way to yell "watch out ahead" (or "watch out before"). It allows golfers to be forewarned, in other words.
The British Golf Museum cites an 1881 reference to "fore" in a golf book, establishing that the term was already in use at that early date (the USGA suggests the term may have been in use as early as the 1700s). The museum also surmises that the term evolved from "forecaddie."
A forecaddie is a person who accompanies a group around the golf course, often going forward to be in a position to pinpoint the locations of the groups' shots. If a member of the group hit an errant shot, the thinking goes, they may have alerted the forecaddie by yelling out the term.
It was eventually shorted to just "fore."
2006-10-05 02:11:28 · answer #2 · answered by tui 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its not "four" but rather "fore" that is shouted to warn any people where your golf ball is directed that a golf ball is going to their direction. It is shouted as an advance warning to "forewarn" the other players.
2006-10-05 02:20:10 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The term is fore...and you only shout it when you have hit a shot that is heading in the direction of other golfers to warn them of possibly being hit. This dates back to a scotish tradition and is still used today. Sometimes it's best to yell fore and not be anywhere near the other golfers than to not yell fore and actually hit them. So if you hear it on the course, duck and cover!
2006-10-05 03:54:35 · answer #4 · answered by chad_zortman 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As has already been stated it is "fore" rather than the number four. It is meant as a warning to other golfers that you have hit a ball in there direction.
The use of the word Fore rather than any other warning is just so there is a continuite and so all golfers are aware of danger.
As for the origins it is beleived simply to be a shortened of "For your attention" or words to that effect.
Just make sure you duck when you hear it!
2006-10-05 02:15:00 · answer #5 · answered by big_roy_lwc 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
golf is the only game where you can legally hit someone in the head with a golf ball if you yell "four" before hand.
Love that sport.
Edna
2006-10-05 02:14:19 · answer #6 · answered by edna_romano_1943 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
actually it's not 'four' that you shout, it's 'fore' - sounds the same, hence the confusion. it's usually shouted to warn the others on the fairway that a golf ball is in play and to make sure they duck if it's flying in their direction.
2006-10-05 02:15:20 · answer #7 · answered by asian chick 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I shout "four" because that's how many swings it takes me before I can hit the bloody thing!
Everyone else shouts "fore" which is a polite way of saying that their shot is heading straight for someone else on the course.
2006-10-05 02:11:03 · answer #8 · answered by Andy J 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You shout "fore" to warn players on the course that there is a ball moving towards them and they should get out of the way.
2006-10-08 00:09:09 · answer #9 · answered by golfnut 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ok, so by now you know its fore.
One explanation is that before the British military fired a volley, they would shout Beware before !! to warn the advancing infantry to lie down to avoid being hit by friendly fire.
Its since been shortened to fore !!!
2006-10-05 11:11:45 · answer #10 · answered by Wee Eck 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You shout FORE for the same reason you wear those goofy little golf knickers, and stupid looking hats!
It's tradition!
2006-10-05 02:14:42 · answer #11 · answered by br549 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋