2006-11-16 07:07:19 · 26 answers · asked by bty463500 1 in Sports ➔ Golf
They are actually shouting 'fore' meaning in front of them. It's to warn people of an impending flying golf ball.
2006-11-16 07:10:18 · answer #1 · answered by Jethro 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not four, it's fore.
That word - "fore" - is the internationally recognized warning to golfers ahead to watch out for an errant shot heading their way.
Golf History FAQ: Why Do Golfers Yell "Fore" for Errant Shots?
"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."
A popular theory is that the term has a military origin. In warfare of the 17th and 18th century (a time period when golf was really taking hold in Britain), infantry advanced in formation while artillery batteries fired from behind, over their heads. An artilleryman about to fire would yell "beware before," alerting nearby infantrymen to drop to the ground to avoid the shells screaming overhead.
So when golfers misfired and send their missiles - golf balls - screaming off target, "beware before" became shortened to "fore."
This is another term, however, whose exact origin can't be stated. It does originate, however, in the fact that "fore" means "ahead" and, used by a golfer, is a warning to those ahead.
2006-11-16 08:51:10 · answer #2 · answered by SG 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's when the golfer has hit a really bad shot and it's heading in some poors persons direction. Others words watch out or get ready to duck!
2006-11-18 08:57:58 · answer #3 · answered by northendnutta 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Fore!" is shouted as a warning when it appears possible a golf ball may hit other players or spectators. It means "ahead", and it's believed to come from the military "beware before", which was shouted when shooting battery behind the troops. This is the generally accepted etymology of the term.
Another explanation sometimes offered up is: Flying Object Returning to Earth, which would seem to be a backronym and is somewhat entertaining albeit erroneous
2006-11-16 08:22:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
They shout to warn others who are around where the ball is going to fall to look out of being hit with the golf ball
2006-11-16 07:09:24 · answer #5 · answered by kamraj75 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It means that they have played a bad shot and has gone in a different direction from the intended one. (normallt heading towards other players) The word fore is used because it is quicker to say and louder to shout than say MIND YOUR HEAD THERES A BALL COMING YOUR WAY you shout fore and the direction either left or right so it would be say "fore left" so everyone on the left of you know the ball is coming their way.
2006-11-17 02:46:37 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the olden days, the caddie or foreman would stand up the fairway looking for the ball to land and find it for the golfer. When the golfer hit his shot he would shout 'fore' as a warning the ball was coming. Nowadays it's used as a warning for wayward shots into the crowds.
2006-11-16 07:11:53 · answer #7 · answered by giraffe boy 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋
when you take your shot at golf, and you see that your ball is heading towards another person you shout 4, to warn the other golfer's that a ball is heading there way, it can be very painfull if not fatal if your struck from a golf ball travling at speed
2006-11-16 07:23:17 · answer #8 · answered by rusty red 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Because it is so much of a boring sport that they have to shout something to wake people up so they are alert and don't get hit by the little ball. Fore!... it's easier than saying... wake up you morons!
2006-11-16 07:13:31 · answer #9 · answered by Sacramento dweller 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
That is when they loose control of the ball and its going to hit someone
2006-11-16 11:50:12 · answer #10 · answered by vince i 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋