NY – Yelling “fore!” may be traditional golf etiquette, but it’s not always required by law, a state appeals court has ruled. Dr. Azad Anand, of Oyster Bay, lost sight in one eye when his buddy shanked a shot during a 2002 round at a Dix Hills golf course. But Anand is not entitled to damages, even though his friend, Dr. Anoop Kapoor of Huntington Station, failed to scream “fore!” when he launched the shot that struck Anand in the eye, the state appellate court in Brooklyn said. The court’s ruling said getting hit by an errant ball is an “inherent risk of the game of golf.” Anand was injured at Dix Hills Country Club on Oct. 19, 2002, after he, Kapoor and a third man, Balram Verma, teed off from the first hole of the nine-hole course. Kapoor’s second shot went into the rough. As Anand and Verma stood on the fairway, Kapoor launched his third shot, which veered right and struck Anand’s left eye. Anand testified in a deposition Kapoor never shouted “fore,” … Kapoor said he shouted a warning when he saw where the ball was going, but Anand and Verma said they never heard it. While prior rulings have held that there is a duty to issue a warning when other golfers are in the expected path of a ball, the court noted that Kapoor’s shot was so off target that he couldn’t have expected to hit Anand.

For openers, this is why you never show up to the course as a single. If you can’t get anyone to show up, hit the driving range and save your greens fees for another day. Because this is who they’ll stick you with. The Azad Anands, Anopp Kapoors and Balram Vermas of the world, spraying the ball all over the place and too distracted from chattering on about their malpractice premiums to watch out for Dr. Beeper while he’s trying to hit a recovery shot. And by the way, they must be really successful doctors to be playing at the Dix Hill 9-holer. I’m sure it’ll make Golf Digest’s Top 100 this year. But that aside, what kind of a miscreant to you have to be to stand forward of your partner… while he’s playing out of the tall grass no less… not pay attention while he’s hitting, then sic your lawyers on him when he duckhooks one into your orbital bone? I’ve never found a spot that was safe when one of my friends was hitting except behind him. And even then I’m keeping an eye on the trees. If anyone chooses to stand in front of me, they’ve got a lot more faith in my game than I do, and they do it at their own risk. You hear a lot about judges being out of touch, but they got this ruling 100% correct. Dr. Anand can whine all he wants about losing an eye, but you don’t hear him apologizing for making poor Anoop card an 8 on the hole.  Serves him right.