Florida golfer survives gator attack on putting green

[teach1st]

Florida golfer survives gator attack on putting green
Fox Sports, 2/10/17

A quick-thinking Florida golfer avoided the ultimate water hazard this week when he used his putter to escape the grasp of an alligator that had dragged him into the drink during a round in North Fort Myers.

Tony Aarts was walking up to the fourth green at Magnolia Landing Golf & Country Club, where he had a 10-footer left for birdie on the 136-yard Par 3 on Wednesday. But as he approached the putting surface, the 10-foot gator emerged from the water along the right side of the hole and grabbed Aarts by his right ankle.

“As I was walking about five to six feet away from the water I heard a splash,” Aarts told Fort Myers CBS affiliate WINK. “And as soon as I heard that splash I knew it was an alligator, and he got me.”

Fortunately, Aarts already had his Cleveland putter in his hand — and he used it to save his life.

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[no_hypocrisy]

1. My father would likely opine that he lost two strokes for that action.

[woodsprite]

2. I think of this whenever I'm down there at my MIL/FILs house.

They think nothing of walking or sitting right by the water's edge. They live in Rotonda West and have both a 7-8' and a 10' that live in the lake behind their house. The one time we were down there they liked watching the baby gators in the long grass at the water's edge. Common sense seems to be in short supply in that side of the family.

[csziggy]

3. Wait - what is this writer trying to claim?

There’s an age-old saying in Florida that best way to escape a shark attack is to punch the shark in the snout, but experts say the eyes and gills are the most sensitive spots on the animal and are therefore the most effective areas to attack.

Gators do NOT have gills!