Golfer Nearly Loses Arm To Alligator While Retrieving Ball

[matcom]

<snip>

VENICE -- Bruce Burger was playing golf Monday afternoon at the Lake Venice Golf Course when he lost a ball in a pond near the sixth hole and almost lost a limb.

When Burger reached down to fish out his ball, a 10-foot, 11-inch alligator latched onto his right forearm and pulled him in, said Gary Morse of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Burger, 50, used his left arm to free himself and suffered a strained thigh in the struggle, said Morse.

Burger was rushed to the clubhouse by a woman who was playing nearby and heard his screams for help.

"I saw him reach down to get his ball and he yelled ... 'Help. Help. I've been bitten by a gator,'" said Janet Pallo, who was playing the fifth hole and ran over to drive the man to the clubhouse.

http://heraldtribune.com/article/20070626/NEWS/706260302

[Tyler Durden]

1. Now I'm not saying being bitten by a gator should be the penalty for playing GOLF...

...I'm not SAYING it....

[SoxFan]

14. Say it! Say it!

Come on! Say it!

:applause:

[DS1]

2. This is why I stroke in the safety and comfort of my own home

[Tyler Durden]

3. Now THAT was a good one. n/t

[jobycom]

4. Thus avoiding one eyed gators. nt

[Zuiderelle]

5. ...

:spray:

[Fleshdancer]

6. This isn't related to the golf lap dance story, is it?

:rofl:

[Awsi Dooger]

7. The advantage of carrying an 18 foot retriever

Bite my pole, gator.

[Smooth Operator]

8. that's the problem with playing golf with an alligator

I never know which club to use. :eyes:

[BreweryYardRat]

9. Ah, Florida wildlife at its finest.

Hopefully, they'll relocate that gator rather than killing it.* Katherine Harris' swimming pool would be a good new spot. ;)

*: Yeah, right.

[alarimer]

10. Golf would be so much more interesting if there were alligators on every hole

Imagine the fun we would have watching Tiger try to put around one.

[BreweryYardRat]

12. Come down here, then.

Odds are good there'll be one gator for about every 2 holes with a water hazard, even if you don't see it.

[pinniped]

11. AMC was airing Lake Placid yesterday.

.

[GOPisEvil]

13. It's just a fucking golf ball, asshole. Let it go.

It's part of the penalty for hitting it into the water.

Sorry 'bout your arm though.