So there I was...

Evening all,

Thought I would share a funny story that happened to me today.

I decide to go play 18 today after work at a course called Dead Horse Lake.  It is right smack in the middle of Knoxville in a widely developed area and is located behind a hospital and next to two high schools.  I get paired up with a random and we are both having pretty decent round and having a good time.  We make the turn, finish up 10 and tee off on a par 3 11th.  After getting to the green I realize that I'd left my wedge near the green on hole 10.  I let the guy I am playing with know and proceed to turn around and get my wedge.  I find my wedge, hop back in my cart, and turn around to head back to 11.  I am only half paying attention as I am trying to figure out my score and I am driving pretty slow.  I happen to look up and see something in the middle of the cart path.  Initially I think to myself.. I don't remember a statue being there before but keep driving.  And then it moves...  and I realize I am about to drive right into a big ol Black Bear, lol.  I was so shocked that at first I thought it was one of those ceramic statues at first but when it looked right at me I had an "Oh crap" moment.  I slammed on my breaks and just kind of froze for a moment.  I tried to get my playing partners attention but he didn't hear me yell his name.  The bear looked at me for about 10 seconds and then turned around and wandered off back into a little wooded area by the lake.

I called the club house afterwards but I kind of got the impression that he thought I was a drunk idiot.  My only regret is that I didn't snap a quick picture with my phone, but unfortunately I had it tucked away in my bag.

Anyway, I had a good chuckle about it and I am still trying to figure out how it made it through Knoxville, crossed I-40, and got to the course without being seen.

Nope!  I'd have backed the cart away!  The largest animal I've seen on a course (besides dear) are a couple of foxes that would try and raid carts when golfers weren't in the immediate vicinity!

CY

Saw this on the news a few minutes ago so I wasn't the only one..

http://www.local8now.com/home/headlines/Wildlife-officials-say-expect-more-bears-217190621.html

I hope they're not half man, half bear, and half pig. Lol.

Cool story.

I had a similar encounter, Florida-style, about ten years ago. I was playing Cobblestone CC in Palm City. When I finished they 17th hole I started driving to the 18th tee, which are a good distance apart, like 400 yards or so. As i turned the corner to head down the cart path, there was a panther about 50 feet in front of me. They are very rare, on the endangered list. You occasionally see them out in the everglades, but to see one that close to populated areas was a real treat.

We both froze in our tracks, looked at each other for about 5 seconds, then he took off. Was one of the coolest experiences I ever had on a golf course.

Found this stock photo on the web. He looked like this -

A few years ago three people told us they saw one of those in my backyard on two separate occasions. I went out in the garden where they said it ran across and there were some tracks that looked like cat tracks (although I'm not a cat track expert). I did call my lab over there so I could compare her tracks to what I thought were cat tracks and they weren't her tracks. I have seen bobcats around here quite a few times but the neighbors said it had a long tail for sure.

No more sightings since those two days though.

P.S. To barbm12thtee: I just live right down Lookout Mountain from Chattanooga and there are some black bears around here (confirmed by fish and game) so it stands to reason there would be some further north (at least on the mountain). I can't imagine they would ever cross the Interstate 24 into town though.

Poor guy must've gotten lost while looking for some Meow Mix or Friskies. In all seriouness though, very scary. I would not want to see one that close unless it was toothless and clawless.

I have never seen a bear on a golf course. Thankfully! I've run into these quite a few times while playing golf in Riviera Maya, Mexico. Coati. I think they actually picture one during the opening of Big Break Mexico. According to locals, they can get quite ferocious when provoked.

Oops my husband corrected me...The Fox Club.

There are houses running along a local course I frequent.  One one hole, every time we get to a middle of fairway, a small dog (slightly larger than a Chihuahua) runs out of a house through a broken fence and chases after us, barking all the way.   I had to keep the dog away while my wife hits her 2nd (or 3rd ) shot.   This went on for months.   When the dog stop coming out, perhaps, someone complained and fixed the fence or was killed by an angry golfer, I realized how much I missed the bitch (female dog ).

Go Bears, '84.