Unusual "Golf Hazards" (Geese, Rattlesnakes, Tigers, and Bears, oh my!)

[fishgolf]

Alligators in the southeast, rattlesnakes in the southwest, and geese in the north.  I've heard these critters can get pretty darn ornery, but wow!  Must be guarding a nearby nest or brood. 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/offbeat/high-school-golfer-attacked-by-goose-and-the-photos-are-insane/ar-AAwfIWV?li=BBnb7Kz

What non man made hazards has your golf rounds encountered?

[Buckeyebowman]

I live in Ohio and have been chased by geese!

Also, after hitting a shot into the tall and uncut, I nearly stumbled into a swarm of white faced hornets! That could have gone very badly for me if I hadn't noticed them in time.

[Club Rat]

Bee's, Hornets and an various Snakes are common in Missouri.

A couple of years ago a Bumble Bee strung me and then chased and buzzed around my head for a few minutes before it flew off. I accidentally intruded his nest area searching for a friends ball in a creek area. 

[dennyjones]

Now this is being chased by a goose:

Michigan High School Golfer

 

[Wally Fairway]

Having lived in Houston for a few years, I have to add fire ants to the list.
I hated those buggers

[Kalnoky]

Hornets and Yellow Jackets while trying to putt.

[NJpatbee]

In NW Jersey I have run into bears (which frequent my yard) and coyotes on the golf course.  No harm done.

[DeadMan]

Geese are really aggressive this time of year. If you get too close to them or their goslings, they will hiss and sometimes attack you. I've heard of a golfer that had to break a goose's neck because it was attacking her.

Besides geese, I've encountered or seen:

• Yellow jackets
• Rattlesnakes
• Regular non-venomous snakes
• Coyotes (this is what I see most frequently)

Most of them will leave you alone if you leave them alone. The problem is that you might not see them before you get too close. There's a course here that has a ton of rattlesnakes, and you really have to be careful in, or not go in, long grass areas. You can step on one without knowing it, which is when you'll get bitten.

[NM Golf]

We have a nesting pair of Red-Tailed hawks at my course. They have a big nest to the right of the 15th fairway. When they have eggs or chicks you don't want to slice it under their tree because they will fly down and thump you on the head. It's never happened to me but one of them knocked my dad's straw hat off before. Scared the living shit out of him!

[Vinny Cap]

In Mass we have the nasty angry geese and they hiss as I swing my 9 iron at them... dirty creatures.

Just got back from Myrtle Beach and we saw all sorts of wildlife.. 3 alligators was the top of the list... we kept real far from them!

[Buckeyebowman]

I just remembered that I was in a league at a course that had a family of foxes living in the woods to the left of one hole. If your approach shot missed left, one of the kits would run out of the woods, grab your ball, and disappear back into the woods!

No harm to the golfer other than a lost ball, and somewhere in that woods was a den full of them.

[fishgolf]

38 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

I just remembered that I was in a league at a course that had a family of foxes living in the woods to the left of one hole. If your approach shot missed left, one of the kits would run out of the woods, grab your ball, and disappear back into the woods!

No harm to the golfer other than a lost ball, and somewhere in that woods was a den full of them.

Is there a rule that covers golf balls stolen by wildlife?  

[iacas]

1 hour ago, fishgolf said:

Is there a rule that covers golf balls stolen by wildlife?  

Yes.

Rule 18.

[graham57]

We sometimes play on a course in Thailand where on some holes you have to run after your ball waving an iron, as otherwise monkeys will run onto the fairway and steal your ball!

[jsgolfer]

When I lived in Maine, we'd see a couple of these every year on the golf courses.  Had one stand in front of the 18th Green at Sugarloaf Golf Club and wouldn't move, stood there and looked at us for a couple minutes before sauntering off.

Edited April 25, 2018 by jsgolfer

[Carl3]

On 4/24/2018 at 6:37 AM, dennyjones said:

Now this is being chased by a goose:

Michigan High School Golfer

 

Hate to be that kid and trying to live this down for all eternity.

 

[dennyjones]

33 minutes ago, Carl3 said:

Hate to be that kid and trying to live this down for all eternity.

 

The local TV station interviewed him and his dad.   They all got a good laugh.   The golf course roped off a large section of the area around the nest. 

[Buckeyebowman]

Oh, yeah! If you see a Gander walking toward you shaking it's head with it's mouth open, you are in trouble! They can bite hard!