Ever wonder what people down in Florida are doing?
That’s somewhat of a loaded question, considering all of the wild “Florida Man” and “Florida Woman” stories that come out of the “Sunshine State.” They even had an inaugural Florida Man Games last week to determine which Florida resident was the “most Florida.”
One of the other things America’s appendage is known for is the staggering population of alligators that roam the state. Most of reptiles keep to their habitats, like the sprawling Florida Everglades, which are home to an estimated 200,000 gators.
However, there’s one place that alligators and humans often interact that’s sort of a grey area as far as habitats go. Large bodies of water, plenty of vegetation, and boatloads of sunshine are a great place for a gator to call home…and are also usually called golf courses.
That’s why if you see a video online of a golfer getting a little too close for comfort to a gator, it’s usually a safe bet that it took place in Florida. A recent clip went viral of an alligator making a run at some golfer in a golf cart, almost pushing them into a nearby body of water.
Which reminds me of this footage from a couple of years back, which brings a different meaning to the practice of “playing through” in golf. This golfer decided to play it as it lies, even though there was a gator walking mere feet away from his golf ball. This has to go down as one of the most high pressure shots that have ever been hit in the history of golf. I’ve seen a lot of PGA pros sink putts and hole bunker shots to win tournaments, but all of those pale in comparison to this guy standing strong and hitting his shot while staring death (a nearby alligator) right in the eyes.
Golfing legend Shooter McGavin (Happy Gilmore) once said “How am I supposed to chip with that going on?” and I used to side with him. After seeing this though, Shooter had no excuse. Try hitting a shot next to the wild reptile that likely took Chubbs’ hand off (RIP Carl Weathers).
Take a look:
