Most Unusual Incident on a Golf Course?

[Mike_Young]

I saw a flying saucer land in a fairway while getting golf balls from a golf course pond one night in 1968.  There were 8 of us and it came with in 200 feet of us and just sat down...no sound or anything...And we weren't drinking or anything

[Bill Gayne]

Compared to some of the stories posted I live a rather mundane life. Only two incidents to report:

1. A couple of lesbians had to be separated having a cat fight on a driving range. I was told it all started when one of the lesbians told the other that she hit the ball like a man.

2. We were puttuing on a green next to a pond and a hawk swooped into the pond and pulled out a fish and rose above the  green. As the hawk was directly above the green it loss control of the fish that was in its talons and  the fish dropped to the green. We were unsure what to do with the flopping fish for fear that the hawk may come back for it and after us if we messed with it. So we moved on to the next hole and left the fish. The guys behind us probably wondered how a fish got on to theputting green.

[A_Clay_Man]

Bill-Your catfight story reminded me of this;

After finishing the 16th at Big Run, one Sunday morn, there was a squirel rumble taking place, directly on the walking path to the next. This rumble comprised what appeared to be about half a dozen squirels, actually dueling-it-out.(could've been 10 on one?) That wasn't the fascinating part. What caught my eye were the thirty, or so, kibitzing squirel spectaors, on the hillside above the fray, all screaming in squirel. We walked right through them and they didn't seem to notice us, and were strangely not in any fear of us.

[Dan Bock]

A few years back playing in a scramble, a storm rolled in about halfway through.  Tecate was a sponsor of some sort and had one of those big 2-story-tall blow-up beer cans next to the first tee.  

As our group turned from #18 to #1, the storm got worse and as we drove down the first fairway to our tee shots, the can broke loose.  A 2-story beer can was tumbling end over end toward us.

Luckily, like a lot of hackers tee shots, it veered left-to-right into the trees and got hung up in the trees on the right side of the hole.

Wish I had a video camera that day to get on Funniest Home Videos...

[tlavin]

Has anyone ever killed an animal on the course with a shot?

This is sickening, but a few years ago, a buddy hit a hard dive hook out at Pine Meadow -- it hooked way, way into a pond.  It hit a goose flush.  The goose went underwater and never came up. We all felt like shit the rest of the round.

Here's a playing incident:  practice round for the Western Am.  5th hole.  All 4 guys in the group all hit the stick with their approaches.  None less than 150ish or so out.  Very bizarre.  

Personally, killing a goose on the golf course, whether with a shot, a club or a tree branch would make my day!

[Brad Klein]

I must be missing something here, but pardon my ignorance. What could this "turn-up" be? - what Marc Haring refers to when he writes:

"balls found in the turn-ups of golfers who have skied them into the wind "

[ian]

Brad,

Sounds like a hood to me

[Brad Klein]

Gotcha. Must be a Canadian phrase, eh?

[ForkaB]

"Turn-ups" are what the  British call "cuffs" (as in the cuffs which grace the bottom of trousers), which BTW you should NOT call "pants" in the UK, as pants mean the same thing in Britain as "knickers" (as in 'don't get your knickers in a twist') which are, of course NOT that sort of golfing attire which they call "plus-fours, which, of course do not have turn-ups.

Comprende compadres?

[Dan Kelly]

Rich --

If I were to ask a British woman about her pants, would I be likely to get cuffed?

Awaiting your (possibly experienced) guidance...

[ForkaB]

Dan

You certainly would if you said to her (as I once saw an American do in complimenting a lady's swing):

"Margaret, I just love the way you get your fanny into the ball!"

[Marc Haring]

Richard.

Thanks so much for explaining that for me. Although my ignorance knows no bounds, I do find it amusing that this elicits the need for explanation and yet the numerous French and Latin phrases that are found in the various discussions are not.

Another one that I remember oh so many years ago was at Stover Golf Club in Devon. The 18th hole passes very close to the clubhouse car park, which always causes a few concerns when playing the long second shot. Whilst playing it in a competition with a couple of the regular members, one of my companions launched a three wood off the toe end with the result being that it slammed into the side of a Mark III Cortina with a highly impressive smack. With the perpetrator stuck in his follow through position, we all gazed in horror at the not inconsiderable dent that had been created (good cars those old Fords). Finally after about five seconds of this torture, the poor bloke that had done the deed sank to his feet and cried “My Car”!!!

[JeffTodd]

At Scotland Run in NJ I watched a skydiver almost get killed. He had jumped and had a problem with his chute, and was spiraling quickly to the ground. He cut away the main chute and was just above the tree line when the reserve opened. Everyone who saw it thought the same thing; that he was going to die. To this day I can't believe the reserve chute opened in time to save him.

There is an airport just behind that course, and on the range some of us were talking about trying skydiving someday. After that we all agreed to stick with golf.

[Forrest Richardson]

Peter Robbeloth is a friend and a seasoned golf director. When he was at the Arizona Biltmore in the 1980s the following event took place:

A couple of hackers was holding up play and word got back to the proshop. Peter grabbed a cart and headed out to fix the problem. He found a couple in their 20s, both were playing barefoot; the guy in a tank top and the girl in a halter top. Pete approached them and explained that they needed to keep up with the group ahead. He also mentioned that, in the future, they should know that the Biltmore does not allow tank tops or halter tops. "No problem," said the girl, whereupon she removed her tank top and proceeded to extract a club from her bag, hit a shot and then sat in the cart with her boyfriend .

Pete thanked them, turned red, and left.

[mikes1160]

It was at the Western Open, I believe about 1979. My dad dropped me off on for one of the early rounds, probably Friday (he worked in Oak BrooK) and I waltzed around the course. On a par 4 dogleg left (don't remember which hole) I was behind the green. next to some folks sitting in lawn chairs. A pro (nobody of note) lofted his second shot well over the green. It struck a woman wearing a terry-cloth mid-riff (and with an ample bosom) sitting in one of the lawn chairs right in the chest. The sound of golf ball hitting flesh was unmistakeable and all of us in the area immediately went to her aid. She was, naturally, quite shaken up. In the meantime, the ball could not be located. After awhile, the woman reached down in her mid-riff and well, you guessed it. The coda to the incident was Bob Verdi, then with the Chicago Tribune, kneeling next to the woman, and saying, "Is it true?"

Bob mentioned it in his column the following day.

[Brian_Gracely]

It was at the Western Open, I believe about 1979. My dad dropped me off on for one of the early rounds, probably Friday (he worked in Oak BrooK) and I waltzed around the course. On a par 4 dogleg left (don't remember which hole) I was behind the green. next to some folks sitting in lawn chairs. A pro (nobody of note) lofted his second shot well over the green. It struck a woman wearing a terry-cloth mid-riff (and with an ample bosom) sitting in one of the lawn chairs right in the chest. The sound of golf ball hitting flesh was unmistakeable and all of us in the area immediately went to her aid. She was, naturally, quite shaken up. In the meantime, the ball could not be located. After awhile, the woman reached down in her mid-riff and well, you guessed it. The coda to the incident was Bob Verdi, then with the Chicago Tribune, kneeling next to the woman, and saying, "Is it true?"

Bob mentioned it in his column the following day.

Another example of poorly placed containment mounding around the green.

[Joe Hancock]

It was at the Western Open, I believe about 1979. My dad dropped me off on for one of the early rounds, probably Friday (he worked in Oak BrooK) and I waltzed around the course. On a par 4 dogleg left (don't remember which hole) I was behind the green. next to some folks sitting in lawn chairs. A pro (nobody of note) lofted his second shot well over the green. It struck a woman wearing a terry-cloth mid-riff (and with an ample bosom) sitting in one of the lawn chairs right in the chest. The sound of golf ball hitting flesh was unmistakeable and all of us in the area immediately went to her aid. She was, naturally, quite shaken up. In the meantime, the ball could not be located. After awhile, the woman reached down in her mid-riff and well, you guessed it. The coda to the incident was Bob Verdi, then with the Chicago Tribune, kneeling next to the woman, and saying, "Is it true?"

Bob mentioned it in his column the following day.

Supreme validation to my entry in the GCA essay contest!  

Joe

[Bob Longmire]

Unusual and scary.  I was playing in a scramble in West Texas which was interrupted late in the round by a very strong and violent thunderstorm.  The sky was black, the temp dropped significantly and most everyone had made it back to the clubhouse by the time the lightning started.  The last group of guys that were farthest from the clubhouse were headed up 18 and lightning hit a huge tree right next to the cart path.  A high, thick (chainsaw material) 25 ft long branch was split off the tree.  It fell right in front of their cart.  The guy driving didn't even have time to brake - it just missed them, falling directly in front of the cart.  They ran into it, throwing the passenger through the front of the cart.  I and many others standing under the overhanging roof behind the clubhouse saw the whole thing.  Just some bruises and alot of luck.  Odessa CC, 2002  

[Doug Wright]

Came across this thread while looking for something else. A lot of death and destruction mentioned herein, with a bit of spice from the esteemed Mr. Huntley in re Cypress Point. Since it's been 5 years since the last post on this thread maybe others have something to add.

[Scott Coan]

About 25 years ago I was playing the back 9 after work at Chula Vista Municipal and it was starting to get pretty dark.  Was on about the 16th or 17th green and my approach shot was about 10 yards off an elevated green.  I sauntered up the brow of the green to suss out my pitch shot and just as I was able to view the green the Rainbird greenside sprinklers popped on.  The next thing I knew I was on the deck.  The jet of the sprinkler hit me square between the eyes!  The absolute shock of it knocked me square on my back and I just layed there in the fading light, half-soaked, and it took me a few seconds to figure out what the heck just happened.  Once I figured it all out I had a huge laugh to myself.

I reckon I could play golf everyday for 100 years and never have it happen again... and good thing too as I would die of a heart attack now!

[Michael Huber]

About a week ago I was playing golf at the wonderfully esteemed and high class establishment known as Schenley Park Golf Course in Pittsburgh, PA.  For those of you who aren't framiliar with Schenley, it's located within the City of Pittsburgh and one of the more bizarre courses in the country.  All 18 tee boxes are astroturf, and you hit over a busy road 7 times in 18 holes.  It's also part of a big city park and near two college campuses( Carnegie Mellon and Pitt).  So needless to say, you see some strange things on the course i.e. dogs roaming wild with no leash, hppies sitting around reading a book on the tee boxes, seven-some groups, 4 guys playing out of one bag, et. al. 

So i'm playing the 13th hole, which is a par 4 of 230 yards and one of the holes that goes over a road.  My buddy and I were heading to our tee shot and this random guy goes up to us and says "blah blah blah blah blah bikini blah blah blah" We couldnt understand him because he had an english accent and we were confused as to why a guy was just walking around the golf course.  Anyways, my buddy and I chalk it up as just anoter wierd dude walking around Schenley.  So we get up to our balls, hit our shots and head towards the green.  Keep in mind that the green is really uphill and completely blind from where we hit our shot.

Sure enough, when we get to the green there is a smoking hot babe kneeling on the green with the tiniest bikini i've seen in person.  Since she was kneeling, and its a blind landing on the green, we did not see her at all from t he fairway.  She was getting her picture taken for a calender featuring pretty views of pittsburgh.  While we were putting out, she observed that "She felt wierd."  I remarked that there is nothing strange about wearing a bikini on a golf course in the middle of september. 

The best part about it all was that it was kids day on the golf course, and the front nine was inundated by little kids aged 10-14.  If any of those kids saw her in her little suit, I'm sure they matured a little bit quicker than their peers.

For the record, I got a double bogey on the hole.  I wish I was quick thinking enough to take a picture but I did startled by the whole situation.

[Adam Russell]

A group of guys come to play Reynolds Plantation on a day when it's rained so hard the course has closed. We never close. Ever. This was biblical flood stuff. Knowing they're not coming back, instead of getting rainchecks, they ask the pro to go out and play in the rain anyway since there's nothing else to do at the resort but play golf. After the third hole, the groups wait together and then played as a sixteen-some with four caddies working, one of which was myself. Twenty people on a green that's underwater -  unusual.

[D_Malley]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCHmuMJY28c

[Ulrich Mayring]

I was in a match, my opponent teed off and shanked it out of sight over some huges trees. The trees and a railway line behind them is out of bounds so we didn't bother looking. I proceed to tee up my ball and figure that if I get it in play he concedes the hole. I bunt a safe iron forwards. Then it happened: a ball came flying over the trees and came to rest perfectly on the fairway. It was my opponent's ball. We still don't know what happened.

Ulrich

[Greg Chambers]

Earlier this season I hit a purple martin (very small bird) in mid-air with a scorched three wood second shot on a par five.  Would have had an eagle putt, but the ball dropped straight down, as did the bird, about a hundred yards out.  I knocked my wedge stiff and made the birdie putt, at which point my wife made the comment that I got two birdies on one hole.