The below happened at a course we did in Savannah, Ga:
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Golfer recovering from rattlesnake bite
Roy Williamson, 60, credits family, Henderson Golf Course staff, medical personnel for reacting fast to save his life.
A Savannah golfer encountered the hazard of his life last week while playing a round at Henderson Golf Club.
Roy Williamson, 60, was bitten twice in the head by a rattlesnake as he tried to pick up a golf ball that landed in some wetlands.
The incident occurred Nov. 6 near the ninth hole, where Williamson had teed off and hit what he described as "a bad shot." The bad shot turned worse when he left the fairway and went to retrieve his ball.
"I saw my ball pretty much in plain view," Williamson, who is still recovering, said Thursday. "Unfortunately, it was being tended to by a rattlesnake that I didn't see."
Williamson picked up the ball. As he stood up, he said he felt something scratch at his right temple. He slapped at what he thought was a briar, saw blood — and then the snake.
What to do if you encounter a snake
Poisonous snakes in Georgia include Eastern diamondback rattlers, canebreak (timber) rattlers, water moccasins, cottonmouths and coral snakes. If you encounter any kind of snake in the wild, don't try kill it – this is when most snake bites occur. Instead, stop moving. Then, slowly take two or three steps backward, away from the snake. If the snake is in your path, make a wide berth around the creature, being careful not to disturb it.
If you are bitten, call 911 immediately or have someone take you to the nearest hospital. Poisonous snake venom enters the bloodstream shortly after a snake strikes, and you'll need to get medical help as soon as possible. Don't try to cut open the wound and suck the venom out. This method can actually help spread the venom and cause you to lose precious time.
"You hear fish stories about the one that got away," he said. "Well, this snake was a good six inches around and a good six-and-a-half or seven feet long."
He started screaming for help, and the three men he was playing with — his son, brother and brother-in-law — came running.
"My son is 35, and he's a good-sized man," Williamson continued. "I haven't seen him move that fast since he was 16."
Williamson remembers reaching the clubhouse. The next thing he knew, it was not Thursday anymore, but Sunday. Doctors determined that the snake actually had bitten him twice. Because it struck him in the right temple, medical personnel told him the venom immediately spread throughout his body. He credits his family, the Henderson staff, medical personnel in the ambulance and at the hospital for acting quickly.
"These people saved my life," he said.
Alan Cale, general manager of Henderson Golf Club, said that while Williamson was being taken to the hospital, employees immediately roped off the area and posted warning signs. The incident was reported to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and professional snake handlers in Claxton have also been called to assist in rounding up any snakes at the course.
This is the first time an incident like this has occurred there.
"It's an unfortunate accident, but on a golf course — out in nature — you're going to have wildlife," Cale said.
Scott Courdin, wildlife curator at Georgia Southern University, agreed.
"Golf courses do tend to be manicured," Courdin said. "A lot of people think because they are manicured, wildlife might not be around. Golf courses may be in the middle of a neighborhood or surrounded by development, but that doesn't mean there's not going to be snakes there."
In fact, snakes of all types — including rattlers, water moccasins, copperheads and coral snakes — are plentiful in Georgia. Rattlers are particularly popular on barrier islands, where they feast on mostly small creatures like cotton rats and marsh rabbits, said Brad Winn, senior wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources non-game and wildlife program, based in Brunswick.
"Georgia barrier islands have some of the best rattlesnake habitats," Winn said.
Both he and Courdin explained that snakes, including venomous ones, are usually peaceful creatures who just want to be left alone.
"Usually, the only time a snake bites is when it feels threatened," Courdin said. "They're not aggressive. They don't chase people, and they don't go out of their way to bite people."
And contrary to popular belief, rattlers don't always make the sound they're named after.
"Most of the rattlers I've encountered don't rattle at all," Winn said. "They'll tend to move away from the place being disturbed. If they're surprised or threatened or touched or stepped on, then they tend to become the rattlesnake people tend to fear."
The best thing to do to prevent a snake bite is to leave one alone if you see it and to watch where you step, both Winn and Courdin said.
Williamson has learned that lesson well. While he plans to play golf again, the next time around, he'll be much more careful.
"If I go out now and hit a ball off of the fairway in any fashion or form, I will not go after it," he said.