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Wildlife Seen on the Golf Course

Johneli

Johneli

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A couple of years ago I was playing this course where many of the fairways ran along canals with unkempt banks. I pushed a drive near the bank of one of these canals and couldn't find my ball. I saw something that looked for all the world like a tire 3/4 submerged in the water and since the canal ran along a highway as well I assumed it was just that........a tire. WRONG!!! I made a move for "the tire" which in turn thrashed at me and showed me row upon row of sharp teeth. Yes, it was about a nine foot alligator. From that point on any ball suspected of going into a canal was ignored and I will to this day just hit a provisional.

So, here's the question: Where you live what kind of wildlife have you seen on various golf courses? Have you ever had an encounter? I would imagine you southwesterners always have one ear tuned to "rattler sounds" and northwesterners are on the lookout for bears.
 
Deer, geese, ducks, other water fowl, frogs, turtles mostly here in Ohio. I was going to help a turtle to the water once, until I got up to it and realized it was a snapping turtle. I quickly walked the other direction and let him/her proceed at it's own pace.
 
Last weekend I saw a doe and her two baby deer run across the fairway I was getting ready to drive. I also see turkey and the occasional fox and coyote.
 
Living in the Sonoran Desert, we get some unusual wildlife... javelinas, bobcats, coyotes, rattlesnakes, gila monsters and other lizards, rabbits, quail, roadrunners, groundsquirrels, roundtail squirrels, chipmunks, scarlett tanangers as well as a wide variety of other birds. I even have a picture of a hummingbird perched on my cap that I had a buddy take with my phone camera. I have also seen deer, both muleys and whitetails. I haven't seen one, but several of my club members have seen a mountain lion!
 
Mostly deer here. And the geese. Of course you will see snakes, rabbits, squirrels and the like. Saw one snapping turtle which I stayed away from. One coyote while in Arizona.
 
does John Daly count? if not then I'll go with whitetail deer
 
I've only seen the typical PNW and Texas wildlife: squirrels, armadillos, birds, coyotes, deer, foxes, bigfoots, raccoons, opossums, etc.

But a couple of years ago, there was a hysterical story (with pictures I think) on another site from a guy in Thailand about the monkeys. Also seen lots of pics and videos of the 'roos on the courses in Australia.
 
Harry Longshanks said:
I've only seen the typical PNW and Texas wildlife: squirrels, armadillos, birds, coyotes, deer, foxes, bigfoots, raccoons, opossums, etc.
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We have a lot of those around our parts as well. :giggle:
 
Last night, there were 3 water rats having a party near the water on the 7th hole right next to the bridge. I took the long way around. :freaked-out:
 
Diane said:
Last night, there were 3 water rats having a party near the water on the 7th hole right next to the bridge. I took the long way around. :freaked-out:
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(a) What is a "water rat" and what makes it different from a regular rat? (i.e., anything other than the obvious fact that it apparently lives in the water.)

(b) What exactly is a water rat "party"?

(c) Why would it be necessary to go around? Are water rats commonly know to pack heat or something?
 
Lots of rattlesnakes, I dont look to hard for my ball once the weather heats up. Ive seen coyotes a lot too.
 
Harry Longshanks said:
(a) What is a "water rat" and what makes it different from a regular rat? (i.e., anything other than the obvious fact that it apparently lives in the water.)

(b) What exactly is a water rat "party"?

(c) Why would it be necessary to go around? Are water rats commonly know to pack heat or something?
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a) Water rats are bigger and brown - they swim. They're not uncommon around here because we're on LI Sound.

b) They seemed to be hanging out together - hence the party atmosphere. It was more than just a chance meeting or gathering.

c) They looked like they were plotting against me. I think they had a plan to surround me so I took no chances. It would have been 3 against 1. I was in a 2-some and her ball was far away.
 
Diane said:
a) Water rats are bigger and brown - they swim. They're not uncommon around here because we're on LI Sound.

b) They seemed to be hanging out together - hence the party atmosphere. It was more than just a chance meeting or gathering.

c) They looked like they were plotting against me. I think they had a plan to surround me so I took no chances. It would have been 3 against 1. I was in a 2-some and her ball was far away.
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So it was a "Get Diane!" water rat ambush planning party.

Fair enough.
 
bunny rabbits and me
 
LOTS of wild turkey up here in CT
 
thanks1974 said:
does John Daly count? if not then I'll go with whitetail deer
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That will be relevant to my next thread: "Whales and other sea creatures seen from the driving range on a cruise ship." (Although in all fairness he has lost half of himself.) :D
 
Grogger31 said:
LOTS of wild turkey up here in CT
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I'm sure if that technically counts as wildlife . . .

Wild-Turkey-101-lg.jpg
 
I bet I have one that out does'em all! Kangeroos!!! I visited a golf course in Melbourne, Australia and the Roos love the grass. Plus there were 10 or so, lounging under trees that ran along the driving range.

G'day!
 
I have seen all kinds of animals, birds, and reptiles at one time or another. I have had a couple of run ins with bull snakes that were some what painful. I saw a buffalo/bison destroy a golf cart in Wyoming once. The idiot driver drove to close to the old girl's calf. We saw a mountain lion carrying off someone's dog while golfing in Death Valley. Wolves in Colorado. Wildlife, and scenery is one of the nicer aspects of the game of golf. :clapp:
 
In Mexico I saw an alligator, the ball landed about 5-8 feet from him, I still took my chip with him about that distance behind me. Usually at my home course I won't go a round without seeing a couple deer, as well I'll see a bald eagle from time to time.
 
At the TPC Sawgrass when I played there was the alligator the club name "Jaws" sunbathing on the side of the 16th fairway next to the pond. It was huge! The caddie said he stays there year round. He's kinda like their pet. Also Spyglass Hill and Pebble Beach have the most wildlife I have ever seen on a course. Tons and tons of deer, seagulls everywhere, and hundreds of sea lions laying on the rocks below the cliffs and on the beach. It really adds another element of beauty to the already perfect courses on the Carmel Bay.

Thanks and Go Hogs
 
Well we had about a 11-13 foot alligator that lives in a pond on our back nine at Northshore Country Club in Portland, TX......in fact they put up "Beware Alligator...DO NOT CHASE LOOSE BALLS IN GRASS" signs up since a dog went missing.........Seriously no joke ! Fish and Game have since moved him off to a better actual natural spring.

Actually killed a couple of rattlers on course while I lived in Tucson, most of the time by sheer accident, drove over them in a cart. Which is why some of the private clubs keep peacocks, guinea fowl etc on the courses.

Weirdest was seeing a black bear sleeping on a green at The Lodge Golf Course in Cloudcroft, NM! We just skipped that hole too bad we didn't have camera phones or any camera's with us back then!
 
I see alot of deer, turkeys, coyotes, and Canadian Geese. They won't move even if your ball is a foot behind their flock. Once I drove my tee shot and it hit one, it just sat there undazed. The people next to the course have a Bison farm in their yard all caged in. I once saw a Black bear and her cubs around the edge of the treelines to the side of the fairway. I'm glad I didn't hit it into the trees that day.
 
Harry Longshanks said:
So it was a "Get Diane!" water rat ambush planning party.

Fair enough.
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Muskrats....lots of them here in NC. Kinda look like mini-beavers but with a rat like tail. Usually with grass in their mouth whil swimming. Saw one today...nasty teeth, but not sure how nasty they are.
.%5Cvtcritters%5Cphotos%5Cmammals%5Cmuskrat%5Cmuskratswimming.jpg


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Muskrats have incredibly soft fur, friend of mine at work traps & skins them.
 
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