Wildlife … animals, not golfers

[B_R_A_D_Y]

I read an article on Jack Nicklaus back in the early 1980s in which he was quoted as saying something like, “you have to stop and smell the roses while playing.” He explained that even though you need to be focused on your round, you should not be so focused that you are oblivious to things that also make the game enjoyable … the beauty of the course, the beauty of the day, and for this example, the wildlife around you. 
 

While my home course has a few holes over run with dirty geese, it is a treat to often see a group of wild turkeys walking across the fairway on the back nine. But the course where I saw the most wildlife, was the Palms at Disney World, also back in the early 80s. What truly made this round stand out was a group of wily raccoons. After purchasing your food at the turn, you land your #10 tee shot across a creek. Driving your cart over the bridge, you park next to the landing area, and walk to your ball. As soon as your group abandons their carts, the raccoons come out from hiding under the bridge, and blitz the carts for the food you have just paid an arm & a leg for. And before you can hit & get back to the cart, they are gone, sometimes without even being seen by the unsuspecting benefactors.

 

I was a single that day, so I was paired with a husband & wife from France … he spoke English but she didn’t. I had seen the masked bandits strike the group ahead of us, so I explained to the couple what was about to happen. We backed slowly away from our carts and watched expectantly as the critters rolled out from hiding, looking for their next booty haul. My sandwich was long gone by this time, but they did stick their noses in my chip bag, and took the husband’s last half of burger. The wife, however, had not gotten any food and was evidently feeling as if she was missing out on the experience, so she walked back to their cart as the gang half heartedly retreated from an interrupted caper. She rummaged thru her purse and retrieved the only eatable item she had, a roll of antacid tablets … a few heads were poked out of the shadows watching intently. She then proceeded to unwrap the tablets, and toss the colorful discs toward the raccoons, who snatched them up & gobbled them down. I would say, that on that day, after stuffing themselves on cart after cart of overpriced greasy food, those raccoons finally had a night’s sleep without heartburn.

Edited September 10, 2021 by B_R_A_D_Y

[MDGolfHacker]

Awesome post!  I've had the occasional alligator on the course but I've also had a black crow fly into my cart and snag some chips and a squirrel also do the same (different days of course). Let's not forget the blood sucking mosquitoes that seem to get a free meal off of me! 

 

MDGolfHacker

[Tom the Golf Nut]

I had an experience in July in Myrtle Beach. They have these black squirrels that are larger than a typical gray one. They are smart and brave!

I stop the cart to hit my second shot and he runs over to the cart stands up on his back legs and begs for food. You can't shush him away he just stayed there. As I get out of the cart he watches intently. I get about 30 feet away and he jumps on my golf bag and unzipped one of the pockets and pulls out my PB&J uncrustable. Got back just in time to foil his theft. But he unzipped the bag and got it half way out. 

Smart little bugger!

[MaxEntropy]

I've played in Myrtle Beach and have seen the small alligators. When I was in Hilton Head, I saw a few that were HUGE to my northern eye. I'm guessing this one was about 8 feet?