Critters on the Course

Golfing in Florida is different than golfing in Maryland, by a long shot.

Jeremy and Mike in the Tee Box

Yesterday, my traveling companions and I, played 36 holes of golf on two different courses. During that span, we spied a couple dangerous critters but also enjoyed the antics of many more harmless ones. 

A Small Gator Guarding a Water Feature
on a Golf Course

There are two rules that I adhere to when golfing in Florida. The first is never reach in to the water to retrieve a ball no matter how placid the water seems. Every water feature comes complete with its own alligator. The gators are always watching. OK, I did get one out of the water yesterday, but I made sure there were no large reptiles within a good distance.

Watching the Birds on the Course

Second--since snakes do inhabit the underbrush, don't go poking around with your hand. Use a club.

But those rules written, there are al to of fun critters to enjoy while golfing. The sand cranes man a sound like a dinosaur and can be a bit unnerving, but they seem relatively harmless.

The most important rule, however, is to have fun and play good golf!

-- Bob Doan, writing from Sarasota, Florida