Alligators, Coyotes and Bears…Oh My!

This past weekend my golf buddy “Viv” and I had the great, good fortune to spend several days near Naples, Florida.    It was with major excitement and anticipation that I packed my clubs and took my first “golf trip.”  I laughed telling people I was taking the clubs (paying the extra baggage fee, hello!) to play in another climate, as this statement gave my golf game a much greater weight than it actually deserves.  It all became too clear when we stepped up to the first tee.

Now, I need to say that this course was extremely narrow and very tricky.  And surrounded by homes.  Then there were the reported sightings of BEARS.  And COYOTES.  And ALLIGATORS.  I am not kidding about this.  Add the multiple sandtraps, and abundant water hazards and this course should have had a big red warning sign on it.

The sight of a bear trundling across the fairway – well, who wouldn’t seize up at the sight of that, sending that ball waaaaaaaay to the right. Remember my thought that the sound of a golf ball hitting a tree is one of the funniest sounds ever?  This does not apply to the sound of MY golfball hitting a house. 

Perhaps the coyote sighting could be held partially responsible for my failure to get the ball in the air until the third tee.  And the putts that came “oh soooooo close” to the cup. 

Now, if I’d actually seen a bear or a coyote as warned, I could blame these errant shots on them.  I really did see an alligator.  He was floating peacefully in one of those previously mentioned water hazards, and didn’t seem very interested in us.  But he can have all eight golf balls I lost that round, because I sure wasn’t going to fish around in his territory to retrieve them.

I had a few good moments during our golf outing, and I’ll hang onto those for now.  Time for more practice.  A lot more!  Spring is only a month away!