"It was excruciating to say the least"

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Phil Attinger on 75-year-old Albert Miller getting attacked by a 9-foot gator at Lake Ashton Golf and CC last Wednesday while retrieving balls in a clear pond.

"He lifted me up three feet and slammed me down," Miller said.

Price ran over and grabbed Miller under his shoulders while the animal was thrashing and pulling.

The other two golfers in the foursome ran over to help.

Miller said the animal took one look at him and clamped down harder.

"It was excruciating to say the least," Miller said.

As the animal started dragging Miller into the water, Miller prayed for a miracle.
He got one.

"He let me go," Miller said. "I was three feet from my life. He had me submerged up to my belt buckle. That was my miracle of the month."

More Slow Play Violence: "I didn't know golf was a contact sport."

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Jim Schoettler reports on the latest slow-play-induced course violence, this time on the 18th green at Jacksonville Beach Municipal Golf Course in Florida. If they make a movie out of this one, I like J.K. Simmons for the old guy who flips out. (Thanks to reader Jon for this.)

Police arrested a 61-year-old Jacksonville man and charged him with slamming his golf cart into a group of bachelor partygoers and then whacking one with his golf club, leading to a brawl ended by other stunned golfers and police.

"It was some guy who must have been having a bad day," said Murdock Hampe, 27, who suffered a badly swollen leg when hit by the golf cart and a long knot when a golf club was broken over his head.

James Alonzo Hines of the 11500 block of Young Road was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, an arrest report said. Hines, who a witness said was bloodied in the brawl, was jailed and later released. No other arrests occurred.

And...

Hampe said he was sitting in a golf cart when shouting erupted between the two groups from a distance. He said Hines then began hitting golf balls at them from about 200 yards away.

That always helps speed people up.

Here's where it becomes apparent this joined the other slow play violence of late (here and here)...

Hampe said at one point Hines shouted he was a veteran of the course and complained about the group of younger golfers taking too long.

"The first thing he said was, 'You need to respect your elders,'" Hampe said. "We said, 'That's no way to conduct yourself in public.'"

Salsbery said he and his buddies had no choice but to subdue Hines.

"We all just went there thinking it was going to be a cool, chilled day and right at the end it got crazy," said Salsbery, 26. "I didn't know golf was a contact sport."

Ravel, 23, called the attack ridiculous.

"If the older group had just held their frustrations in for another five minutes, the whole round would have been over," Ravel said.

Seve's Son Can Play

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Nice scores for a law school student making his debut in a pro event...six spots higher than his late dad finished in the satellite event 38 years ago.

The 21-year-old Spanish amateur, who tied 14th in his first professional tournament at the same venue where his father started out in 1974, ended the Peugeot Alps de Barcelona tournament at Sant Cugat on 4-under, 12 strokes behind two-time European Tour champion Pablo Larrazabal.

“I come away satisfied and will gain a lot of confidence from playing here,” said the law student, who fired rounds of 65, 72 and 68.

“I like playing with the pros as I play better. It motivates me and helps me improve.

“My mother and father always supported me to play golf but both always told me that studies come first.

“With every day that passes I enjoy golf more, but I do not plan challenges or set goals. For now I enjoy, have fun.”