Crocodile attacks golfer

While playing a quiet round, an Australian man was taken to the hospital after being attacked

Crocodile attacks golfer

Normally, wild life and golf go together like beans on toast.

The birds chirping at Augusta during the Masters were a tranquil backdrop to the roaring crowds.

Then, there’s the other side. The dark side of nature.

While playing a round in northern Australia this morning, an elderly man was taken to the hospital, after being attacked by a crocodile.

It happened on the Port Douglas Golf Course, near Cairns.

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesperson said friends who were with the man drove him back to the clubhouse on a golf buggy after the attack.

The man was treated for cuts and “lacerations” below to his lower leg before being transported to the hospital.

If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, where your ball ends up near a wild animal, there is precedent to be able to move your ball.

During a situation involving Sergio Garcia and a beehive in 2014, Bryan Jones, who sits on the PGA Rules Committee said there isn’t a specific rule that allows a drop in this situation, but there is precedent.

“In the Decisions Book, there’s a famous decision — under Rule No. 1, it’s Decision 1-4/10 — that talks about dangerous situations and what the player is allowed to do,” Jones said. "Without getting closer to the hole, they can drop within a club length of the spot where it is not dangerous.”

According to the decisions book, this doesn’t include any specific animal but a variety of dangerous situations, from bees and rattlesnakes to the odd croc.

If you do find yourself near a wild meat-eater, we might suggest simply taking the penalty stroke and moving well away.