‘Big boy’: Charlie the alligator gets involved in the game of golf in Florida
Alligators and golf courses go together in Florida like traffic and I-95.
On Sunday, a large gator who is often spotted walking the holes at Coral Oaks Golf Course in Cape Coral got more involved in the sport than usual.
In video sent to NBC2, golfer Kyle Downes, who was playing with his brother, told the station their ball landed on the gator’s tail and stayed there.
They just wanted to get it back so he gingerly approached the animal.
“He’s going to whip you with that tail, dude,” says Downes off camera of the visitor the golf course has affectionately named Charlie.
You see Downes’ brother then bravely pluck the white ball off the gator’s back as it darts back into the water with a large splash.
“Oh my God!” yells the cameraman off camera, laughing nervously.
Lee Boos, who works in the Coral Oaks pro shop, told the Miami Herald Monday he wasn’t sure if the encounter was planned as a photo op. But he did see Charlie as well that day, from about 10 feet away.
“He’s one of our creature features,” Boos said, estimating the gator’s length at about 9 to 10 feet. “I see him all the time.”
The Florida man said he hasn’t heard of Charlie getting aggressive with anyone but advises people to keep their distance nonetheless.
“He’s a big boy, he’ll take a bite out of ya.”
This story was originally published December 14, 2020 at 4:45 PM with the headline "‘Big boy’: Charlie the alligator gets involved in the game of golf in Florida."
