Most people would think playing golf is a pretty safe sport and never thing about the perils of playing golf. In most cases that would be 100% correct thinking it is safe. Except there are some things which are overlooked like, physical injury from moving your body in such an unnatural motion. Tiger Woods is a prime example, fractured knee, two back surgeries. Then there is the danger of actually being hit by a golf ball, your own or someone else, or even worse their club when thrown in a tantrum.
But these are some of the things I have faced so far on my quest to play the top 100 Australian golf courses.
There are the natural dangers, like snakes on a course. Which you have to admit is much better than snakes on a plane. At least you have somewhere to run. I have only come across one snake in all my playing years, which was a small one at Barnbougle Dunes.
Fast forward to the end of 2016 and I have now seen my second on a course at Yarra Bend Golf Club. Having moved a little ahead of my playing group near the edge of the hole, when looking back to ensure a stray ball wasn’t coming my way, a large brown snake slithered across the area I had just walked. Little too close for comfort and I moved straight back to the middle of the fairway once their shots were made.
There are also the much larger predators, like man eating crocodiles. This little joy was found at Sea Temple Golf Links in Port Douglas.
For those that are a little silly and not enjoy reading signs about danger, the cliff fall. I have played a few courses with potential death defying falls, but none so blazen that required a warning sign like this, which was at Narooma Golf Club.
But probably the one I least expected was the potential to be run over by a train. Royal Adelaide Golf Club has a railway line right through the middle of the course. Gladly they have moved the holes so play is not required across the line, but you still must walk across at least twice to complete your round.
So I would love to hear if you have anything more dangerous or even bizarre.
Safe Golfing.
