Collier County golfer lands shot on the back of an alligator

Reporter: Jolena Esperto Writer: Tim Belizaire
Published: Updated:

“Play it safe.” That’s what Greg Irving thought he may be doing when he swung his puck Wednesday morning while golfing with his friend Joe Pack.

“Didn’t know why they were hollering,” said Irving. “I knew the ball had bounced into the hazard. So I had no idea that’s why they were so excited, ’til I got up there and could see it was right in the middle of its back.”

Pack is a friend of Irving and witnessed the shot.

“We were double over laughing,” said Pack. “[It’s] just something that you never expect to see.”

It wasn’t as much of a dangerous hazard as it could have been. The gator remained calm.

“That hazard is dangerous, yeah, with an alligator in there, it’s probably a double hazard,” said Pack. “Yeah, certainly the water, certainly out of bounds. So, you don’t want to be there. Let’s put it that way. I was happy to leave the ball where it was.”

Irving played a game of golf the very next day, near the gator’s spot. The gator was still making ripples in the pond.

“A million people saying, you know how funny it is, and said Greg should have just played it and lied,” said Pack. “But I’ll tell you what it might be, good luck, because I powered the next two holes.”

The alligator is still here somewhere in the water. The Twin Eagle community said that there is wildlife galore in the area, and that’s part of why they love it.

They just want everyone to make sure to stay safe and be aware of their surroundings there or anywhere.

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