[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by ajbrown

Played Palmer yesterday. Good shape as expected BTW.

The gators were pretty active. I suspect it is mating season? The most memorable of the day was in the pond between 3 and 7 on Laurel Valley. I had hit a horrible push cut on hole number 3 on Laurel Valley. As I walked along the shore wondering if pickle ball would be a better way to spend my time, I heard this low distinctive growl. If you have never heard a gator growl it is pretty unique and would likely scare the heck out of me if it was not 50 yards away. The gator was over by the 7th tee. Fat chance I would make my living in the water!

If you have never heard one, here is an example. Not the one I saw, but the one I saw also had his head up out of the water. I feel bad for gator in the video. He gets all worked up, just to find out his mate is a tease. At least it does not cost him a bottle of wine and dinner


Damon Bailey gets Big Al to bellow at Gator Country in Beaumont, Texas in June of 2009 - YouTube

Here is the link 'quoted' for folks that cannot see it.

I agree, they are very scary. But the reason that they growl is that they are trying to scare you away. They don't want to attack you. They'd rather you run away. Most gator bite occur when someone accidentally steps on one or threatens it's nest.
Ball divers live in fear that they will accidentally get near a nest. That's when they get bit.
And I agree with you. I wouldn't go into that water but a lot of people do. many kids that grow up in Florida are very used to swimming with gators in the vicinity. Of course many of us grow up swimming the ocean as well. Some people from the midwest refuse to go into the ocean for fear of getting bitten by a shark.