[Medtrans]

Husband played at Pelican Saturday. They were waiting to tee off on the 9th hole and they could see 3 of the foursome ahead of them on the green. The 4th was off on the side in the rough looking for balls. Then he was down. My husband's group called out and they were waved off like everything was okay. But it wasn't. My husband drove to them anyway. The guy had fallen in the weeds, was bleeding and was stuck. Now my husband is in the weeds getting the guy up. Other than scratches and a bloody mess the guy was okay. My husband found he was full of needles and scratched after this. Did the guy even thank him? Nope. He received more thanks from the person whose putter he found and turned in. Maybe this particular guy was embarrassed? Weird. Was it worth it to look for golf balls? Who knows what else could be in the rough. Thought I would share this really weird story.

[DonH57]

That's why they tell people to stay out of the brush. Lots of nasty little critters and snakes this time of year. I don't think the cost of most golf balls is worth it. If I physically can see the ball I'll use an extendable pole.

[NYGUY]

From what I observe, there must be a mafia run used golf ball operation being run in The Villages.

[TheVillageChicken]

Ballhawkers are a lower life form...not worth saving.

[kcrazorbackfan]

Originally Posted by TheVillageChicken

Ballhawkers are a lower life form...not worth saving.

Ballhawkers are kissing cousins to people who don't fix their divots (on the greens, tee boxes and fairways). Scofflaws, that is what divots repair tools are for (on the green) and also why FREE SAND is given out (for the tee boxes and fairways).

[Uberschaf]

Never go in the bush.A golf is not worth it.

[chili557]

We tell all golfers that the weeded area are like Chinese food , you never know what's in there.

[Cathy H]

Originally Posted by Medtrans

Husband played at Pelican Saturday. They were waiting to tee off on the 9th hole and they could see 3 of the foursome ahead of them on the green. The 4th was off on the side in the rough looking for balls. Then he was down. My husband's group called out and they were waved off like everything was okay. But it wasn't. My husband drove to them anyway. The guy had fallen in the weeds, was bleeding and was stuck. Now my husband is in the weeds getting the guy up. Other than scratches and a bloody mess the guy was okay. My husband found he was full of needles and scratched after this. Did the guy even thank him? Nope. He received more thanks from the person whose putter he found and turned in. Maybe this particular guy was embarrassed? Weird. Was it worth it to look for golf balls? Who knows what else could be in the rough. Thought I would share this really weird story.

the vignette could have been really gripping if we knew how the victim was treated at TV hospital ER

[Sandtrap328]

Those weedy areas with the tall grasses can hide all sorts of nasty critters. The pygmy rattlesnake is extremely common here and will deliver a painful bite that can destroy tissue around the bite. The brown recluse spider is also common in those grasses and they have a very nasty toxin.

Stay out of those areas and keep the dog out, too. They get bitten with worse results than on people.

[pqrstar]

Originally Posted by Medtrans

Husband played at Pelican Saturday. They were waiting to tee off on the 9th hole and they could see 3 of the foursome ahead of them on the green. The 4th was off on the side in the rough looking for balls. Then he was down. My husband's group called out and they were waved off like everything was okay. But it wasn't. My husband drove to them anyway. The guy had fallen in the weeds, was bleeding and was stuck. Now my husband is in the weeds getting the guy up. Other than scratches and a bloody mess the guy was okay. My husband found he was full of needles and scratched after this. Did the guy even thank him? Nope. He received more thanks from the person whose putter he found and turned in. Maybe this particular guy was embarrassed? Weird. Was it worth it to look for golf balls? Who knows what else could be in the rough. Thought I would share this really weird story.

Many holes on Pelican have environmentally sensitive areas, including hole #9 These are NO TRESPASSING.

ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS ARE PROTECTED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

Any ball that comes to rest in one of these Environmentally Sensitive Areas cannot be retrieved
in anyway. These areas are not be disturbed by golfers or by golf maintenance companies.
Periodically a company will be given permission to enter these areas for the purpose of cleaning
up debris that may have blown into these areas over time.

When your ball does come to rest in an Environmentally Sensitive Area please do not spend time
looking for the ball, rather determine where the ball crossed the margin of the hazard and
proceed under Rule 26-1 as referenced in the above Local Rule. This will help greatly with the
pace of play on the golf course and eliminate any unnecessary searching for a golf ball that is
unable to be retrieved

http://golfthevillages.com/turftalk/...ve%20Areas.pdf

[Miles42]

I do not hunt for a lost golf ball in this area. Just not worth what may be hiding and also I do not use the best golf balls in the world. LOL

[john1953]

These people that go hunting for balls is crazy.To risk getting hurt or bitten by a snake or what ever for a golf ball is insane.I see it all the time and I don`t get it at all.

[Medtrans]

He wasn't looking for "a" ball, he was pulling one out after another. So my husband risked going in this area and was scratched up as he didn't know what happened to the guy to cause him to go down. Did he have a heart attack or stroke or something? Nope, he needed more golf balls.

[graciegirl]

It was kind of your husband.

To the group doing this. I have three words;

PACE OF PLAY

[rjn5656]

And think, they vote too!