Natural Selection

I once heard an older, wiser man who was playing golf with me say, "If a golf ball has betrayed you once, don't go looking for it because it is bound to betray you again." He was referring to looking for a ball he hit into the woods. Instead of going on safari, he simply dropped a ball in the middle of the fairway and played his next shot.

That wisdom might have been beneficial to the man in this story, "Gator pulls Florida golfer into pond; man unhurt". I've never been one to spend a lot of time looking for lost balls in the water or woods. Those of you that play with me know however, that I will walk along the rough/water hazards and if I see a ball retrieve it with my 600 ft. ball retriever! BUT, when I was in Florida playing golf a year and a half ago, I stayed clear of the rough/water/cart paths...pretty much if my ball wasn't in the center cut, short grass, I let it go! Obviously this man was either, one brave, or two not thinking straight, because why would you, in Florida mind you, go sticking your hand/arm or any other body part near the water?

As my father in law says regarding those that make rescues of people lost in the wilderness, usually with helicopters, spending tons of taxpayer dollars, "The rescuers call those types of rescues 'INS' or Interfering with Natural Selection. Hopefully those playing golf will see the multiple signs on the course warning them of wildlife. Again, this guy didn't even see the sign posted on the same hole next to the same water hazard that the gator pulled him into! Amazing...