Watch: Alligator stops golf at course by taking the ball in Florida

A giant alligator stopped a golf match with its presence on the golf course in Florida. A clip recently surfaced on the internet of the alligator playing with a golf ball.

The NUCLR shared a video on social media of the giant reptile dancing on the golf course. The alligator was rolling on the grass while holding a golf ball in its mouth.

A golf ball was lying on the course when a large alligator suddenly appeared, turned his mouth slightly to the side, and grabbed the ball. The ball was lying on his tongue as he opened his lips wide after holding it in his mouth for a time and then attempting to chew it.

The NUCLR Golf shared the clip with a caption saying:

"Play it as it lies…"

However, it was not the first time alligators have interrupted the gameplay.

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What happens if a golf ball lands on an alligator?

If a golfer hits a ball and it lands on an alligator then as per Rule 16 of the US Golf Association rule book, players can take free relief but only under certain conditions. The rule says:

Relief Is Allowed

• Interference exists when any one of these is true:
• Your ball touches or is in or on an abnormal course condition,
• An abnormal course condition physically interferes with your area of intended stance or area of intended swing, or
• Only when your ball is on the putting green, an abnormal course condition on or off the putting green intervenes on your line of play.
• There is no free relief from an abnormal course condition when the abnormal course condition is out of bounds or your ball is in a penalty area.

In 2021, a golfer wound up atop an alligator. According to a report by The Island Packer, David Ksieniewicz was golfing at Spring Island Club in Okatie, SC, when his ball hit an alligator. Kristine Robinson wrote about the incident on her Facebook account, saying:

“Shot of the day! Under rule 16.1, which addresses ‘abnormal course conditions,’ the player is ‘entitled to take relief with no penalty.’ Which is good, because we determined that my dad, David Ksieniewicz, should PROBABLY consider this dangerously shanked shot UNPLAYABLE & start over.”

In 2021, another photo went viral on the internet when a man dangerously grabbed an alligator by the tail at the Fripp Island Golf & Beach Resort in South Carolina.

The resort shared an image on its Facebook account, saying:

"Fripp Island Resort would like to remind all of our residents, guests, and visitors that Fripp is a wildlife habitat. Harassment, enticement, or feeding of wildlife is both illegal and dangerous.”

However, the incident was investigated by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.