Daril Pacinella

Special to FLORIDA TODAY

QUESTION: I am a very old lady who played golf for 30 years. I can no longer play and I miss it. My most memorable shot was a par three, water tee to green. Halfway over the water, a somewhat low shot, out came a huge alligator’s mouth and caught it for consumption. How does one score that shot? What a surprise! Jean W.

ANSWER: Well, I must say I haven't had a question like this. Thanks for sharing it with me.

One of the greatest things about this sport is being outside and around nature. You’ll see things that put you in awe.

The ruling would be, since your ball was consumed by the alligator within the water hazard, you would have to implement the water hazard ruling which would be a penalty of one stroke.

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If the alligator was outside of the hazard, say, the fairway, and your golf ball rolled up to him and he decided to make your golf ball part of his menu then takes off, you would then be entitled to drop the ball at the nearest point to where he took your ball with no penalty.

Nature on a golf course is such a tranquil thing to see, but now and then nature wants to play too.

Have fun and enjoy the game.

Daril’s credentials

Daril Pacinella is the Director of Instruction at Turtle Creek Country Club in Rockledge. He is a teaching professional with more than 40 years of experience. He is a certiﬁed TPI golf ﬁtness instructor and has developed strength and ﬂexibility programs for golfers of all ages.

Readers may submit questions on anything related to golf. Send your question to pgabear@aol.com. If your question is selected, it will be published in FLORIDA TODAY on Tuesday and the Treasure Coast Newspapers on Thursday. You also will receive a certificate for Free Green Fees for a foursome at one of the courses listed: Turtle Creek Golf Course in Rockledge, Duran Golf Course in Viera, Baytree National Golf Links in Suntree, Viera East Golf Club and Savannahs Golf Course on Merritt Island.